Music of 2025 - Part 1

As I write this, there are only a few hours of 2025 left. Despite those, generally from the older generation, that seem to want to continually insist that there is no good music being made anymore, 2025 has been another excellent year for music and concerts. I have written the most ever blog posts in a single year this year, and I also attended the most concerts in a calendar year in 2025 - with 58 shows, which averages at over one a week, attended. It has been a very tiring year, especially during the first couple and last couple of month blocks - and 2026 is already shaping up to be another strong gigging year, with 25 tickets already purchased. I cannot see myself topping 58, which is ludicrous when thinking about it, but I am sure that 2026 will be busy - and I will be crossing a couple of big names off the list including the likes of Metallica and Sammy Hagar. In terms of new albums, too, 2025 has been excellent. Putting together my Albums of the Year list, which will follow tomorrow, is always tricky - and this year was no different. Outside of a couple of big standouts, the rest of the list really could have been filled by a number of other very strong releases - and I do not think that I will ever tire of hearing new music. As always, I only have a limited time to review albums each year. I think that I manage to get an impressive number covered each year, but there are always many more that I wished I had covered - and there are likely plenty more excellent albums that came out this year that I have not even heard yet. One person cannot hear and review everything - and it should be pointed out that this blog is 100% run by me. Everything here is written by me and each album I review was bought by me. I have no contacts in the music industry so I do not receive promotional copies of albums - and I have never been guest listed at a concert in exchange for a review. This is a blog by a music fan who just wants to get his thoughts down and, largely, be positive about all of the excellent new music and concerts he experiences. There is no agenda here - and the reason that most of the coverage here is positive is because I do not tend to buy albums that I do not think I will like. There are disappointments sometimes, of course, and the occasional dreadful support band sadly comes on my radar, but this blog largely celebrates the best of new hard rock and metal - with other genres occasionally thrown in for good measure. I work full time, and my gigging calendar often takes up a lot of my free time - so all the reviews I manage to get to are generally squeezed in during evenings and free weekends. Given my busy lifestyle I think I manage to review a respectable amount each year - and I plan to do that for as long as I am able to. Readership here is fairly low, but enough people stumble across the reviews to make writing them worthwhile - and I knew a few bands that have been grateful for the coverage in the past. As always, though, there were albums that I did not get around to reviewing this year - either because I did not get them close enough to their release date to make covering them worthwhile or because they came out during busy times and I prioritised other releases. As such, as I have done for the past few years here, I will cover five albums that I did not get to during the year - presenting five additional mini-reviews to round out the year. As has become tradition, too, I will also briefly review my favourite live release of the year - as I do not cover live albums on this blog as a rule.

Kicking off this series of mini-reviews, then, is the latest album from the Swedish power metal act Bloodbound, Field of Swords. This one came late in the year, dropping in late November, so I just ran out of time to cover it properly. I have been aware of Bloodbound for years, but I only checked them out properly this year. I have spoken regularly this year, especially during the second half of the year, about my re-discovered love of power metal. The second half of 2025 seems to have been dominated by power metal - and Bloodbound are not the only power metal band to be featured in today's post. I picked up 2021's Creatures of the Dark Realm a couple of months ago, and enjoyed it, only to find out that a new album was soon due. As such, I picked up Field of Swords and have been very much enjoying it. Despite the band having a keyboard player, and there are certainly some big synth-led moments and symphonic overtones, Bloodbound generally feel a bit more guitar-driven than some of the fast-paced, modern power metal acts. The keyboards add a lot without ever sounding too cheesy, but the Olsson brothers on guitar tend to drive everything - with nicely layered riffing, harmony guitar leads, and plenty of shredded solos. There is a heaviness to some of the band's material which eludes some up-tempo power metal bands, then, and Fields of Sword really manages to straddle the line between big, poppy melodies and a metallic crunch nicely - incorporating both. The band tend to remind me of a faster-paced and more symphonic HammerFall - rather something overly bombastic or silly like Gloryhammer. The sing-a-long choruses and endless solos are very easy to latch onto, then, and I can see myself listening to this band a lot more going forward.

More power metal follows, and we stay in Sweden for the latest effort from Majestica, Power Train. I had been aware of the band for a while, due to them being fronted by former Sabaton guitarist Tommy Johansson, but it was not until seeing them live with Battle Beast back in October that I actually started paying attention. I soon picked up the band's second full-length album (excluding a 2020 Christmas effort), which was released back in February, their first since 2019's Above the Sky. Whilst I know that Johansson used to front a band called ReinXeed, which Majestica is essentially a rebranded version of, I get the impression that the Majestica era is meant to be seen as something of a new start. Outside of Sabaton, Power Train is my only exposure to Johansson's work, though, but I have been really enjoying it. It is, unashamedly, a power metal record - with fast songs, plenty of double bass drumming, poppy choruses, big synths, and lots of shredded, neo-classical solos. Johansson looks and sounds a bit like Yngwie Malmsteen - and Power Train might have been something Malmsteen could have written had he worked with a proper singer and stopped taking himself so seriously. Thankfully, though, Johansson is also a great singer - and there are plenty of melodic choruses here to sing-a-long with, alongside some big, high-pitched screams. Compared to the Bloodbound album previously discussed, Power Train feels much more up-tempo and poppy. There is less of a crunch here, but the guitar playing throughout is still weighty and busy - whilst the smooth synths allow a core power metal sound to shine through. I will be following this band going forward - and will pick up their older albums in due course.

