The Riff Report

Steelhouse faithful, memorabilia hunters, mountain rockers and anyone who has ever shouted “one more song!” into the Welsh sky — this one’s a tidy little treat. The Steelhouse Festival dressing room door signs are now officially live for auction, giving fans the chance to grab a proper piece of backstage rock ’n’ roll history from one of Wales’ most loved festivals. And let’s be honest, butt — this is way cooler than a fridge magnet. 🤘 🏔️ Rock The Mountain, Own The Memory Steelhouse Festival has never been just another weekend in a field. Since launching in 2011, it has become a proud Welsh celebration of riffs, community, weather-based character building, and bands absolutely belting it out from the top of the mountain. With its iconic “Rock The Mountain / Rocio Y Mynydd” spirit, Steelhouse has built something genuinely special. It’s loud, it’s welcoming, it’s gloriously Welsh, and it has the kind of atmosphere you simply cannot manufacture with corporate nonsense and overpriced lanyards. Now, fans have the chance to take home something from behind the curtain — the dressing room door signs that would have been part of the backstage world where the magic gets warmed up before hitting the stage. 🚪 Not Just A Sign — A Slice Of Backstage Chaos There’s something brilliant about festival memorabilia that has actually been part of the action. A dressing room door sign is not some random bit of merch pulled from a box. It’s the sort of item that has been there in the thick of it — bands arriving, guitars being tuned, setlists being checked, nerves being laughed off, crew rushing past, and probably someone asking where the kettle has gone. That’s proper backstage energy. For Steelhouse fans, this is a chance to own a little piece of the festival’s story. Something with character. Something with history. Something that says: “Yes, I love this festival enough to put part of it on my wall.” And honestly? Respect. 😈 🐉 Steelhouse Spirit In Full Force Steelhouse has always had that magic blend of big riffs and big heart. It’s a festival where the crowd feels like a family, the mountain feels like part of the line-up, and every year seems to come with at least one legendary story involving weather, beer, mud, or someone losing their voice by Saturday afternoon. The dressing room door signs carry that same spirit. They are not flashy. They are not overproduced. They are proper, real, festival-flavoured pieces of rock memorabilia. For collectors, they’re unique. For Steelhouse regulars, they’re sentimental. For anyone building a music room, bar, studio, rehearsal space, or rock cave — they’re absolutely lush. 🛒 Auction Now Live The signs are now available through eBay, with fans able to get involved and place their bids. 👉 Bid on the Steelhouse Festival dressing room door signs here: https://ebay.io/m/ngdgtn Whether you’re a long-time Steelhouse regular, a lover of Welsh rock culture, or just someone who wants their house to look slightly more like a backstage corridor at a festival, this is a cracking chance to bag something a bit different. But don’t hang about, mun. Festival collectables can disappear quicker than dry socks at a Welsh outdoor gig. 🤘 Good Luck To Everyone Bidding So there we go — Steelhouse Festival dressing room door signs are now live for auction, and some lucky fans will soon be giving these bits of mountain-top memorabilia a brand-new home. Good luck to everyone getting involved. May your bids be strong, your WiFi behave itself, and your bank account not look at you afterwards like you’ve just bought another black band T-shirt. Steelhouse Festival. Welsh riffs. Backstage history. Proper job. 🐉🎸🔥 Read the full article

Every now and then, a band comes along that does not politely ask for a seat at the table. They smash through the wall, throw glitter into the smoke machine, crank the amps to dangerous levels, and yell, “We’re here now. Deal with it.” That band is NOVA RIOT. Hailing from Durant, Oklahoma, NOVA RIOT are a three-piece alternative metal force built on attitude, atmosphere, and absolute refusal to play things safe. In a world where heavy music can sometimes feel like everyone is copying everyone else’s homework, this trio are stepping forward with something sharp, colourful, and brilliantly chaotic. Their mantra? Music with No Apologies. And honestly, butt, that tells you almost everything you need to know. Welcome To The Riot 🎤🎸 NOVA RIOT are made up of: Nova Ray – vocals Orion – bass guitar Ares – lead guitar Fronting the storm is Nova Ray, a vocalist with a commanding presence and a visual style that immediately feels like a statement. There is no manufactured pop-rock polish here pretending to be dangerous. Nova Ray brings rawness, confidence, and the kind of energy that makes you pay attention before a single chorus has even landed. Holding down the heavy machinery are Orion on bass and Ares on lead guitar, giving the band its punch, grit, and cinematic weight. Together, the trio do not just sound like a band throwing songs into the void. They feel like a fully formed creative unit building their own strange, powerful, neon-lit universe. And that, mun, is where things get exciting. Bubblegum Alternative Metal? Go On Then… 🍬⚡ NOVA RIOT describe their sound as bubblegum alternative metal, which might sound like someone spilled a bag of pick ’n’ mix into a pedalboard — but it works. Think huge melodic hooks. Think glossy pop sensibility. Think dark riffs, emotional weight, and just enough menace to make your speakers sweat. There are shades that fans of Spiritbox, Bad Omens, The Pretty Reckless, Poppy, and Violent Vira could absolutely latch onto, but NOVA RIOT are not simply copying the modern heavy playlist. They are clearly trying to carve out their own lane: part alternative metal, part pop-leaning chaos, part cinematic mood piece, and part glitter-covered rebellion. It is heavy music with colour. It is pop melody with teeth. It is the sound of eyeliner running in a thunderstorm. Proper tidy, that. A Band Built For The Modern Age 💥 Founded in 2024, NOVA RIOT have not taken the traditional route of slowly grinding through every local bar and sticky-floored venue first. Instead, they have leaned into a digital-first global approach, building their identity through powerful visuals, polished production, and high-impact storytelling. In 2026, that matters. Bands are not just discovered in venues anymore. They are discovered through clips, aesthetics, visuals, reels, and songs that hit someone in the chest while they are doom-scrolling at 1am with a cold Greggs sausage roll nearby. NOVA RIOT understand that. Even before stepping fully into the live spotlight, the band have focused on creating something that feels complete. The image, the sound, the message, the mood — it all feels connected. That is not accidental. That is strategy with eyeliner on. Experienced Heads, Fresh Fire 🔥 While NOVA RIOT may be a new name, the people behind it are not walking into this clueless. The band members are seasoned industry professionals who have already played respected stages including The Bomb Factory and Canton Hall, giving them a level of live and industry experience that many new bands simply do not have. They have also worked with veteran drummer Matt Thompson of King Diamond, which adds an extra layer of serious heavy-metal credibility to the mix. This is not a bedroom project accidentally stumbling into the scene. NOVA RIOT feel deliberate. Focused. Ready. Like they have already looked at the mountain and decided they are climbing it in platform boots. Songs With Teeth, Heart, And A Bit Of Witchcraft 🌙 What really gives NOVA RIOT depth is that the music is not just built around big choruses and polished production. There is a darker emotional and thematic world running underneath it all. Their songs explore identity, self-mastery, mental health, escape, transformation, and personal power. There is a mystical edge to the band’s writing too, almost like each song is its own little modern incantation. “Midnight Coven Crush” leans into escapist storytelling, bringing that sense of strange romance, darkness, and late-night cinematic drama. “Sorry Mom” takes things into more vulnerable territory, touching on the raw realities of mental health with honesty and emotional weight. Then there are tracks like “The Altar” and “Through the Storm”, which push further into shadowy textures, spiritual themes, and the idea of rising through darkness rather than being swallowed by it. This is where NOVA RIOT start to feel bigger than a band with a clever genre tag. They are building songs for people who have been through things. Songs for listeners who want heaviness, but also meaning. Songs for the ones who want to scream, heal, and look dramatic while doing it. And frankly? We respect that. Not Just Songs — A Whole World 🎬 Some bands release music. NOVA RIOT build worlds. There is a clear focus on atmosphere, visuals, character, and emotional storytelling. Everything feels like it belongs to the same universe — a place full of neon shadows, personal battles, witchy energy, heavy riffs, and hooks big enough to kick open festival gates. That sense of world-building is important. The best heavy bands have always offered fans somewhere to go. Whether it is through theatrical stagecraft, album concepts, visual identity, or raw emotional connection, the artists who last are usually the ones who make fans feel like they are part of something. NOVA RIOT seem to understand that from the jump. They are not just asking you to listen. They are inviting you in. Why NOVA RIOT Matter 🤘 The alternative metal scene is busy. Very busy. Everyone has a massive chorus, a moody video, and at least one photo where they look emotionally devastated in an abandoned warehouse. So standing out takes more than volume. NOVA RIOT have something many new bands chase for years: a clear identity. They know their sound. They know their image. They know their message. They know the world they are trying to create. That does not guarantee success, of course — the music world is a wild beast with a hangover — but it does give them a serious fighting chance. And with their combination of polished melodicism, alternative metal weight, visual confidence, and emotional honesty, NOVA RIOT are already shaping up as a band worth keeping firmly on your radar. The Riff Report Verdict ⭐ NOVA RIOT are not here to be background noise. They are loud, stylish, dramatic, emotionally charged, and completely unbothered by the idea of fitting neatly into anyone else’s box. With Nova Ray, Orion, and Ares leading the charge, this Oklahoma trio are bringing a fresh spark to modern alternative metal. Bubblegum alternative metal may sound sweet, but do not be fooled — this stuff has bite. For fans of modern heavy music with hooks, heart, darkness, and defiance, NOVA RIOT are well worth checking out. No apologies. No dull moments. No playing it safe. The riot has started, butt. Best get in before the room catches fire. 🔥🤘 Read the full article

