by Seamus Fitzpatrick U2’s anthem architecture has typically relied on vertical escalation, starting with a restrained opening passage, incremental rhythmic compression, harmonic stacking, widening stereo presence, and finally a chorus that breaches the established dynamic threshold. The release point is designed to rupture. Days of Ash preserves the framework, although it removes the rupture at … Read more
by Seamus Fitzpatrick On Reliance, SOEN doubles down on a defining principle that has guided much of their recent work, which is cohesion over provocation. Rather than chasing radical formal shifts or overt stylistic reinvention, the band builds a tightly unified progressive metal record where rhythmic chugs and familiar structures do the heavy lifting. The … Read more
by Seamus Fitzpatrick With Sovereign, Rob Moratti delivers exactly what seasoned melodic rock fans hope for from a veteran artist working at full confidence. That is strong songs, big choruses, elite players, and a sound that embraces classic AOR values without apology. It’s not a reinvention, and it doesn’t pretend to be. Instead, Sovereign knows … Read more
by Seamus Fitzpatrick Steve Morse has always written like a craftsman who sees the guitar as a vehicle for speed, tone, and expression. Triangulation, his first Steve Morse Band album since 2009, arrives as a clear reaffirmation of what made his voice so distinct across the Dixie Dregs, SMB, Deep Purple, and Flying Colors: a … Read more
by Semus Fitzpatrick The Pretty Reckless return after four years with “For I Am Death,” a three-and-a-half-minute adventure in modern hard-rock architecture. It’s a track that understands pacing, texture, and voltage. This song reminds us how much power exists between great songwriting and commanding singing. A dry, biting guitar riff opens the piece, its midrange … Read more
by Seamus Fitzpatrick Wolfgang Van Halen has made a career out of proving he is a unique force in the rock genre. With “The End,” his latest single under the Mammoth WVH banner, he again walks that tightrope with commanding presence. The track delivers an adrenaline-shot of hard rock, but what makes it stand out … Read more
by Seamus Fitzpatrick When The Struts first unleashed “Could Have Been Me” in 2013, it was a glam-rock hit with its brash, defiant, and catchy sound. It was big enough to crack the U.S. charts. Now, twelve years later, the band has doubled down on its anthem of empowerment by re-recording it with Queen’s Brian … Read more
by Seamus Fitzpatrick Return to Dust’s latest EP, Speak Like the Dead (Republic/LAVA), is a concise and deeply considered statement. Across six tracks, the band leans into muscular rhythm section interplay, evolving vocal textures, and guitar work that balances warmth, grit, and melodic textures. Produced by Jim Kaufman, the record highlights a young band thinking … Read more
by Seamus Fitzpatrick Incite’s Savage New Times arrives from a veteran thrash metal act carved out of two decades of endurance, setbacks, and sheer stubborn energy. Where earlier albums leaned on immediacy, this record has the sound that comes from the culmination of lessons absorbed on the road. The ten songs have a narrative forged … Read more
by Eliana Fermi To me, YUNGBLUD was light on definition, and he was loud without clarity, emotional without restraint, and his earlier music always felt like an aesthetic more than an idea. Most of what I heard was a collage of noise and eyeliner with no real shape. So when the singles for Idols started … Read more