Turning now to something totally different - and one of the big names in the current UK progressive rock scene: guitarist Luke Machin. Machin burst onto the scene in the early 2010s as the frontman of the progressive metal act Maschine, but since then he has made his name playing with a number of well-established UK-based progressive rock acts - including It Bites, The Tangent, and Karnataka. Whilst Maschine was always his vehicle, and I get the impression that a third album is in the works despite the band having been quiet for a while, this year Machin launched his solo project Soulshine - with its self-titled debut album dropping earlier in the year. I only picked this one up recently, at a Karnataka concert, so I have not spent that much time with it - but it is certainly not what I expected. Whilst there is certainly some prog on here, particularly towards the end of the album, it is an extremely diverse release which straddles pop, soul, funk, rock, prog, and even the odd hint of hip-hop. A huge number of well-known guests helped to bring the album to life, including the likes of Pain of Salvation's Daniel Gildenlöw, UK prog scene stalwart Peter Jones, and guitar hero Guthrie Govan; but some of the best vocal performances early on come from relative unknowns in Sh'kye and Anastasia Pshokina. Pop hooks, a mix of programmed and acoustic drums, and plenty of busy guitar playing makes Soulshine a captivating and evolving listen - with the closing ripping instrumental Final Boss touching on jazz fusion thanks to some busy saxophone.

Moving away from the genre-bending previous album, then, to something more grounded and hard rocking. Despite having first seen them back in 2018 opening for The Quireboys, and watched them rise through the ranks since, 2025 was the year that I properly gave Those Damn Crows a chance. They did not do much for me back in 2018, but when a local show in a surprisingly large venue was announced earlier in the year I was curious. I knew that the band were getting a lot of love, and given the little effort it would take to see them I bought a ticket. In the lead up to the show, which I enjoyed, I picked up the band's four albums - including latest effort God Shaped Hole, which dropped back in April and reached number one in the Album Charts. This is a great achievement for the band - and the tour took in some surprisingly large venues - seeing them play to around a 1000 people here in Plymouth. Whilst I think I prefer the band's previous couple of albums, which rock a little harder and feel a bit less earnest, God Shaped Hole remains a strong effort. It is the sort of album which the band likely thinks showcases a more 'mature' side of their songwriting. This is generally code for 'less fun', and God Shaped Hole is less fun that what came before - but the songwriting remains tight and enjoyable, even if there are too many slower songs here and not enough riffy rockers. I can see why it caught on, though, and topped the chart - and many of the songs ended up feeling much bigger live, as most of them were played live at the show I went to. Post-grunge and the US radio rock-influenced British rock bands are not always my favourites, but I have been glad to catch up with Those Damn Crows again this year.

Rounding off this mini-review series is Slots - the latest solo album from CJ Wildheart. Easily the most straight ahead of the five albums covered here, Slots continues on from CJ's current prolific run of strong solo albums - mixing hard rock, punk, and pop together to create a sound which is not too far away from his previous day jobs with The Wildhearts, Honeycrack, and The Jellys whilst perhaps feeling much punkier. I have gotten to know CJ's solo catalogue a bit over the past year or so, having seen him live three times, and each show has found him and his band in rude form. Songs from Slots have dominated his setlists this year - with their hard-driving riffs, jumping energy, and hooky choruses wowing audiences each time. It is an album that is easy on the ear despite the heavy riffing and plentiful energy - and with CJ handling basically everything besides the drums this is a true solo effort. A fun cover of The Jam's In the City is included - but it is the tight original material that of course shines. It may be quite similar to what came before, and what will come after (as CJ is already working on his next album), but this sound never really gets old - and it is great to see CJ so prolific and busy since the classic Wildhearts line-up crashed and burnt a few years ago.

That is the end of 2025's coverage of new albums but, as mentioned, I also like to give a shout-out to my favourite live release of the year. There have been a lot of excellent live albums this year, but my favourite is the latest live release from Dream Theater, Quarantième: Live à Paris, which was recorded on the band's 40th anniversary tour last year - and their first with founding drummer Mike Portnoy since 2010. Dream Theater are no stranger to live albums, and the band have a huge amount of them at this point, but a record of this fantastic tour was always going to be a must-have. I went to the tour's opening night in London, which was my favourite gig of last year, and it was easily the best Dream Theater show that I have been to to date. The band have never disappointed live, often keeping setlists fresh from tour to tour - but the tour last year pulled out all the stops in terms of production and song choices. Punchier, heavier songs came early - mixing favourites like The Mirror and As I Am with songs not played for a while like Panic Attack and Constant Motion - whilst a barnstorming second set saw the band really go for it with gargantuan numbers like Stream of Consciousness and Octavarium wowing the crowd. Whilst it is a shame that the London show was not filmed, as the atmosphere was electric throughout, which is unusual for shows at the O2 Arena, I imagine that each show on the tour received a similar reception - and the crowd at this Paris show do their bit to make this latest live album a real triumph. The sound quality and mix throughout is excellent, with each of the band's five members doing their bit to really make the near-three hour experience a special one - whilst the concert film is shot tastefully and with real precision.