Wokingham Festival is turning Bank Holiday Monday into a full-blown celebration of prog, rock, theatrical legends, left-field musicianship and enough musical wizardry to make your average pedalboard cry for mercy. Taking place at Cantley Park, Wokingham, the festival has announced its full line-up for Monday 31st August 2026, rounding off the August Bank Holiday weekend with a day dedicated to progressive rock, classic anthems, alternative sounds and the wonderfully strange corners of live music. And honestly? This one looks lush, butt. The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown To Headline 🔥 Headlining the Monday bill is the legendary The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Best known for iconic tracks including “Fire” and “I Put a Spell on You”, Arthur Brown is one of rock’s great theatrical pioneers — a performer whose influence can still be felt across classic rock, prog, shock rock and heavy music today. This is not just a headline slot. This is a proper slice of rock history landing in Wokingham. Expect drama. Expect atmosphere. Expect a finale with serious stage presence. Arthur Brown has built a career on turning live performance into something wild, weird and unforgettable, and his appearance at Wokingham Festival 2026 should be a huge moment for fans across the weekend. Main Stage Brings The Prog Power 🎸 The Monday Main Stage will also feature a strong line-up of progressive and alternative acts, with The Paradox Twin, Kepler Ten and Perfect Beasts all set to perform. That means fans can expect a proper mix of melodic prog, atmospheric rock, modern musicianship and those glorious moments where a song suddenly takes a left turn, changes shape, grows wings and flies straight into the odd-time-signature zone. For anyone who loves their rock music with depth, atmosphere and a bit of adventure, Monday is looking like a serious treat. Second Stage Gets Weird, Wonderful And Brilliant 🎶 Over on the Second Stage, Splink will headline with their unique blend of folk, prog and jazz. Known for a “no rules” approach and infectious live performances, Splink sound like exactly the sort of band you want closing out a stage built around creativity and musical freedom. They will be joined by Ebony Buckle, Mordicai Smyth, Eclipse Machine and Mr Pineapple, making the Second Stage a cracking home for eclectic sounds, independent artists and proper festival discoveries. This is the joy of events like Wokingham Festival. You might turn up for the big name, but there is every chance you leave raving about a band you had never seen before. No Stage Clashes? Beautiful Stuff 😍 One of the biggest wins for festival-goers is that there will be no crossover between stages. That means fans can enjoy every single performance across both stages without having to make the dreaded festival decision of doom. No sprinting across a field with chips in one hand and a pint in the other. No missing the one song you wanted to hear. No arguments with your mates over which stage wins. Just music, all day, properly planned. Tidy work. A Full Weekend Of Music At Cantley Park 🎪 While Monday is clearly carrying the prog and rock flag proudly, Wokingham Festival 2026 is a full weekend event. The first two days, Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th August 2026, will feature a broad programme of tribute acts, cover bands, original artists and emerging talent from across the region. That makes the festival a proper community-led celebration, with something for families, casual music lovers, dedicated gig-goers and the die-hards who know exactly which obscure album track they want in the setlist. Festival Organiser Chris Hillman On The Line-Up 🎤 Festival organiser Chris Hillman of White Star Records said: “Our Monday line-up is always something special, and this year is a fantastic celebration of progressive and independent music. From a true legend like The Crazy World of Arthur Brown to some of the most exciting contemporary prog acts, it’s a brilliant day for anyone who loves rock in all its forms.” And that pretty much sums it up. This is a line-up built for fans who love rock music when it stretches, twists, experiments and occasionally goes completely off the rails in the best possible way. Family-Friendly Festival Vibes 🍔🍻 Wokingham Festival remains a family-friendly, community-focused event, with street food, bars and activities across the weekend. So whether you are heading down for a full weekend of music, bringing the kids along, meeting mates for a Bank Holiday blowout, or simply fancy ending the summer with some proper live music in the sunshine, Cantley Park looks set for a cracking few days. Weather permitting, obviously. This is Britain, mun. Pack sun cream and a waterproof. Possibly both in the same hour. Ticket Details 🎟️ Early Bird tickets are on sale now. Day ticket: £24 Full weekend ticket: £60 Under-18 discounts: Available Under-8s: Free For a full weekend of live music, family-friendly entertainment and a Monday line-up packed with prog, rock and theatrical brilliance, that is a tidy deal. The Riff Report Verdict 🤘 Wokingham Festival 2026 is shaping up to be a proper Bank Holiday belter. With The Crazy World of Arthur Brown headlining Monday, a strong Main Stage packed with prog and alternative talent, a wonderfully varied Second Stage, no stage clashes and a community-led atmosphere, this is exactly the kind of festival that deserves attention. Big names, new discoveries, food, bars, family vibes and a full day of rock music that refuses to sit still? C’mon mun, that’ll do nicely. Wokingham Festival 2026 takes place at Cantley Park across the August Bank Holiday weekend, with the prog and rock celebration landing on Monday 31st August. Read the full article

Prog fans, dust off the good headphones and prepare the ceremonial keyboard cape — Asia are back. The legendary melodic prog-rock giants have announced their brand-new studio album, Indigo, which is set for release on 6 November 2026 via Frontiers Music Srl. Even bigger? This marks Asia’s first new studio album in 12 years, following 2014’s Gravitas. That’s not a gap — that’s a full-blown prog hibernation, mun. To kick off this new chapter, the band have released the first single, “The Traveller (Into The Light)”, along with an official music video. And fair play, it sounds like Asia have not just wandered back into the room — they’ve opened the doors, switched on the neon, and launched a melodic rock flare into the sky. A NEW ERA, BUT WITH THE ASIA SPIRIT STILL BURNING 🔥 The current Asia line-up features Geoff Downes on keyboards, Virgil Donati on drums, John Mitchell on guitar, and Harry Whitley on bass and lead vocals. That is a serious bit of musical firepower right there. Geoff Downes remains the legendary keyboard wizard at the heart of the band, steering the ship with that unmistakable Asia sound — big, bright, emotional, and polished enough to reflect your denim jacket in it. John Mitchell brings soaring guitar lines, Virgil Donati adds powerhouse drums with enough technical wizardry to make your brain do a double take, and Harry Whitley steps into the lead vocal role with a voice that carries warmth, melody, and plenty of confidence. It is a fresh line-up, absolutely — but this is still Asia doing what Asia do best: massive hooks, widescreen melodies, prog sparkle, and songs that sound like they were built to echo around arenas. “THE TRAVELLER” HEADS STRAIGHT INTO THE LIGHT ✨ First single “The Traveller (Into The Light)” is a big, optimistic, forward-looking slice of Asia magic. It has energy. It has melody. It has those classic keyboard layers that feel like someone has fired up a spaceship using only hope, nostalgia, and expensive synths. There is also a proper sense of movement in the track. It does not sound like a band trying to recreate old glory in a dusty rehearsal room. It sounds like a group pushing forward while still respecting the legacy behind them. The chorus is bright and accessible, the drums give it a serious kick, the guitars lift the whole thing skyward, and the vocals sit right in that emotional sweet spot Asia fans love. Basically, it is the sort of track that makes you stare meaningfully out of a train window while pretending you are in a music video. We have all done it. No judgement here, butt. A TOUCHING LINK TO JOHN WETTON 🖤 One of the most meaningful parts of Indigo is its connection to the late, great John Wetton. The album includes material linked to some of Wetton’s final writing with Geoff Downes, including “Tattoo Indigo (Parts 2 & 3)” and “Chesapeake Bay”. That gives the record an emotional weight beyond just “classic band returns with new album.” This feels like a bridge between eras — a respectful nod to the past, while allowing the current line-up to step forward and make their own mark. Asia’s history is huge. You cannot talk about this band without mentioning the legacy of Wetton, Downes, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer, and the early records that helped define melodic progressive rock for a generation. But Indigo does not appear to be a museum piece. It sounds like a living, breathing continuation. And that is exactly what fans will be hoping for. SPECIAL GUESTS? OH GO ON THEN 😈 As if a new Asia album was not already enough to get prog fans adjusting their spectacles with excitement, Indigo also comes with some very tasty guest appearances. Steve Howe contributes acoustic guitar on “Chesapeake Bay”, adding another golden thread to the Asia story. And then there is Mike Portnoy, who appears on the bonus version of “Tattoo Indigo (Part 3)”. That is not just a guest spot. That is prog-rock royalty popping round for a brew and casually knocking the walls down. INDIGO TRACKLIST 💿 - The Traveller (Into The Light) - Change Of Heart - Arcadia - Is This The Life? - Tattoo Indigo (Part 1) - Tattoo Indigo (Part 2) - Tattoo Indigo (Part 3) - Life In The Sun - Hymn For The Fallen - Night And Day - Valencia (The Ghost Ship) - An Elegy - Chesapeake Bay - On A Winters Night - Echo Of You ASIA ARE BACK — AND THE PROG LIGHTS ARE ON AGAIN 🎹🤘 A new Asia album in 2026 is not just a release date on the calendar. It is a proper moment for melodic rock and prog fans. This is a band with a catalogue full of huge songs, huge musicianship, and choruses that sound like they were designed to be sung by thousands of people with one hand in the air and the other holding a very overpriced venue pint. With Indigo, Asia look ready to honour their history while stepping into a new chapter with purpose. And if “The Traveller (Into The Light)” is the first sign of what is coming, then fans should have plenty to be excited about. Big melodies. Big emotion. Big keyboards. Asia are heading into the light again. And we are absolutely coming along for the ride, butt. 🤘💙 Read the full article