Well that wraps up my coverage of 2025's new releases - save for my Albums/Gigs of the Year lists which will follow tomorrow. I always like start each new year looking back at the best of the previous one - and 2025 has been full of greatness as has already been alluded to. I will close this post out by looking forward to 2026, though, as there are already a number of potentially very exciting albums I am looking forward to hearing during the first few months of the year. The first review of the year is likely to be of Alter Bridge's upcoming self-titled album, which drops on 9th January, whilst another self-titled album, this time from thrash titans Megadeth, is due later in the same month. Perhaps the most intriguing new release early on, though, will be the third album from a reformed Glamour of the Kill - and band's first proper release since 2014. The singles sound promising, if a little different, but I am glad to have the band back after a lengthy hiatus and a failed reboot in 2018/2019. Looking slightly further on, too, I am ready for The New Flesh, Sylosis' latest opus in February - whilst Tyketto's Closer to the Sun should provide some feel-good vibes in March. Much more that is currently unannounced is sure to follow, too, and I have no doubt that 2026 will be as good as ever.

Mostly Autumn - Bilston Review

It was often the case that The Quireboys were the final band I saw live each year. For a few years that happened - but more recently that crown has been given to Mostly Autumn. Whilst the York-based progressive rock act are certainly less focused on playing live than they once were, they can be relied on to deliver a handful of big Christmas shows each December. They usually take a trip abroad for a few shows in Europe, before returning to a handful of tried and trusted UK venues to close out the year - one of which being The Robin 2 in Bilston. The venue has long been something of a second home for the band - and Mostly Autumn often visit it twice a year, once earlier in the year around some other shows and once as part of their customary Christmas tour. I have seen the band at the venue a few times over the years, both in the summer and at Christmas time. Mostly Autumn's Christmas shows are always something special, and I wish I could get to one every year, but sadly that is not always possible. It has become more possible of late, though, and last year I headed up to the West Midlands on the weekend before Christmas to catch the band in Bilston - and I did exactly the same this year. I tied in seeing the current up-and-coming darlings of the hard rock scene Jayler in Wolverhampton the night before this time, so I had a proper weekend in the Black Country, but the main event was always going to be Mostly Autumn's end of year show. Despite having seen the band many, many times, a Mostly Autumn show is always something special. I have never really been disappointed by the band live, even if, looking back, there have been some periods which were less fiery than others, and the band's Christmas shows have often been big highlights when it comes to looking back at the list of their shows I have been to. That series of special shows in Leamington Spa from a decade or so ago aside, many of my favourite live experiences seeing the band have taken place near to Christmas. The band just seem extra fired up around Christmas time, and they play for a long time even by their standards - playing a full set and then throwing in some Christmas cheer at the end. It always helps when a new album is being promoted, too, and with the band still giving plenty of love to the songs from Seawater (which I reviewed here) the show felt special. I saw the band in Tavistock earlier in the year, so had seen the new songs performed live once - but I was looking forward to hearing them live again, and the band always seem to pull out all the stops when it comes to shows in Bilston. This show was also something of a personal milestone for me - as it was my 50th time seeing the band live. Whilst I am sure that this pales in comparison to some totals, it feels like a notable milestone none the less. Whilst Mostly Autumn are one of my favourite bands, I like a vast amount of music - and always try and see as many different bands live as I can. Mostly Autumn have often just made it easy to see them live over the years - given their regular visits to the South West, as well as their yearly slot at the Cambridge Rock Festival during the years I was regularly going to it. I have often made an effort to get to the band's bigger and more event-like shows, too, so gigs can really rack up over a 19 year period. Mostly Autumn were the first proper band I ever saw live back in 2006 - and they essentially kick-started this lifestyle I now lead. There will be many more to come I am sure, even though I sadly will not be able to make the band's yearly trip to Tavistock next year - due to a date in London with none other than Metallica.

As is generally the case with the band's gigs, the show was split into two sets. The Robin 2 has started opening earlier on a Sunday, too, so the band hit the stage at bang on 5pm. This was the case last year, too, and it meant that I was at the bus stop at around 8:10pm - which was actually quite welcome. The setlist was largely the same as the one played earlier in the year, apart from the Christmas additions, but there were a couple of changes - and things moved around somewhat. Thankfully, all of the eight new songs played then were also played this time - and the show kicked off with the lengthy Let's Take a Walk. The slow-burning song may seem like a strange one to open a show with, especially given that Bryan Josh (vocals/guitar) opened the show by singing along to the song's atmospheric intro before the rest of the band join in, but it works well in my opinion - and when the band crashed in after the first chorus the show really felt like it was underway. Gorgeous harmony vocals from frontwoman Olivia Sparnenn-Josh, a couple of big guitar solos, and plenty of Hammond organ from keyboard player Iain Jennings made the song really tick - and when Henry Rogers (drums) transitioned from its climax to the busy intro to In for the Bite the energy levels rose. This song returned to the set having missed out earlier in the year - and the spiralling guitar melody with Sparnenn-Josh's haunting vocals ensured that a harder rock vibe kicked in following the sprawling opener. There was quite a bit of punch throughout the first set in general I thought. There was downtime, but when the retro hard rock of Winter Dreaming, with a big organ solo from Jennings, and the more symphonic Western Skies are played back-to-back the energy levels are going to rise further. Western Skies may start slowly, with multi-instrumentalist Angela Gordon's flute melodies, but by the time it closes it has morphed into a dramatic symphonic monster which always works well live. Even the folky Why Do We Remember All the Rain, a real throwback to the band's early days from the new album, seemed to hit hard - with Sparnenn-Josh delivering the rocked up folky number with real warmth. Again, plenty of organ helped the song to shine - whilst the jig-like closing section, with Gordon's instrumentation, really sounds like the band of the 1990s. Future Is a Child has already become my favourite song from the new album, and it deserves to be a setlist staple for a long time. It has everything that makes for a great Mostly Autumn song, with a powerful chorus, strong emotions, folky moments, and a lengthy guitar solo - and hearing it live again was a real treat. I hope that the band keep playing it live for a long time - and it felt fitting that a returning Passengers followed it to allow for a little bit of a breather. The older ballad has always been a great addition to any Mostly Autumn set, and the lighter touch allowed for a moment of reflection following the majesty of the previous song. Chris Johnson's (vocals/guitar) first showcase moment then came with his stunning Silver Glass - with Gordon playing the opening synth melody on the flute this time, which I am not sure I recall happening before. This change worked well, though, and the song was as powerful as ever - with Josh's big guitar solo an emotive moment. The first set came to an end with the epic The Night Sky, an oldie which has been showcased quite a bit over the past couple of years. The Pink Floyd-esque track is very different from where the band are now, but Jennings' synth melody, the dual vocals of Josh and Sparnenn-Josh, and the wintry atmosphere make the song a real live favourite of mine - with the lengthy flute/guitar instrumental closing section bringing the first hour of music to a magical close.

Following a 20 or so minute interval, during which I caught up with some friends I had not seen for a good while, the band trooped back on stage - and the semi-industrial intro of the instrumental piece Distant Train filled the venue. Until this year the song had been absent from the set for quite a while - but it has been fun hearing Gordon play those playful flute melodies against the hard rock of the programmed drums again. When the song kicks in properly, too, with real drums and Josh's big guitar riffing, the song always ups the energy of any Mostly Autumn show - and it appropriately morphed into Answer the Question, with Sparnenn-Josh taking the stage again for a hooky chorus. Jennings' closing piano solo is always a treat, too, and the second set got off to an old-school start - before a suite of three new songs followed. My Home and Be Something feel like two of the simpler songs from the new album, but the latter in particular works well live with its up-tempo vibe, plentiful acoustic guitar from Johnson, and its simple overall hook. If Only for a Day was the highlight of this little suite, though, and it is the latest in a line of slow-burning Sparnenn-Josh-led ballads. From its simple piano beginnings, the song moves through the gears around her vocals - and she sounded really powerful here, her vocals cutting through the mix nicely. An emotive guitar solo capped it off nicely - and I feel that the song is likely to become another setlist regular given that some of the band's other similar pieces have been retired recently. With the exception of one other song, the rest of the set was made up of relatively older pieces. Back in These Arms, the only song representing the previous album still in the set, remains a powerful live anthem - with the opening droning synths, later folky melodies, and the dual vocal approach allowing for some tight harmonies making for a strong song. I like the way that Josh always really goes for it during the chorus, too, given the song a harder rock edge. The poppier Into the Stars and Johnson's alt rocker Changing Lives followed, with the latter being a highlight as it tends to be. The shimmering piece works well live, and the closing wordless vocal section attracted something of a sing-a-long from the decent-sized crowd. The final new song, When We Ran, is fast becoming another big favourite of mine - and the live version felt a bit tighter due to the slower intro being left out. Lyrically it is great, and it is one of those nostalgic songs that the band write occasionally that references older melodies - with that familiar flute motif which has been used a handful of times appearing at the end. The main set then came to a close with the epic White Rainbow, also without its intro interestingly this time, and it was as good as ever - especially the mid-song symphonic rock workout. The acoustic-led closing section always feels good live, too, and it was stretched out a bit more this time with a more soloing. Following a brief step off the stage, a five-song encore followed. The ever-present Heroes Never Die was of course played, with Josh delivering a fiery closing solo as always, before the more plaintive Tonight saw a last powerful vocal from Sparnenn-Josh and allowed Josh to introduce the band. The Christmas frivolities followed, with three classic tracks brought to life by the band. Josh sung the relatively dark I Believe in Father Christmas, before Johnson led A Spaceman Came Travelling - which again led to a bit of a sing-a-long of the wordless chorus. The near three hours of music played at this point was then brought to a close with an elongated version of Fairytale of New York - with Josh joking around with the band during the slow-burning intro, before Gordon shone by bringing to life all the folky melodies. The setlist was:

Let's Take a Walk

In for the Bite [Bryan Josh solo material]

Winter Dreaming

Western Skies

Why Do We Remember All the Rain

Future Is a Child

Passengers

Silver Glass

The Night Sky

-

Distant Train

Answer the Question

My Home

Be Something

If Only for a Day

Back in These Arms

Into the Stars

Changing Lives

When We Ran

White Rainbow

-

Heroes Never Die

Tonight

I Believe in Father Christmas [Greg Lake cover]

A Spaceman Came Travelling [Chris de Burgh cover]

Fairytale of New York [The Pogues cover]

Mostly Autumn shows are always great - and this one was no different. It being my 50th made it a little bit more special - but in truth I was just happy to be seeing one of my very favourite bands again. Given that I will be missing the Tavistock show next year, I will have to make it back to The Robin 2 at least once next year - and maybe I will have to try and see the band somewhere different. I have always wanted to go and see them in their hometown of York - so maybe 2026 will be the year that happens.

Jayler - Wolverhampton Review

I am now home again following another weekend away in Wolverhampton. The coverage of what I consider the main event, the reason for the trip in the first place, will follow tomorrow - but I had an extended weekend away so today's piece will cover 2025's penultimate night out gigging. In some ways, it is fitting that 2025 came to an end in Wolverhampton. I have said so many times of late, but Wolverhampton has become an excellent live music destination again in recent years - and it may well be my favourite city to visit for gigs these days. The combination of the refurbished Civic Hall complex and the excellent KK's Steel Mill makes the city a diverse place - and turnouts are generally strong in the Black Country. I was just outside the city itself in Bilston the following night, with The Robin 2 adding to the area's live music excellence, but it was back to my current favourite venue, KK's Steel Mill, on Saturday - to catch one of the country's current rising stars when it comes to hard rock: Jayler. I am not sure exactly when the local four-piece were formed, but frontman James Bartholomew mentioned the band's first gig at the venue, opening for Inglorious, four years ago - so they have been around for at least that long. With only one release, the A Piece in Our Time EP from 2023, to their name, Jayler's trajectory confuses me. Whilst I might not always listen to every new hard rock band worth knowing about on the circuit, I generally at least recognise their names. I only became aware of Jayler earlier this year, when I heard their current single Riverboat Queen on the radio - and then I magically started seeing the occasional Jayler t-shirt at concerts. From never having heard of them a few months ago to the band being big enough to headline KK's Steel Mill on Saturday is a strange personal trajectory for me - but clearly I had just not been paying attention in this instance. The band are from the Black Country, though, which perhaps suggests why they were able to headline a venue the size of KK's Steel Mill - but for a band with a single EP, and a debut album due out sometime next year, a sold-out KK's Steel Mill show is a big achievement. I should point out that the venue was not laid out to full capacity, but there was certainly a bigger crowd present than I have seen there recently for some more established acts - so Jayler certainly have the potential to take things to the next level. Despite the big crowd, though, I did not think that the atmosphere throughout was that great. Quite a few people seemed to treat the night more as a bit of fun with their mates on the weekend before Christmas. Tickets were cheap, so plenty of casual rock fans were clearly out to have a few drinks to rock music - and the crowd thinned out as Jayler's set progressed, which was likely due to the fact that the show went on for far longer than any other I have seen at the venue as people headed off to catch buses/trains/trams home. These vibes, plus a likely handful of curious people like me wanting to see what the current Jayler fuss is all about, make it likely that there were fewer genuine die-hard Jayler fans in attendance than it may have first seemed - but this is not to belittle the young band's achievement. It is clear that upcoming tours with Sammy Hagar and Deep Purple show that plenty of people believe in Jayler - so it will be interesting to see what the reaction to the band's debut album will be when it drops in 2026. Turning back to the night itself, it was nice to walk up to the venue in the dry after a busy day travelling up from Plymouth, shopping in the city, and napping in the Premier Inn. Rain has been persistent of late so the dry day was welcome - and I got to the venue not too long before the doors opened.