Green Day have kicked open the crypt, grabbed the guitars, and shouted “not today, butt!” with the arrival of their brand-new track “I’m Never Gonna R.I.P.” The song comes roaring out of the upcoming Nimrods original soundtrack, giving fans a fresh blast of Green Day mischief ahead of the band’s new coming-of-age comedy film, which hits cinemas on 14 August 2026. And honestly? The title alone is pure Green Day. Morbid? A bit. Cheeky? Absolutely. The sort of thing you can imagine being screamed back at the band by thousands of sweaty fans at a festival field somewhere while someone loses a shoe in the pit? Oh, 100%. A New Green Day Track? Tidy Business 💚 “I’m Never Gonna R.I.P.” marks another burst of life from Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool, who continue to prove that Green Day are not simply sitting around polishing their legacy trophies and muttering about the good old days. Nope. They’re still writing, still swinging, still annoying the neighbours, and still finding ways to make punk rock feel like it’s just kicked the front door off its hinges. The new track arrives with a video and lands as part of the Nimrods soundtrack, which is shaping up to be an absolute treasure chest for Green Day fans. The Nimrods Soundtrack Is Stacked 🎧 The Nimrods original soundtrack lands on 31 July 2026, and it is absolutely rammed with Green Day goodness. We’re talking a 30-track release featuring 22 fan-favourite Green Day songs, alongside soundtrack exclusives including “I’m Never Gonna R.I.P.” and four previously unreleased live recordings from the band’s performance at the Palladium in Los Angeles. That’s not a soundtrack. That’s a punk-rock buffet. You’ve got classics. You’ve got deep cuts. You’ve got live chaos. You’ve got new material. You’ve got enough Green Day energy to make your old studded belt regenerate itself in the wardrobe. The soundtrack also features music from The Paradox, Ultra Q, Mckenna Grace, and Analog Dogs, the fictional band at the centre of the film’s story. So What Is Nimrods About? 🎬 Nimrods follows three mates who head off to Los Angeles after mistakenly believing their band has been booked to open for Green Day on New Year’s Eve. Which is, frankly, a beautifully ridiculous premise. That is exactly the kind of lie, dream, disaster and garage-band nonsense that could launch either the best night of your life or the kind of road trip that ends with someone eating crisps for breakfast in a petrol station car park. The film is inspired by Green Day’s own early years living out of a van, chasing gigs, scraping through chaos, and building the kind of punk-rock mythology that made them one of the biggest bands on the planet. Before the stadiums, the pyro, the giant crowds and the Hall of Fame status, there were vans, dodgy floors, bad decisions, long drives, and that terrifyingly magical belief that music might just save your life. That’s the real heart of this thing. From Garage Dreams To Cinema Screens 🎸 There’s something brilliantly full-circle about Green Day being involved in a film about young musicians chasing the impossible. Because let’s be honest — every band starts somewhere. Usually in a garage. Usually too loud. Usually with one mate who cannot tune properly. Usually with someone’s parents shouting, “Can you turn that down?” And every now and then, one of those bands becomes Green Day. That’s why Nimrods already feels like it could hit a proper sweet spot for fans. It’s not just about fame. It’s about the madness before fame. The beautiful stupidity of believing your band might be the one. The friendship. The chaos. The dream. The absolute nonsense of it all. Basically, the good stuff. “I’m Never Gonna R.I.P.” Sounds Like A Statement 💀🔥 The title “I’m Never Gonna R.I.P.” feels like Green Day planting a flag in the dirt and reminding everyone they are not done making noise. It’s defiant. It’s funny. It’s a little bit undead. It sounds like the sort of thing that belongs over the end credits while the cinema audience walks out grinning, humming the chorus, and wondering whether they should start a band immediately. That’s the magic of Green Day when they’re on form. They can make rebellion feel massive, grief feel singable, boredom feel explosive, and a daft phrase feel like a battle cry. And this one? This one has battle cry written all over it. The Riff Report Verdict 🤘 Green Day dropping a new song for a film inspired by garage bands, road trips and early touring chaos feels about as perfect as finding a warm Greggs after a rainy Welsh gig. Nimrods looks set to bring the band’s scrappy early spirit to the big screen, while the soundtrack gives fans a proper slab of Green Day history, favourites, live cuts and fresh material. “I’m Never Gonna R.I.P.” is the kind of title that screams legacy without getting boring about it. It says Green Day are still here, still loud, still smirking, and still refusing to go quietly into the rock ’n’ roll retirement home. The soundtrack lands 31 July 2026. The film hits cinemas 14 August 2026. Green Day are not ready to rest in peace. And thank punk-rock heaven for that, mun. 💚🎸 Read the full article

The king of the riff has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours — and heavy metal is raising its horns There are riffs… and then there are Tony Iommi riffs. The kind that don’t just come through the speakers — they crawl out of them wearing steel boots, covered in factory smoke, and sounding like the end of the world has decided to form a band. Now, the Black Sabbath legend, heavy metal pioneer, Birmingham icon and all-round riff overlord has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours, receiving an MBE for his services to music and charity. And Iommi’s reaction? Pure class. He described the honour as “unbelievable” — which, to be fair, is probably the same word half the planet used when they first heard that opening Black Sabbath riff and realised rock music had just grown fangs. 🦇 From Aston To Heavy Metal Immortality Tony Iommi isn’t just “a great guitarist”. Nah, mun. That doesn’t even scratch the surface. He is one of the people who helped invent heavy metal. Not polish it. Not popularise it after the fact. Not jump on the wagon once the jackets got heavier and the hair got bigger. He was there at the start. As co-founder and guitarist of Black Sabbath, Iommi helped create a sound that was darker, heavier, moodier and more dangerous than almost anything rock fans had heard before. Alongside Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, he helped drag music into a new era — one where the guitars sounded massive, the atmosphere felt haunted, and the riffs could flatten small villages. Before Sabbath, rock had swagger. After Sabbath, rock had thunder, doom, dread, church bells, and that glorious feeling that your nan’s ornaments might start vibrating off the shelf. 🎸 The Sound That Changed Everything The thing about Tony Iommi is that his playing didn’t just influence a band or two. It shaped entire genres. Heavy metal. Doom metal. Stoner rock. Sludge. Classic metal. Modern metal. Alternative heavy music. Every band that ever tuned down, turned up and thought, “Right, let’s make this sound absolutely massive,” owes something to Iommi. His riffs had weight. Proper weight. They weren’t flashy for the sake of it. They didn’t need to sprint around the fretboard like someone had dropped a wasp into a guitar case. Iommi’s genius was in the atmosphere, the groove, the menace, the simplicity when needed, and the crushing power of knowing exactly when to let a riff breathe. That is why songs like Black Sabbath, Iron Man, Paranoid, War Pigs, Children Of The Grave and Into The Void still sound enormous decades later. They don’t feel old. They feel carved into stone. 👑 Heavy Metal Gets A Royal Nod The MBE marks a massive moment not just for Iommi, but for heavy metal as a whole. Because let’s be honest — metal has not always had the easiest ride from the so-called respectable corners of society. For years, heavy music was treated like the noisy neighbour. Too loud. Too dark. Too scruffy. Too full of leather jackets, long hair, massive amps and fans who enjoy standing in muddy fields shouting lyrics like they’re summoning weather systems. But here we are. A Black Sabbath legend has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours. That matters. It says what metal fans have known all along: this music is culture. This music is history. This music has community, heart, creativity, power and influence running through every battered speaker cabinet. Heavy metal isn’t some side road off the musical motorway. It built its own road, covered it in smoke, put flames down the side and drove a tour bus through it at midnight. ❤️ More Than Just The Riffs Iommi’s honour also recognises his charity work, which makes this even more special. Because behind the legendary status, behind the wall of amps, behind the SG tone that could wake the dead, there’s a man whose impact goes beyond the stage. The music world often celebrates noise, spectacle and legacy — and rightly so, especially when the legacy is this massive — but honours like this also shine a light on the people behind the music. The people who give back. The people who use their platform for good. The people who helped shape lives both through songs and through support. That’s why this feels properly deserved. It’s not just a medal for being brilliant at guitar. It’s recognition of a lifetime of influence, contribution and heart. 🤘 Why Tony Iommi Still Matters Here’s the thing, butt: Tony Iommi could have stopped decades ago and still been a legend. But his influence never really stopped moving. Every new generation of guitarists discovers Sabbath and has that moment. You know the one. The moment where the riff drops, the room changes temperature, and suddenly every other guitar tone sounds a bit polite. Young bands still chase that heaviness. Older fans still return to those records. Festival crowds still lose their minds when Sabbath classics ring out. Guitarists still study the tone, the timing, the feel, the darkness, the restraint and the absolute power of those songs. That is not nostalgia. That is legacy doing press-ups in a denim jacket. 🏭 Birmingham Built, Worldwide Worshipped There is something perfect about Tony Iommi’s story coming from Birmingham. Black Sabbath didn’t sound like sun-soaked California dreams or polished studio glamour. They sounded industrial. Working-class. Gritty. Real. They sounded like the environment around them — factories, concrete, rain, hard work, dark streets, real lives and heavy thoughts. That’s part of why Sabbath connected so deeply. They didn’t sound manufactured. They sounded forged. And Iommi was the blacksmith of the riff, hammering out guitar lines that would echo from Birmingham to every metal venue, biker bar, festival field, bedroom amp and record collection across the world. From Aston to global domination. Not bad going, mun. 🔥 The Riff Report Verdict Tony Iommi receiving an MBE feels right. Actually, scrap that. It feels massively overdue. This is one of the most important guitarists in rock history being recognised not only for helping create a genre, but for the wider good he has done along the way. Black Sabbath changed music forever. Tony Iommi changed what a guitar could sound like. He proved that heaviness could be art, that darkness could be beautiful, and that one riff — played with the right tone, attitude and soul — could shake the world. So yes, this is an “unbelievable honour”. But it is also an unbelievable legacy. Raise a glass, throw the horns, and stick Sabbath on loud enough for the neighbours to start asking if the walls are breathing. Congratulations Tony Iommi MBE — the lord of the riff has been honoured, and heavy metal stands taller because of it. 🤘🦇👑 Suggested Tags Tony Iommi, Black Sabbath, Heavy Metal, MBE, King’s Birthday Honours, Rock News, The Riff Report Read the full article