Before Jayler's set, though, there were two support acts for the crowd to get through - one being much better than the other in my opinion. The overall format of the night was somewhat strange. Both support acts were afforded 45 minutes which, considering that the first band did not go on until just after 7:30pm, meant that Jayler did not go on until after 9:45pm (they were late on stage, too) - meaning that the night did not finish until nearly 11:30pm. Short support slots and tighter changeovers would have helped the night, as punters certainly drifted away as the clock passed 11pm as mentioned, and the night did not feel as professional as is often the case at the venue. Kicking things off were Voodoo Sioux - a long-standing local act, who seem to have history back to the 1990s, that I had heard of but had never actually heard. Given their local nature, there were clearly quite a few in attendance who were familiar with Voodoo Sioux, but I found the four-piece's music to be pretty bland. It is hard to describe the band's music, as it was very generic poppy hard rock - but very little stood out. The vocals and vocal melodies were quite weak, the guitar playing was nothing special despite some decent bluesy solos, and the overall energy seemed lacking. I thought that the bass player was very talented, though, and his busy playing stood out - as it was quite out of character with the rest of the set. I have seen bands like this in the past - where one member seems to be significantly stronger than everyone else and it often makes me wonder if that one member will end up in a bigger band at some point. Given the likely ages of the Voodoo Sioux members this seems unlikely in this case - but never say never! Given the band's aforementioned 45 minute set, after a while it started to drag. Some were paying attention and enjoying the show, but the aforementioned night out with mates vibe had already set in by this point - with plenty hanging out in the bar area and talking throughout the set. This gave the band's set the vibe of a glorified pub band - and the blandness of their music did not help this feeling from permeating throughout the time they were on stage. I was glad, then, when the band's set came to a close - and the night certainly improved from this point onwards.

The following support act, Gorilla Riot, were much better, however. I had seen the band before, opening for the short lived Guy Griffin-fronted version of The Quireboys in 2022. I remember enjoying Gorilla Riot then, but I think I enjoyed them more this time - so I really should make more of an effort to check their albums out. They were basically everything that the opening band were not. They had a clearly defined sound, plenty of attitude and swagger, and strong songwriting chops. The band's bluesy hard/southern rock sound may not be typical coming from a UK-based act, but frontman Arjun Bhishma and his band have nailed that whiskey-soaked sound - and the next 45 minutes really flew by. Groovy, bluesy riffs drove the band - with Bhishma and fellow guitarist Charly T. interlocking nicely throughout whilst the latter occasionally used a slide to further that southern rock sound. Vocally the band were powerful, too. Bhishma's deep voice has plenty of grit and this allowed him to really own the band's songs - whilst soulful female backing singers added plenty of depth. Throughout the whole evening, though, the sound was never really perfect. It was better for Jayler, but both support acts felt rather quiet - and for some reason the sound engineer kept fiddling with the bass drum levels during Gorilla Riot's set. At times it was absolutely dominating the mix, for no real reason, whereas other times it could barely be heard at all. The whole operation of the night felt less professional than is perhaps typical, but Gorilla Riot battled through such issues - delivering plenty of memorable bluesy anthems. I remembered the song Bad Son from seeing the band live a few years ago - and it is still fantastic. The band have other good songs but that one stood out again as it did before - and it was likely the best song of the night overall thanks to its great soloing, hooky riff, and powerful chorus. Gorilla Riot do something a bit different to most young UK bands - and seeing them for a second time was certainly a welcome experience.

The changeover between Gorilla Riot and Jayler seemed to take longer than it should, with the crew seemingly forgetting to check a few things until right until the last minute - but when the lights went down and the band took to the stage the atmosphere levels rose, and the band largely impressed with a well over 90 minute set. Much of the set I was not familiar with, but a few songs from the old EP were played - with most of the songs played likely to be on the upcoming debut album. The sound issues which plagued the support acts were largely absent by this point, although the few times that Ricky Hodgkiss (bass guitar/keyboards/vocals) played the keyboards they were comically high in the mix, and the band sounded loud and proud. Given that I am fairly new to Jayler - I certainly like them, and seeing them live they certainly have a great stage presence and plenty of confidence. When it comes to songwriting, though, I thought that some of the new songs sounded great whereas others were a little more generic sounding. The comparisons to Led Zeppelin, both in sound and in image, cannot be avoided - and at times I do feel that the band lean into this vibe a bit too hard. Bartholomew is a great singer with a powerful voice, but he copies Robert Plant's mannerisms and poses at times - and to stand on their own two feet the band really should try and limit the comparisons. I think that many bands who try and 'do the Zeppelin thing' often forget that hard rock and the odd wistful ballad were just two strings to Led Zeppelin's bow - and there was none of the true diversity present which made Led Zeppelin such a phenomenon. That being said, there were certainly some very strong tracks on display. The aforementioned Riverboat Queen was an early highlight - as were Acid Rain and No Woman, which both came from the EP. I did not catch the names of all of the new songs, but one that I thought stood out quite a bit was The Getaway - whilst a heavier number later in the set called, I think, The Rinsk was the band's jamming number. The song was stretched out to allow for a few snippets of other artists' songs to be thrown in - and Bartholomew ended the song soloing in the crowd. This followed Tyler Arrowsmith (guitar/vocals) also soloing in the crowd earlier in the show - so it was clear that the band were going all-out to put on a display at their biggest headline show to date. Despite my reservations around the band's image and overall vibe, there was plenty to enjoy during the night and it is clear that Jayler are a very talented band. I did feel that a handful of the new songs which came towards the end of the set were less memorable - but this is sometimes the problem with taking in a headline-length set of material which is mostly unfamiliar. I am looking forward to checking out the album when it drops, though, and it may be that some of these other numbers stand out a bit more once they settle in. The final song of the night, Glory, was one of the more memorable cuts, though, with the more cinematic semi-ballad showcasing a bit of a different vibe overall - with a strong chorus that is likely to become a live staple going forward. It acted as an encore which I am surprised came given how late it was getting by this point - and the crowd had thinned out quite a bit by this point. It was a strong ending to an overall enjoyable set, though, and it is clear that there is more to come from the band going forward.