Thrash metal veterans Flotsam and Jetsam have dropped their brand-new single “Rats in the Temple” — and judging by the promotional stunt, they’re not exactly entering this era quietly. Well then. Someone clearly looked at the phrase “album promo” and thought, “Nah butt, let’s make it look like a hostage situation on top of a building.” 😈 Flotsam and Jetsam have unleashed their new single “Rats in the Temple”, and in true metal fashion, the message has arrived with a massive black banner, masked figures, a sky-high stunt, and enough drama to make your nan clutch her pearls and ask if “that heavy metal lot are at it again.” The banner says it all: FLOTSAM AND JETSAM NEW SINGLE “RATS IN THE TEMPLE” OUT NOW ON ALL DIGITAL PLATFORMS Subtle? Absolutely not. Effective? You bet your battle jacket it is. 🤘 Something Worth Getting In Trouble Over There’s promo… and then there’s “hang a massive banner off a tower like the world’s angriest pirate radio station” promo. The image doing the rounds shows two masked figures standing high above the city with the banner flying loud and proud, declaring the arrival of the new single. It’s the sort of old-school, attention-grabbing rock ’n’ roll madness that makes you stop scrolling instantly and go: “Hang on… what’s occurring here then?” 👀 And honestly? In a world where most single announcements are just a square graphic, a moody font, and someone typing “pre-save now” until their fingers fall off, this feels gloriously unhinged. Flotsam and Jetsam have gone for the “cause a scene, raise eyebrows, make noise” approach — and that, mun, is exactly what heavy metal was built for. “Rats in the Temple” Is Out Now 🐀🔥 The new single “Rats in the Temple” is available now on digital platforms, giving fans their first proper blast of what’s coming next from the legendary thrashers. And let’s be fair — a title like that already sounds like it was forged in a back alley behind a cursed cathedral while someone tuned a guitar with a blowtorch. “Rats in the Temple” has all the ingredients you’d want from Flotsam and Jetsam: menace, bite, attitude, and that classic thrash energy that doesn’t politely knock on the door — it kicks it clean off the hinges. This is not background music for folding laundry. This is music for driving too fast in your head, throwing horns at the toaster, and mentally starting a circle pit in Tesco because the riff hit at the wrong moment. Proper job. 🥁 New Album Arrives August 28th 🎸 The single also sets the stage for the band’s upcoming new album, which is due to arrive on August 28th. That means “Rats in the Temple” isn’t just a standalone blast of thrash chaos — it’s the warning siren before the full storm rolls in. Flotsam and Jetsam have been a major name in the thrash world for decades, carving out a legacy built on speed, grit, technical firepower, and songs that sound like they were designed to rattle your ribs loose. They’ve never been a band to quietly fade into the background, and this latest campaign makes that pretty clear. The message is simple: New single now. New album soon. Prepare accordingly. The Riff Report Verdict 🤘 This is exactly the kind of nonsense we love around here. Big banner. Big energy. Big “someone’s definitely getting a strongly worded email about this” vibes. Flotsam and Jetsam have reminded everyone that heavy metal promotion doesn’t have to be neat, safe, or algorithm-friendly. Sometimes it just needs a massive flag, a dangerous-looking height, and a song title that sounds like the start of a riot. “Rats in the Temple” is out now. The new album lands August 28th. Turn it up, scare the neighbours, and maybe don’t climb any towers unless you’ve got the proper permissions, safety gear, and a very understanding solicitor. 😈🔥 Tidy chaos, butt. Absolutely tidy. Read the full article

My Chemical Romance fans heading to Wembley Stadium on 8th July 2026, this one’s for you — and yes, you may want to save it before the signal turns into absolute festival-field soup. 🤘📱 A fan-made blue screen graphic is doing the rounds ahead of MCR’s massive Wembley night, encouraging fans to hold it up on their phones during “Sleep” as part of a crowd-wide visual moment. And honestly? That could look absolutely unreal. “Long Live” The Black Parade 🖤 The image features the words: “Long Live” The Black Parade MCR Wembley Stadium – 8th July 2026 Hold this to your torch during Sleep It is simple, striking, and very much giving “emotional damage, but make it cinematic”. If enough fans get involved, Wembley could turn into a glowing sea of blue during one of the most haunting moments in the MCR catalogue. Imagine thousands of phones lighting up the stadium while “Sleep” kicks in. Goosebumps, tears, eyeliner running, the lot. Proper emo pilgrimage stuff, mun. 💙 Save It Now Before Wembley WiFi Betrays You 📱 Let’s be honest: stadium signal at big gigs is about as reliable as a drunk mate saying, “I’ll meet you by the merch stand.” So if you’re going, save the image to your phone before you get there. No faffing. No scrambling. No trying to load screenshots while 80,000 people are also battering the network. Just save it, keep it ready, and when “Sleep” hits… up it goes. A Proper Fan Moment Incoming? 🔥 These fan-led light moments are always special because they come from the crowd, not the stage. No pyro budget. No corporate planning. Just thousands of fans deciding, “Yeah, let’s make this night even more emotional.” And with MCR? That hits different. The Black Parade has never just been an album. It is a whole era, a uniform, a lifeline, a theatrical gut-punch, and for many fans, a huge part of who they became. Seeing that celebrated inside Wembley Stadium could be one of those “I was there” moments people talk about for years. The Riff Report Says… 💙🖤 If you’re heading to Wembley on 8th July 2026, save the blue screen, charge your phone, bring tissues, and prepare for the entire stadium to collectively enter its feelings. Because when My Chemical Romance hit “Sleep”, Wembley might just glow like a haunted blue cathedral of emo chaos. Long live The Black Parade. Long live the eyeliner. Long live the fans making magic happen. 🤘💙 Read the full article

Baglan, you absolute beauties — this is what community looks like. A packed-out Brooke, a buzzing crowd, a car park rammed tighter than the front barrier at a metal festival, and locals gathering for #Baglefest in proper feel-good fashion. If anyone needed a reminder of why places like The Brooke matter, this was it — loud, proud, busy, and bang in the heart of the community. And mun, looking at that turnout, the question being asked online is a fair one: How can a place like this even be considered for closure? A Community Hub, Not Just A Building For many locals, The Brooke is far more than bricks, beer taps and a car park. It’s one of those places that becomes woven into people’s lives — birthdays, family meet-ups, post-work pints, local events, music, charity nights, reunions, and those random evenings that somehow end up being the ones everyone remembers. One post shared in the local Baglan community captured the mood perfectly, describing The Brooke “at its best” during #Baglefest and questioning how anyone could consider closing a place that sits at the heart of the area. That line hits hard, butt. Because venues like this are not just “places to go.” They are meeting points, memory makers, and community glue. #Baglefest Brings The People Out 🎶 The photo shared online shows a cracking turnout, with people gathered outside The Brooke, chatting, drinking, laughing, and soaking up the atmosphere. No corporate nonsense. No over-polished festival branding. Just a proper local crowd supporting something on their doorstep. That is the magic. You can keep your soulless developments and empty promises — communities need real places where people can come together. Especially now, when venues across the UK are under pressure from rising costs, changing habits, redevelopment plans and all the usual headaches. When people turn up like this, it sends a message: The Brooke is wanted. The Brooke is used. The Brooke matters. BestFest Keeps The Local Spirit Rolling The community buzz is not stopping there either, with locals pointing out that BestFest continues at the cricket club from 5pm, keeping the music and community spirit going. That’s the thing about areas like Baglan — when people rally, they really rally. Whether it’s a pub, club, cricket ground, music night, fundraiser or local festival, these moments prove that community is still alive and kicking. And frankly, it looks tidy as anything. Why Local Venues Deserve Protection 🍻 Across Wales, local pubs, clubs and social venues are often the first places to feel the squeeze and the last places to get the credit they deserve. But once they’re gone, they rarely come back. Lose a venue like The Brooke and you do not just lose a building. You lose: - A place for families and friends to gather - A space for local music and events - A hub for fundraisers and community causes - A familiar landmark with decades of memories - A piece of Baglan’s identity That is not dramatic. That is reality. The Riff Report Says: Back Your Local, Butt 🤘 Whether it’s a rock club, village pub, working men’s club, cricket club, community hall or independent venue, the message is the same: Use them. Support them. Shout about them. Defend them. Because once they disappear, everyone suddenly realises how much they mattered. The scenes at The Brooke for #Baglefest show exactly why these places should be treasured, not threatened. Packed out, full of life and clearly loved by the people who have been going there for years — that’s not just a good day out. That’s community in full voice. Baglan showed up. The Brooke delivered. Now let’s hope the people making decisions are paying attention. Read the full article