Overall, a decent night was had at KK's Steel Mill. It was great to see Gorilla Riot again, and it reminded me that I need to check them out properly, and Jayler were certainly good - even if, for me, they may be playing it too close to the Led Zeppelin bone to truly be able to shine. I am sure that the band will kick on from here, and I will certainly check out their album when it drops next year. There is clearly some weight behind them, as I will be seeing them at least twice next year in arenas opening for big bands, so there is clearly a belief there that Jayler will be one of the next big things in the UK rock scene.

Treat's 'The Wild Card' - Album Review

Whilst a couple of final gig reviews will follow in due course, as I am away in Wolverhampton this weekend catching my last two gigs of the year, today's piece is the final album review of 2025. As I will cover when I round up the year as the month comes to a close, 2025 has been another excellent year. It will be hard to put together my Albums of the Year list as always - with the sheer amount of new music I have enjoyed this year being as vast as ever, and I know that there is an awful lot more that I am yet to discover. I will collect a few stragglers together as always before presenting my final list, so expect five mini reviews to follow, but this is the year's last in-depth review. I know that there are a few likely very strong January releases on the cards, so it will not be long before I am at it again, but a break over Christmas will be welcome - before I fire the keyboard back up again to talk about a lot more excellent new music. We head over to Sweden for this final review, then, and to catch up with the five-piece Treat - a band that formed in the early 1980s and have periodically released new albums since reuniting in 2006. Treat's sound has somewhat evolved over the years - with frontman Robert Ernlund and guitarist Anders Wikström both still with the band from the beginning (although Ernlund did not feature on the band's 1992 self-titled release - their last album before breaking up the following year). Both drummer Jamie Borger and keyboard player Patrick Appelgren have been with the band since the 1980s, too, meaning that much of the current line-up has been in situ for a long time at this point. Sound-wise, Treat have gone through a few different guises. Their first handful of albums, which featured a second guitarist in place of Appelgren, showcased more of a hard rock sound which was somewhat in-keeping with the glam/hair metal bands of the time - albeit less sleazy. Appelgren's arrival saw the band then morph into something more smooth and melodic - with their late 1980s albums sharing similarities with bands like Bon Jovi and fellow Swedes Europe. This sound has largely continued on since the band reunited, although some of the more recent albums have exhibited a somewhat tougher overall sound - with a bluesier guitar presence despite a more melodic hard rock sound retained. There have always been AOR touches, then, but Treat have generally kept things the more harder rock side of that melodic rock line. That perhaps changes on the band's latest album The Wild Card, though, which came out last month. It is the band's first album since 2022's The Endgame (which I reviewed here) and their tenth overall - which means that the band have now released as many as albums since reuniting as they did during their original run. The Wild Card features the same line-up as the previous album, with bassist Nalle Påhlsson once again joining the four long-standing members. Whilst I have not heard all of the band's albums, I have reviewed most of their reunion-era releases and have heard some of their early work. Based on this knowledge, The Wild Card is likely the band's most AOR-centric release to date. On previous albums there was always more of a focus on bigger guitar sounds and harder rock grooves - but on this album the pop hooks have been allowed to really dominate. Ernlund shines as a result, with the focus on vocal melodies pushing his voice to the fore, whilst Appelgren's keyboards also feel much bigger - despite Wikström still being the main songwriter here.

The Wild Card is very much a feel-good, summery album, then, which has certainly been welcome given all the rain in my part of the world of late - and it is one of those anytime albums due to its light-hearted feel and uplifting songs. The first three songs here are some of the best the album has to offer, with Out with a Bang kicking things off. Synths fade into view, setting an 1980s atmosphere from the off, before a big drum barrage from Borger kicks in - and a big guitar riff takes over. The juddering riff is very John Sykes-esque, whilst the synths double it to give the song a smoother boost. Those fearing the guitars would feel weak given my descriptions of the album's sound so far should not fear anything, as Wikström's riffing is still powerful. It is just that the keyboards feel bigger and brighter - and there is also a noticeable difference to how vocal harmonies are handled. The vocal harmonies throughout are much more sugary than usual - with a strong Def Leppard vibe. This is clear during the mid-paced chorus here, which sees Ernlund joined by layers of sweet harmonies - which again roots the song in the 1980s. The hooks really soar, though, and a busy guitar solo later, again, shows that there remains plenty of power here from a guitar perspective. Rodeo is similar, with some staccato drumming early on sitting around a snappy guitar riff - and once the song gets going proper, this propelling riff is augmented by a strong bassline and some symphonic keyboards. A snappy verse soon takes over, with a simplified version of the main guitar riff backing Ernlund's strong vocals - whilst the bass still does a lot of the heavy lifting. The synths are perhaps less bright here, but there remains a synthy halo around everything - and they ramp back up during a chorus which sounds simple at first before one of the album's best individual hooks expands around a couple of vocal lines. The chorus is very poppy, but the snappy melodies and strong harmonies make it irresistible for any AOR lover - contrasting nicely with the somewhat tougher guitar riffing and soloing elsewhere. Lead single 1985 really sums up the core sound of this album. It is a true melodic rocker and an AOR anthem - opening with a brief version of a chorus which later explodes with huge hooks and sugary synths, whilst another Sykes-esque riff leads the charge early on. Every part of this song screams hit, with a strong groove in the verses sometimes taking the song in a slightly different, but hookier, direction than may be expected - whilst the aforementioned is easily the album's best. It easily sticks in the brain from the off, with the Def Leppard harmonies pouring out the speakers, whilst a later instrumental section starts with a flashy synth solo from Appelgren before Wikström takes over a lengthy neo-classical guitar solo. When it comes to pure AOR, there have been few better anthems such as this one released this year. Endeavour slows things down somewhat following the opening three anthems, with a synth and piano intro setting a slow-burning tone - before a gentle guitar rhythm is added and Ernlund starts to sing. At first it sees as if the song might be a ballad, or at least a piece of pure pop, but it does grow in stature somewhat - with a softer rock sound achieved by the time the chorus is reached. Synth stabs to offset the vocals, more restrained vocal harmonies, and Neal Schon-esque lyrical guitar leads given this song some character - and overall it has a more cinematic feel which aided by the hooky but understated chorus.