1️⃣ For anyone discovering you for the first time — who are THE TROUSERS , where are you from, and what sort of noise are you making? We are from Budapest, Hungary, EU. The band is playing garage rock/Hard rock, classic 70’s vibes with modern sound and attitude. 2️⃣ How did the band originally form — and was it smooth sailing or absolute chaos from day one? It goes back to 2006, our first album was released in 2008, but the “real” Trousers started in 2010. The final and best line up - Peter Locke on guitar, András Lázár on bass, Samu Antal Gulyás on drums and myself, Zoltán Kőváry on guitar and vocals – was stabilized in 2017. There have not been serious crises in the band history so it’s a solid marching to triumph ever since 😊 3️⃣ Describe your sound to someone who’s never heard you — without using genre labels. Just take the raw guitar rock n roll attack of the seventies rock n roll bands it with the attitude and sound of some modern endeavors from the 2000’s like Scandinavian rock or stoner. 4️⃣ What bands or artists first lit the fuse for you growing up? 70’s bands like The Stones, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Motörhead or The Stooges, then bands form the 90’s like The Black Crowes or Alice in Chains, or bands from the 00’s like The Hellacopters, BRMC or Queens of the Stone Age. 5️⃣ You’ve released — how are you feeling about it now that it’s out in the wild? It’s our best album so far regarding the songwriting and the sound either. We have had excellent reviews in Hungary, Italy, Germany, Denmark etc. The Italian Rock Hard picked it as “the best self produced album of the month” in 2026 january. We are very proud of this material. 6️⃣ Pick one track from your current releases that best represents the band right now. It’s RESTLESS IN PEACE. 7️⃣ How do songs usually come together in The Trousers— riffs first, lyrics first, jamming, or full chaos? 🎛️ STUDIO TIME & SURVIVAL In this band I write all the songs by myself alone with an acoustic guitar at home. Riffs, song structure, accord progression, melody, then lyrics in the end. The band members elaborate their parts when we put the songs together in the rehearsal room before recording. 8️⃣ When you’re locked away in the studio, what’s the vibe like — intense focus or organised chaos? It’s always well organized, because we arrive with fully written songs. After making a demo we record the parts one by one, so we almost never meet in the studio… Our studio man used to be our drummer for eleven years, so he can keep everything together. 9️⃣ Be honest — what’s the band’s go-to food and drink in the studio ? 🔥 LIVE GIGS, BEST NIGHTS & ABSOLUTE DISASTERS Not too exciting – sandwiches, coffee and fresh water. I used o drink some whiskey for my throat before singing but I gave up consuming alcohol totally. The other members are drinking enough beer instead of me 😊 🔟 What does a The Trousers live show feel like from the stage? Very energetic and dangerous – sometimes we say that we play rock an roll with the attitude of the mid 80’s Metallica. It’s thrash n roll!! 1️⃣1️⃣ What’s the best gig you’ve ever played — and what made it so special? We had a chance to play at Analog Music Hall, a very cool place in Budapest twice on the spring of 2024. First we supported Dirty Honey than Tygers of Pan Tang. The latter was especially good, the guys from Tygers were super cool and nice, and the audience loved us very much. 1️⃣2️⃣ The flip side: what’s the worst gig you’ve played so far? In the beginning, around 2005-6 we only played bad gigs 😊 1️⃣3️⃣ Have you ever had a gig go wrong before you even hit the stage? I cannot recall any case like this fortunately… Once we played in a club down in Serbia, and the whole trip and the whole concert was unpleasant, so we do not intend to return. 1️⃣4️⃣ What’s the smallest, weirdest, or most unexpected place you’ve played a show? Many years ago we played in a small town near to Budapest, but it was not a club but rather bigger shed. There was not even a PA, but a local friend finally sold the problem. 1️⃣5️⃣ Any gigs where everything went wrong… but the crowd saved it? Once we were about to play in Budapest, on the stairs of the National Museum, but the rain washed it all away. A guy who was our bassist then called up his boss at a coffee if we could go to play there, and some fans followed us and at the end it was a good night. 1️⃣6️⃣ Which venue, city, or festival always delivers for you? We played in Ljubljana, Slovenia three times so far and we love that city very much. 1️⃣7️⃣ Is there a gig moment that still gets talked about in the band now? A few years ago we played in Prague with Degradace in a surreal club which was down in the cellar. Even electricity went out once, but the atmosphere was so punky and high that the photographer girl flashed tits for the band during the concert. 1️⃣8️⃣ Pre-gig rituals: what has to happen before you walk on stage? We put our fists together and say “Let’s show them what Chines box is about!” This is from a Bruce Lee movie. 1️⃣9️⃣ What’s the one thing that can instantly kill the vibe at a live show? No audience, no monitors in or problems about the volume. Once we played at a club in Budapest, and the owner lady who was around 5 feet tall started to argue with our bassist about the volume who was 6,2. The guy couldn’t hear anything but kept on playing while the short woman was standing in front of him and screamed to him. When I caught sight of the situation I couldn’t help laughing. 2️⃣0️⃣ Do you write songs with live crowds in mind? Not typically. 2️⃣1️⃣ Dream support slot or festival booking — who are you sharing the stage with and where? With Hellacopters or Gluecifer in Scandinavia or Germany. 2️⃣2️⃣ After the noise, the sweat, and the adrenaline — how do you chill as a band once the gig’s over? 🎶 THE BIGGER PICTURE The other guys are drinking beer and smoking, just like all the good-mannered rock musicians. I cool myself down with some cold beverages and talk to the folks. 2️⃣3️⃣ What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far as a band? Always be yourself, don’t go with the flow if you want to be long. Being authentic and play by your heart is more valuable than a short success based on following the actual trend. As Ronnie James Dio said, if you are never in fashion you never go out of it. 2️⃣4️⃣ The rock and metal scene runs on community — who do you want to shout out? All the people who proved with their presence that contrary to rumors rock is not dead! 2️⃣5️⃣ What’s the ultimate goal for The Trousers ? To support The Hellacopters or Gluecifer on a European tour. 2️⃣6️⃣ What’s coming next — new music, tours, festivals, or secrets you’re not allowed to spill yet? In the Autumn we have several Central European dates including Austria, Czehia, Hungary and Slovakia. 2️⃣7️⃣ Finish this sentence: “If you like your rock/metal loud, honest, and played like it means something, you should check out The Trousers because this is the real authentic rock and roll that you have been dreaming of since Motörhead disbanded.” 🔥 RIFF REPORT SIGN-OFF Big love to The Trousers for taking part 🤘 Support bands. Support venues. Support studios (and the takeaway places that keep them alive). Read the full article

Some bands arrive politely. Others kick the door open, drag in a wall of feedback, light a candle in the corner, scream into the void, and somehow make the whole thing feel weirdly beautiful. That, butt, is where A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers come in. The Haarlem-based metal collective may take their name from several cultural touchstones — including the legendary Van der Graaf Generator song and the eerie cinematic world of Robert Eggers — but their own sound is anything but borrowed. This is not nostalgia. This is not easy listening. This is heavy music dragged through grief, politics, spiritual searching, distortion, and the kind of existential dread that usually turns up around 3am when the world feels slightly broken. Their debut EP, Towers Of Silence, is a challenging, cathartic and deeply atmospheric release that blends sludge, post-metal, doom, drone, free jazz, noise, raga and classical minimalism into something that feels both punishing and strangely consoling. Lovely stuff, mun. Horrifying, but lovely. A Sound Built From Collapse, Anger And Hope 🔥 A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers are not the sort of band you casually stick on while doing the washing up. Unless your washing up involves ritual chanting, psychological collapse and a massive amplifier slowly eating your soul. Musically, the band sit somewhere in the grim, beautiful wreckage between OM, Sumac, Swans, Miles Davis and Pandit Pran Nath. That might sound like a wild shopping list of influences, but it makes complete sense once the music hits. There are long-form improvisations. There are hypnotic bass repetitions. There are crashing cymbals and noisy guitar textures. There are desperate shrieks, spiritual drones, jazz eruptions and moments where the whole thing feels like it could either levitate or collapse in on itself. It is heavy, but not in a simple “big riffs go brrrr” kind of way. This is heavy as in emotional weight. Heavy as in political rage. Heavy as in exhaustion. Heavy as in looking at the state of the world and deciding the only reasonable response is to summon a wall of sound big enough to blot out the sun. The band describe their music as a vehicle for free artistic, political and personal expression, and that spirit runs right through the EP. There is anger here, but also fragility. There is filth, but also beauty. There is despair, but also a tiny flicker of hope refusing to die. The Punk Rock Of A Failed Generation? Quite Possibly 🖤 There is something deeply punk about A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers, even if the sound itself sits far away from traditional punk rock. This is not three chords and a chorus. This is the sound of a generation drowning in anger, misinformation, war, oppression, anxiety and burnout — but too knackered, traumatised or disillusioned to organise the revolution. Instead, the band turn that pressure into something massive and unsettling. Their music feels like protest music for people who have run out of slogans. It does not beg for attention. It stares through you. It drags you into the noise and asks what you are going to do with all that dread sitting in your chest. Cheery? Not exactly. Powerful? Absolutely. Towers Of Silence — A Different Take On Drone Metal 🎧 When most people hear the term drone metal, names like Sunn O))), Nadja and Earth are usually the first to rise from the fog. But A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers take a slightly different route on Towers Of Silence. Rather than building everything from slow, purely atmospheric ambient structures, the band begin with a foundation of doom and sludge metal, then expand outward into freer, stranger territory. The result is less like staring at a static wall of sound and more like being caught inside a storm that keeps changing shape. There are moments of crushing heaviness, moments of near-spiritual repetition, and moments where the music seems to unravel into avant-garde chaos before pulling itself back together again. It is not polished in the pop sense. It is not tidy. It is not trying to be radio-friendly. It is raw, immersive and deliberately uncomfortable — but there is a strange emotional clarity beneath all the noise. Track By Track ⚡ “Massacre Of Flour” Opening track “Massacre Of Flour” acts as a fierce introduction to the band’s sonic world. The track is described as a statement against the ongoing suffering in Palestine, with the band channelling political horror and human grief into something vast, furious and deeply unsettling. It does not ease listeners in gently. There is no polite handshake at the door. This is immediate, confrontational and emotionally loaded. The sound feels like doom metal cracked open by protest, ritual and despair. “I Fuck People” Then comes “I Fuck People”, a title that certainly does not need much help grabbing attention. The track is presented as a show of support for marginalised queer communities worldwide, and musically it lands like a free-jazz avant-metal thunderstorm. It is chaotic, defiant and gloriously unhinged. Saxophone, noise, rhythm and heaviness collide in a way that feels messy on purpose — not careless, but alive. This is the kind of track that sounds like it was dragged out of the basement of some underground art venue at 2am while everyone in the room was either terrified, converted, or both. “Towers Of Silence” The EP closes with title track “Towers Of Silence”, a more spiritual and meditative wall of sound that leans into the band’s OM-like qualities. It is still heavy, but in a more searching way. Here, A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers seem less focused on destruction and more interested in meaning, mortality and the fragile hope that might exist on the other side of collapse. It is the sound of standing at the edge of something enormous and trying to make peace with the fact that none of us are getting out of this alive. You know, light Sunday listening. A Live Band Built For The Unpredictable 🎤 Following their first run of shows across the Netherlands, often collaborating with additional musicians, A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers are steadily building a reputation for intense and unpredictable live performances. That makes perfect sense. This music feels like it wants to mutate in the room. It feels like the kind of thing that changes depending on the space, the crowd, the volume, the mood and whatever strange energy is circling above the amps that night. Some bands recreate their recordings live. A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers sound more like they might open a portal and see what happens. Line-Up 🤘 A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers are: - Joost Verhagen — Vocals, Synths, Shruti, Tanpura - Derek Twiss — Drums - Tristan “Lama Waaien” — Guitar/Saxophone - Sterre Marrée — Bass/Backing Vocals Credits 🖤 All songs written by: A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers Recorded and mixed by: Marlon Wolterink at White Noise Studio, Winterswijk Artwork and layout by: Yulia Ermakov The Riff Report Verdict 🔥 Towers Of Silence is not background music. It is not easy. It is not neat. It is not here to hold your hand. But that is exactly why it works. A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers have created a debut EP that feels genuinely unsettling, politically charged, musically adventurous and emotionally raw. It is doom as ritual. Sludge as protest. Drone as survival mechanism. Jazz as chaos. Noise as confession. This is heavy music for people who want more than riffs. It is for listeners who want atmosphere, danger, meaning, discomfort and the occasional moment of fragile beauty shining through the dirt. A proper weird beast, this one — and we mean that as a compliment. Listen And Follow 📲 Bandcamp: https://aplagueoflighthousekeepers.bandcamp.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a.plague.of.lighthouse.keepers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558540259905 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@APlagueofLighthouseKeepers Read the full article

There’s something properly exciting happening in the blues world right now, butt — and his name is Odin S. The young Croatian blues artist has released his brand-new single, “Bottom of The Circle,” and this one doesn’t just stroll into the room with a guitar case and a shy grin. Oh no. This track kicks the door open, plugs straight into the emotional mains, and lets the blues do what the blues does best — tell the truth with grit, soul, and a bit of fire in its boots. 🎤⚡ Produced by internationally renowned producer Fabrizio “Fab” Grossi, whose CV includes work connected with names like Slash, Steve Vai, Eric Gales and Alice Cooper, “Bottom of The Circle” feels like a serious arrival moment for Odin S. It’s modern, powerful, cinematic, and rooted in that timeless blues tradition of turning life’s rough edges into something that howls beautifully through the speakers. A Young Artist With Old-Soul Fire 🔥 Here’s the mad bit — Odin S is still a high school student. Yep. While most people his age are juggling homework, exams, and whatever chaos the group chat has cooked up that week, Odin is out here writing his own music, penning his own lyrics, and building a blues career that already has serious international weight behind it. He’s already performed nearly fifty concerts across Europe and the United States, which is absolutely wild when you remember he’s still at school. That’s not “promising for his age.” That’s just promising full stop, mun. Odin has also been recognised twice as a European Blues Union scholarship recipient, further marking him out as one of the most exciting young names coming through the contemporary blues scene. This is the kind of artist people will be saying they “saw early” in a few years while smugly sipping a festival pint. “Bottom of The Circle” — Blues With Cinematic Bite 🎬🎸 “Bottom of The Circle” is described as a powerful modern blues statement, and that feels bang on. The song digs into the emotional cycle of life — the highs, the lows, the falls, the climbs, and those moments where you feel like you’re stuck right at the bottom wondering how the hell you got there. But this isn’t misery for misery’s sake. It’s blues as reflection. Blues as resilience. Blues as that old battered amp in the corner still roaring after years of punishment. There’s a real sense of maturity in the message. It’s the kind of track that understands life isn’t always a straight road — sometimes it’s a circle, sometimes you’re flying, sometimes you’re flat on the floor, and sometimes the only way out is to play louder. Proper tidy, that. Fab Grossi Brings The Big-League Muscle 🤘 Having Fabrizio “Fab” Grossi behind the production desk gives the track an extra layer of heavyweight credibility. Grossi is known internationally for working with major names across rock and blues, and his fingerprints bring a polished but muscular edge to “Bottom of The Circle.” The track doesn’t feel overcooked or plastic — it keeps the soul intact while giving Odin’s sound the size and punch needed to stand tall in today’s blues-rock landscape. That’s a tricky balance to nail. Too clean and you lose the dirt. Too raw and the power gets buried. Here, the song hits that sweet spot — emotional, modern, and full of bluesy thunder. A Cinematic Video Featuring Rade Šerbedžija 🎥🔥 The release also comes with a cinematic music video directed by Luka Rocco, and it sounds like Odin isn’t messing around visually either. The video features acclaimed actor Rade Šerbedžija as an older version of Odin, adding a deeper storytelling layer to the song’s themes of time, struggle, reflection and emotional growth. Blending live action with AI-generated visuals, the video explores the emotional ups and downs at the heart of “Bottom of The Circle.” That mix of old soul, new technology, and blues storytelling is a bold move — and it suits the track’s message perfectly. It’s not just “here’s a lad playing guitar in a room.” This is world-building. This is mood. This is blues with a film reel running behind it. Lovely stuff. Odin S Is One To Watch 👀🎸 There’s a lot of noise in modern music, but every now and then an artist cuts through because they’ve got something real. Odin S has that. He’s young, yes, but the music doesn’t lean on novelty. It doesn’t feel like a “teenage blues prodigy” gimmick. It feels like an artist building something with patience, craft, and a genuine love for the form. And that’s important. Blues music has always thrived on feeling — not polish, not trends, not chasing whatever TikTok’s doing this week. Feeling. Truth. Scars. Fire. The good stuff. With “Bottom of The Circle,” Odin S shows he understands that language already. New Single Out Now 🔥 “Bottom of The Circle” is available now worldwide through Volcano Records, across all digital platforms and physical formats. This summer, Odin will also tour the Adriatic coast with Norway’s Otto Junior Band, with dates set to be announced soon. So keep your eyes on this one, because Odin S is making waves in the blues scene — and if “Bottom of The Circle” is anything to go by, he’s only just getting started. Young artist. Big soul. Proper blues fire. YESS MUN. 🎸🔥 Links Website: https://odins.show/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/odin.sokac/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/odin.sokac YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@odins.3712 Read the full article

Two legendary Steves. Seven instrumental journeys. One massive prog-rock tidal wave. C’mon butt, this is one for the deep listeners. Prog fans, brace yourselves — because two absolute titans of the genre have finally joined forces properly, and the result sounds less like “two guitarists having a noodle” and more like a full-blown cinematic voyage across stormy seas, haunted coastlines, and beautifully moody musical waters. Steve Hackett, legendary Genesis guitarist and solo powerhouse, and Steve Rothery, the unmistakable guitar voice of Marillion, have officially launched ‘The Black Sea’, the first track from their long-awaited collaborative album The Roaring Waves. And yes — after years of rumours, whispers, “is it happening?” moments, and prog fans quietly vibrating with anticipation in the corner, the album is finally set to arrive on 28th August 2026 via InsideOut Music. The record features seven instrumental tracks and has been described as a sea-themed work shaped by atmosphere, memory, imagination, and the sheer elemental pull of the ocean. Not Just A Guitar Album — This Is A Proper Journey 🌊 Now, let’s be honest: when you hear that Steve Hackett and Steve Rothery have made an instrumental album together, it would be easy to imagine a full-on fretboard Olympics — solos flying everywhere, notes multiplying like seagulls after chips, and every track sounding like someone trying to win a prog trophy. But that’s not what this is. Hackett himself puts it perfectly, saying: “It’s not the kind of album that guitarists normally make together.” And that’s the key, mun. The Roaring Waves isn’t about showing off. It’s about mood, space, tone, storytelling, and letting the guitars breathe like sea air after a storm. Recorded intermittently over nearly a decade, with sessions taking place at Racket Club and the duo’s home studios, the album grew from an organic, improvisational process. Shared ideas, jams, textures, and musical conversations became the foundations of the record — less “battle of the guitar gods”, more “two masters painting the same coastline from different sides of the harbour.” ‘The Black Sea’ Sets Sail First ⚓ The first taste of the album comes in the form of ‘The Black Sea’, a brooding, atmospheric instrumental piece that immediately feels like the curtain rising on a dark, mysterious voyage. The track arrives with a video directed by Tim Sidwell, featuring Hackett and Rothery performing alongside key album collaborators Riccardo Romano and Leon Parr. Romano also co-wrote, mixed, and played keyboards and bass on the album, while Parr handles drums — giving the whole thing a rich, expansive sound rather than just a two-guitar showcase. Steve Rothery says ‘The Black Sea’ is the perfect introduction to the world they’ve created, adding: “We have a very special chemistry.” Steve Hackett adds that the track’s combination of guitars and keys created “a strong vibe of intrigue” and the feeling of “a musical dark sea adventure.” And honestly? That’s exactly the vibe. It’s not a quick splash in the paddling pool — it’s deep water, butt. Dark, glimmering, cinematic, and full of that prog magic where you suddenly realise six minutes have passed and you’ve been staring out the window like you’re in a dramatic BBC coastline documentary. Prog Royalty, But With Heart 🎸 What makes this collaboration so exciting is the emotional language both guitarists bring. Hackett’s work with Genesis helped shape some of progressive rock’s most beloved and adventurous music, while Rothery’s playing with Marillion has long been praised for its emotional depth, melodic sensitivity, and unmistakable voice. Blabbermouth notes Hackett’s reputation from the classic Genesis era and Rothery’s status as Marillion’s original guitarist and longest-serving member. Put them together, and you don’t get two egos fighting for the spotlight. You get two artists listening, reacting, and building something that feels genuinely collaborative. Rothery describes the process as being about creating atmosphere — “like painting a picture” and “taking people on a journey.” That’s proper prog right there. Not just technical fireworks. Not just time signatures doing gymnastics. But storytelling without words. The Full Tracklisting 🌊 The Roaring Waves features seven instrumental compositions: - The Storm - Sandsend - Red Dragon - The Roaring Waves - K-129 - The Black Sea - Pacific Coast Highway Even the titles feel like chapters in some lost maritime epic. You’ve got storm clouds, Welsh dragon energy, submarine mystery, roaring tides, and a closing drive along the Pacific Coast Highway. It’s basically a prog concept voyage without needing a narrator in a cape — although, let’s be fair, we’d still allow it. Formats For The Proper Collectors 📀 The album is also getting a tidy physical release, which should make collectors start clearing shelf space immediately. The Roaring Waves will be available in several formats, including a limited CD+Blu-ray mediabook edition featuring Dolby Atmos mixes by Andy Bradfield and High Resolution Stereo mixes. It will also be released as a standard CD and a gatefold 180g LP, cut at half-speed at Abbey Road Studios by Miles Showell. Artwork and layouts come from Simon Ward. Translation: this is not just a “stick it on streaming and forget about it” release. This is a headphones-on, lights-low, vinyl-spinning, “don’t talk to me for 45 minutes” kind of album. The Riff Report Verdict 🤘 This is a proper moment for prog fans. Two iconic players from two massive branches of the progressive family tree have come together not to compete, not to shred for the sake of shredding, but to create something atmospheric, emotional, and cinematic. ‘The Black Sea’ feels like the first dark ripple from a much bigger body of work — mysterious, elegant, and full of quiet power. It’s got that “late-night headphones while the rain batters the window” energy, which in Wales means it’s basically designed for 80% of the year. If the rest of The Roaring Waves follows this path, we could be looking at one of 2026’s most intriguing prog releases — not because it shouts the loudest, but because it knows exactly how to pull you under. So grab your headphones, ignore the outside world, and prepare to drift into the deep. Steve Hackett and Steve Rothery are steering the ship — and the prog ocean just got a lot more interesting. 🌊🎸🔥 Album Details Artist: Steve Hackett & Steve Rothery Album: The Roaring Waves Release Date: 28th August 2026 Label: InsideOut Music First Single: ‘The Black Sea’ Formats: Ltd CD+Blu-ray mediabook, standard CD, gatefold 180g LP For Fans Of: Genesis, Marillion, atmospheric prog, cinematic instrumentals, guitar tone nerd heaven The Riff Report Rating For Excitement: 9/10 roaring waves 🌊🌊🌊 Read the full article

THE RIFF REPORT INTERVIEW From studio snacks to stage chaos. INTRO Welcome to The Riff Report 🤘🔥 We’re buzzing to have The Spectre Beneath joining us. From studio lock-ins to live mayhem, you’ve been doing it the right way — so let’s get into it. 🎤 THE INTERVIEW 1️⃣ For anyone discovering you for the first time — who are, The Spectre Beneath, where are you from, and what sort of noise are you making? The Spectre Beneath are based in Runcorn, UK. We are a power/prog metal band, a term coined by our very first back In 2019 and we thought it was a fair summing up. 2️⃣ How did the band originally form — and was it smooth sailing or absolute chaos from day one? Smooth sailing really. We began as a spark of an idea in 2018. Pete Worrall, guitarist for thrashers, Plague and the Decay, and his long-time collaborator, Katy Lennon, got together and wrote several songs which were more melodic than Pete’s current band. Because they liked the result, they decided to channel the music into a brand-new project, The Spectre Beneath. Pete dragged across the drummer from Plague and the Decay and then found L.L from an online demo. Metal wasn’t her first genre, so we were amazed she said yes. 3️⃣ Describe your sound to someone who’s never heard you — without using genre labels. The music is very riff driven. Pete’s a huge thrash fan so they can be quite heavy and fast at times but, as a juxtaposition, the vocals are very melodic as Katy is a very strong melody writer. We’re not very good at writing about the real world so, thematically, our songs are either based on our favourite movies, such as Sister Hyde, or our own flash fiction. In other words, mix some Megadeth riffing with Savatage melodies and Iron Maiden thematics with Kobra Paige over the top and you won’t be far off the mark.  4️⃣ What bands or artists first lit the fuse for you growing up? Iron Maiden, Van Halen and AC/DC were the holy trinity of bands growing up, in particular Iron Maiden. The twin axe attack, the songs, the thematics, all hit mark. Then Megadeth, Queensryche and Savatage came along to ensure we’d be lost in this genre forever. 5️⃣ You’ve released The Devil’s Whisper — how are you feeling about it now that it’s out in the wild? Relief more than anything as we weren’t sure it was going to get finished. L.L had to leave us after our second album due to health issues and we had great difficulties trying to fill the void. The wonderful Nicole Garza stepped into to record our third album but she couldn’t commit going forward. Basically, we had an album ready to go but no one to sing it until L.L messaged Pete earlier this year saying she was fit and healthy and was there anything he had she could sing on. Six months later, here we are and we’re really pleased with the result. 6️⃣ Pick one track from your current releases that best represents the band right now. We would say the opening track of the new album, Plague (The Black Caress). It’s fast, thrashy, has some groove, some shredding, an unconventional structure and a catchy as hell chorus. It sort of sums us up quite well as it contains all the elements we try and encapsulate. 7️⃣ How do songs usually come together in The Spectre Beneath — riffs first, lyrics first, jamming, or full chaos? It’s a methodical approach. We don’t write ‘off the cuff’ or jam anything. Pete writes the music and he used to use this method in his previous bands and it didn’t really work for him so he locks himself away and comes back with a nucleus of a track which we then work on. Pete and Katy then spend a lot of time on the vocal melodies and harmonies with L.L adding extra parts and changing lines afterwards. Lyrics are usually the last thing to be written otherwise we end up shoehorning a melody around the lyrics. We’d rather have the lyrics fit the rhythm of the melody. 🎛️ STUDIO TIME & SURVIVAL 8️⃣ When you’re locked away in the studio, what’s the vibe like — intense focus or organised chaos? Intense and focus these days, it saves money that way and the results are better. In previous experiences, going into a studio, wasting time, being haphazard and coming away with something you’re not happy with makes little sense to us. 9️⃣ Be honest — what’s the band’s go-to food and drink in the studio Tea. Sadly, we can’t be any more exciting than that. This does include jasmine tea, green tea and traditional, it’s not as if we’re total squares. Foodwise, sandwiches and a flask primarily. Basically, it’s a picnic but in the studio. 🔥 LIVE GIGS, BEST NIGHTS & ABSOLUTE DISASTERS 1️⃣1️⃣ What’s the best gig you’ve ever played — and what made it so special? We’re friends with an Iron Maiden tribute band who played this small place in the North West of England. Sadly, they didn’t go down very well and they were booked to play the following week under a different name just so they could play 2 gigs. So, they asked us to fill in for them. We dropped The Trooper from our set and played our original stuff and we went down a storm with the owner saying we’re one of the best bands they’d had in. 1️⃣2️⃣ The flip side: what’s the worst gig you’ve played so far? A small place again in the north west of England, we’d played there a couple of months prior and went down really well and the place was full. The second time we went to play it was only a third full. It turns out, while we were playing a huge fight had broken out round the back of the venue and someone had their nose bitten off. We didn’t hang around because the atmosphere was quite spikey after that plus they wouldn’t play us the agreed amount. 1️⃣3️⃣ Have you ever had a gig go wrong before you even hit the stage? Not before the show but during, certainly. Our bass player at the time didn’t replace his dying battery in his bass so, after 2 songs, it stops working. He disappears during the third song and comes back for the fourth song with someone else’s bass which is out of tune. He disappears once more and appears for the fifth song with a working and in tune bass. The fifth song is rocking along until he trips over his cable and topples his bass and cab which end up breaking. We gave up after that. 1️⃣4️⃣ What’s the smallest, weirdest, or most unexpected place you’ve played a show? A small club in Warrington. You had to park in a dark alley on double yellow lines so there was a risk of getting fined. The venue didn’t have a PA so we had to take our own plus all our own gear and the place was up 4 flights of steps on the outside of the building and there was no lift and it was raining, it was hell. We can’t even recall how we got a gig there in the first place, it was a Monday night as well. 1️⃣5️⃣ Any gigs where everything went wrong… but the crowd saved it? At that same gig in Warrington, even though it was a Monday it was an established rock night so it was at least half full, even though it was half full of people who had never heard of us so they stood at the back arms folder and we hand no-one down the front. We play two songs but then we had some technical issues which took all the momentum out of the performance. Pete’s guitar was still working so he starts jamming some heavy chords, the bass and drums join in and we must’ve done something right as the some of the crowd come to front and start head banging and getting into it. Our technical issues were sorted out and the crowd, probably with a bit of sympathy, really gave us some energy and the gig went really well after that. 1️⃣6️⃣ Which venue, city, or festival always delivers for you? Manchester. It’s just great for live music. There are so many venues to play. 1️⃣7️⃣ Is there a gig moment that still gets talked about in the band now? The gig where the bass player’s battery died. It was a big venue and we looked like a bunch of buffoons. We laugh about it these days, albeit through gritted teeth. 1️⃣8️⃣ Pre-gig rituals: what has to happen before you walk on stage? Nothing really. As long as we’re all in tune and pumped up, all’s good. 1️⃣9️⃣ What’s the one thing that can instantly kill the vibe at a live show? Technical issues. You feel bad when they happen and they always seem longer than they are because you’re trying to get them fixed, but, most of the time, the audience are very understanding and patient. 2️⃣0️⃣ Do you write songs with live crowds in mind? Not really. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t write so many ballads. 2️⃣1️⃣ Dream support slot or festival booking — who are you sharing the stage with and where? Supporting Savatage wherever they go. Pete had the fortune to see them in London last year. Even with all their changes both personnel and music wise, they’re still great and went down a storm. I think we’d be a good fit thematically and they’re a big influence on us.  🎶 THE BIGGER PICTURE 2️⃣3️⃣ What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far as a band? Bad and unfortunate things will happen, it comes with the territory. All you can do is learn from these incidents and take it in your stride, you’ll be stronger and more experienced as a result. 2️⃣4️⃣ The rock and metal scene runs on community — who do you want to shout out? The band Fellowship, they are incredible. Great tunes, lots of fun and killer live. 2️⃣5️⃣ What’s the ultimate goal for The Spectre Beneath? Creative satisfaction. If we can reach a point where we’ve released all the music we have to the point where we have nothing left to say, then we’d see that as a satisfying, natural and creative end. Thankfully, this is not currently the case, we have lots of ideas in the tank. We’d hate to get to a point of doing something for the sake of doing it. 2️⃣6️⃣ What’s coming next — new music, tours, festivals, or secrets you’re not allowed to spill yet? The new album, The Devil’s Whisper out worldwide on July 17th. One reviewer has already given it 97/100, which we’d take any day of the week. Also, Pete has already got a blue print for the next album which we’d like to record sooner rather than later. 2️⃣7️⃣ Finish this sentence: “If you like your rock/metal loud, honest, and played like it means something, you should check out The Spectre Beneath because they a fresh take on the dark, melodic and progressive side of metal for a sound unlike any other band. “🔥 RIFF REPORT SIGN-OFF Big love to The Spectre Beneath for taking part 🤘 Support bands. Support venues. Support studios (and the takeaway places that keep them alive). Read the full article

Blues-rock fans, gather round the amp stack and prepare yourselves, because this one is sounding absolutely lush. British blues-rock firebrand Jack J Hutchinson has been announced as special guest for guitar legend Robin Trower on his upcoming UK tour — and honestly, that pairing makes more sense than a Greggs pasty after a rainy festival set. Proper job, butt. 🤘 The tour will see Trower heading across the UK in August and September 2026, bringing his unmistakable guitar tone, soul-soaked solos, and decades of blues-rock brilliance to a run of special shows. And with Hutchinson opening the night, fans are getting a double helping of serious six-string goodness before the evening has even had chance to cool down. A Proper Guitar Night Out 🎸 Robin Trower is one of those names that carries serious weight in the world of blues-rock. We’re talking about a guitarist whose playing doesn’t just fill a room — it seeps into the walls, shakes the floorboards, and makes everyone in the crowd pull that face. You know the one. The “oooft, that bend was filthy” face. From his work with Procol Harum to his long and hugely respected solo career, Trower has carved out a sound built on feel, atmosphere, groove, and tone thick enough to spread on toast. Tracks like “Bridge of Sighs,” “Too Rolling Stoned,” and “Day of the Eagle” remain essential listening for anyone who likes their rock music smoky, soulful, and absolutely drenched in guitar magic. And now he’s bringing that magic back to UK stages. Enter Jack J Hutchinson — Riffs, Grit & No-Nonsense Fire 🔥 Opening the shows will be Jack J Hutchinson, a British blues-rock guitarist and singer who knows exactly how to kick a room into life. Hutchinson’s sound lives somewhere between bluesy swagger, classic rock muscle, Americana dust, and the kind of riff work that makes you instinctively nod your head like you’re stood three pints deep at the front of a tiny venue. There’s grit in the voice, bite in the guitar, and enough live energy to wake the sound desk up. This isn’t polite background music while people shuffle to the bar. This is proper support-slot warfare. Hutchinson has built a reputation as a road-tested performer with a serious love for the craft — the kind of artist who treats every stage like it matters. Whether he’s firing out a crunchy riff, leaning into a soulful vocal, or letting a solo rip like it’s just insulted his nan, there’s a rawness to his live presence that should make him a perfect fit for these shows. UK Tour Dates 📅 The Robin Trower UK tour with Jack J Hutchinson as special guest includes: - 31 August 2026 — The Fire Station, Sunderland - 1 September 2026 — The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh - 3 September 2026 — Manchester Academy - 4 September 2026 — Cambridge Junction - 5 September 2026 — O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London That is a tidy little run of dates, mun — five nights of blues-rock goodness stretching from Sunderland to London, with plenty of opportunity for guitar fans to worship at the altar of tone. Why This Tour Matters 🤘 There’s something special about tours like this. In an age where music can sometimes feel a bit too polished, too processed, and too obsessed with chasing algorithms, Robin Trower represents the complete opposite. His playing is all about feel. It’s about space. It’s about letting the notes breathe before they come back round and smack you clean in the chest. Then you add Jack J Hutchinson into the mix — an artist who brings a modern blues-rock punch without losing that old-school grit — and suddenly you’ve got a bill that feels built for proper music fans. No gimmicks. No nonsense. Just guitars, groove, sweat, soul, and probably a few people in the crowd quietly whispering, “That tone is ridiculous.” The Riff Report Verdict 😈 This is one for the guitar lovers, the blues-rock faithful, the classic rock lifers, and anyone who believes a good solo can improve your entire week. Robin Trower brings the legendary status. Jack J Hutchinson brings the fire-starting support slot energy. Together, it’s shaping up to be a cracking night of rich tones, smoky grooves, and proper old-school-meets-modern blues-rock power. If you like your gigs packed with soul, riffs, and the kind of guitar work that makes the hairs on your arms stand up like they’ve just heard thunder over the valleys, this tour needs to be on your radar. Turn up early. Catch Jack. Stay for Trower. Leave with your ears glowing. Tidy. Loud. Bluesy as anything. 🎸🔥 Read the full article

ONE SOCIAL MEDIA POST… A WHOLE LOT OF DRAMA If there is one family that knows how to get the internet talking, it’s the Osbournes. This week, Jack Osbourne found himself at the centre of a social media firestorm after sharing photos from the controversial Freedom 250 UFC event held at the White House. What was meant to be a simple “date night” post quickly turned into one of the rock world’s most talked-about stories. And now, some fans think even his sister Kelly Osbourne might not be entirely thrilled about it. Grab a coffee, crack open a cold one and let’s dive into the latest chapter of Osbourne family chaos, butt. 🍻🔥 WHAT IS FREEDOM 250? 🇺🇸🥊 The Freedom 250 event was a high-profile UFC gathering linked to celebrations marking America’s upcoming 250th anniversary. The invite-only event attracted celebrities, politicians, sporting figures and media personalities, making it one of the most talked-about gatherings of the year. Among the guests was Jack Osbourne, who attended alongside his wife and later shared photos online with the caption: “Ultimate Date Night.” Simple enough, right? Well… not exactly. THE COMMENTS SECTION WENT FULL MOSH PIT 🤯 Within hours, fans flooded the comments section. Some supporters congratulated Jack and praised him for enjoying the event with his wife. Others weren’t so happy. Critics questioned whether attending such a politically charged event fit with the values often associated with the Osbourne family and particularly the legacy of Black Sabbath legend Ozzy Osbourne. Several commenters referenced War Pigs, the band’s iconic anti-war anthem, while others highlighted past comments Jack has made suggesting celebrities should avoid political discussions altogether. Before long, the comments section looked less like a family photo album and more like the front barrier during a Slayer set. ENTER KELLY OSBOURNE… SORT OF 👀 The drama escalated further when fans noticed Kelly Osbourne appearing to react online. While there has been no public family argument, eagle-eyed followers quickly began speculating that Kelly wasn’t exactly cheering from the sidelines. As always with the Osbournes, social media detectives immediately started connecting dots, analysing posts and searching for hidden meanings where there may not even be any. Because apparently the internet now operates like a conspiracy theory documentary filmed entirely in Instagram comments. THE OSBOURNES HAVE NEVER DONE BORING 🤘 Let’s be honest here. The Osbourne family have spent decades being one of rock’s most unpredictable families. From Ozzy biting bats (don’t try it at home, kids), to reality television madness, to Sharon managing some of the biggest names in rock and metal, they’ve always lived life at full volume. So it probably shouldn’t surprise anyone that one Instagram post can generate headlines around the world. FANS ARE SPLIT RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE The reaction online has been about as divided as a festival crowd choosing between two clashing bands. One side argues that attending an event doesn’t necessarily mean supporting every political message connected to it. The other side believes public figures should understand how their attendance might be interpreted. Both viewpoints have fuelled thousands of comments, shares and debates across social media. Meanwhile, Jack appears to be carrying on as normal. THE RIFF REPORT’S TAKE 🎸 At the end of the day, rock and metal fans are passionate people. Whether it’s debating headliners at Download, arguing over the greatest Sabbath album or discussing celebrity appearances at major events, fans care deeply about the people they’ve followed for years. Jack Osbourne’s Freedom 250 post has clearly struck a nerve with a lot of people. Whether you see it as a harmless night out or something more significant, one thing is certain: The Osbournes still know how to dominate a headline. And somehow, even after all these years, they remain one of the most fascinating families in rock history. Only the Osbournes could turn a UFC date night into one of the biggest rock conversations of the week. Never change, mun. 🤘🔥 WHAT DO YOU THINK? Was Jack simply enjoying a night out with his wife? Or can you understand why some fans have reacted so strongly? Drop your thoughts in the comments and join the debate! 👇🎤🍻 Read the full article

Because nobody should face hate alone There are some messages that deserve more than a quick scroll, a like, and a “that’s awful” in the comments. Some messages need amplifying. And this one from The Sophie Lancaster Foundation absolutely does. The Foundation has shared a powerful awareness post asking a simple but deeply important question: Who can help me? It comes alongside research from their ACT Project, which found that 68% of their community reported experiencing a hate crime. Let that sink in for a second. 68%. That is not just a statistic. That is people. That is friends. That is gig-goers. That is alternative kids walking home from school. That is goths, metalheads, punks, emos, LGBTQ+ people, outsiders, creatives, and everyday people being targeted simply for being who they are. And frankly, butt, that should make everyone in the scene stop and pay attention. 🖤 Hate Is Not Banter Let’s be crystal clear here. Hate crime is not “just a joke.” It is not “banter.” It is not “people being sensitive.” It is not something anyone should have to brush off just to keep the peace. Being targeted because of how you look, how you dress, who you love, what music you’re into, or how you express yourself can have a lasting impact. The Sophie Lancaster Foundation’s message highlights how hate can affect someone’s wellbeing and may contribute to feelings of: - Isolation - Anxiety - Low mood - Fear - Shame - Anger - Not feeling safe in your own community And that is exactly why knowing where to turn matters so much. The Alternative Community Deserves Safety 🤘 Rock, metal, punk, goth, emo and alternative culture has always been a home for people who do not quite fit into the boring little boxes the world tries to shove everyone into. That is the beauty of it. The black clothes. The battle jackets. The piercings. The big boots. The dyed hair. The eyeliner. The band tees. The weirdness. The noise. The glorious refusal to be beige. That is not something to be mocked. That is something to be celebrated. Nobody should be made to feel unsafe because they look different. Nobody should be abused because they belong to an alternative subculture. Nobody should have to “tone themselves down” to avoid becoming a target. Being yourself is not the problem. Hate is the problem. Who Can Help? 💜 The Sophie Lancaster Foundation’s post points towards several organisations that can offer support, advice, listening services, and guidance for people affected by hate crime, abuse, discrimination, poor mental health, or emotional distress. These include: Mind For mental health support, information, and guidance when things feel heavy. Kooth An online mental wellbeing platform, particularly useful for young people who need a safe space to talk. Stop Hate UK A service supporting people affected by hate crime and discrimination. Galop Support for LGBTQ+ people experiencing hate crime, abuse, or violence. Samaritans A listening service for anyone who needs emotional support. These organisations matter because nobody should have to sit with fear, trauma, anxiety, or isolation on their own. Help exists. Support exists. People care. 🖤 Venues, Festivals And Communities Need To Step Up This is not just about individuals knowing where to go for help. This is also about scenes, venues, festivals, pubs, online groups, workplaces, schools, and communities creating spaces where hate is challenged properly. The alternative scene loves to shout about being family — and at its best, it absolutely is. But that family spirit has to mean something. It means checking in on your mates. It means speaking up when someone is being targeted. It means not laughing along with cruel comments. It means believing people when they say something happened. It means making gigs and festivals safer for everyone. It means calling hate what it is. Because riffs are supposed to unite us, not drown out people who are struggling. A Message To Anyone Who Has Been Targeted If you have experienced hate crime, abuse, harassment, threats, intimidation, or violence because of who you are, how you look, or the community you belong to, please know this: You are not weak. You are not overreacting. You are not making a fuss. You are not alone. And you deserve support. Whether it happened at a gig, online, on public transport, in school, at work, in town, or anywhere else — it matters. Your safety matters. Your wellbeing matters. Your voice matters. And if you are in immediate danger, contact emergency services straight away. Final Riff 🎸 The Sophie Lancaster Foundation’s message is simple, but it hits hard: Know who can help. In a world where far too many people are still targeted for being different, we need reminders like this. We need organisations doing the work. We need communities that look after each other. And we need to keep shouting, loudly and proudly, that alternative people deserve safety, respect, and dignity. Here at The Riff Report Blog, we stand with the outsiders, the weirdos, the black-clad beauties, the riff-loving misfits, the LGBTQ+ community, the goths, the punks, the metalheads, the emos, and everyone who has ever been made to feel “too different.” Different is powerful. Different is beautiful. Different built this scene. Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Zero Apologies. 🖤🤘 Read the full article