Hand on Heart goes for a heavier feel, more akin to the sound the band have channelled on their other recent albums. A snappy guitar riff flies into view, and Wikström's tougher playing is ever-present throughout the track - his headbanging riff essentially driving everything. The keyboards feel a bit more old-school, too, with some synthy Hammond organ offsetting the riff - whilst some later synth leads feel a bit more 1970s in tone. This is not metal, though, as the band's core melodic rock vibe remains. This particularly pops during the chorus, which is another hooky one with plenty of harmonies, whilst pulsing bass playing and some shimmering piano later feel more rooted in the album's core sound. Heaven's Waiting immediately returns to the 1980s with a sparkling opening synth/piano melody - and Appelgren's playing soon forms the backing for Ernlund's smoother, more low key vocals. It is another song which feels like it is going to be a ballad, but like Endeavour it does ramp up somewhat - and it becomes a poppy mid-paced rocker with a bit more of an atmosphere. Some of the very synth-heavy sections remind me somewhat of Reckless Love's more recent releases - with the chorus here quite similar to the style on that band's last album. There is much less of a strong guitar sound this time, then, although some tougher rhythms do cut through occasionally - and a shredded solo is later thrown in, too. Back to the Future is more upbeat, with a driving rock beat early on over which Wikström adds some soaring guitar leads. Pulsing synths and an ever-present bassline help to keep the song moving - particularly during the verses which strip the guitars away somewhat. Occasional chords chug away in the background, and a riff does join in later, but generally the synths do the heavy lifting here - until the chorus when a bigger guitar pattern adds some weight as Ernlund lays down some more hooky melodies. Mad Honey then goes for a bit of a different sound, with some strings laying down a melody early on - before Wikström kicks in with a slab-like riff. This is another of the album's heavier pieces - again recalling some of the songs on the previous albums. The main riff here is very hooky despite its heavier feel, and it often surfaces throughout the track to give things a bit of a kick - plus the strings add a grandness. The synths are generally much more retro in tone, too, despite a few flashier moments, with the chorus having a strong modern Europe feel thanks to the mix of tougher riffing, the occasional synth lead, and the aforementioned strings. Wikström's guitar solo is much more cinematic, too, utilising slow-burning bluesy motifs around the strings to create something much more epic in scope. There are still plenty of hooks and vocal harmonies, but the heavier sound is welcome given the focus elsewhere on AOR anthems. Adam & Evil returns to the album's core sound, although some of the keyboard melodies early on are a bit more old-school in nature. Retro organ sounds are utilised on and off throughout the song - meaning that the flashier synths are less prevalent, despite keyboards overall still seeming to dominate. The verses have a bit more of a percussive sound to them, too, which helps the song to stand out. Borger's verse drumming is quite tom-heavy and somewhat busy, which gives the track a real energy, with these verses contrasting nicely with the smoother chorus which returns to something more overtly melodic.

Your Majesty opens with some chiming acoustic guitar and synth melodies, with the track slowing the pace down quite considerably compared to the last couple of songs. The overall sound this time is much more organic than most of the album - although there remain plenty of pretty sugary vocal harmonies here, which do clash a bit with the acoustic guitar depth during the chorus. Ballad-like, the song largely moves as a slower pace, with the acoustic guitars and mix of synths and organ largely the main focus - even if the rhythm section later adds a sombre groove. Occasional bluesy guitar lines and slide motifs take the spotlight away from the acoustic guitar depth - whilst a later solo section builds on some of these bluesy vibes. Night Brigade starts to ramp things back up again following the more organic and slower-paced previous track - opening with a hypnotic guitar melody which remains in place during much of the song. Whilst the band grow around this melody, the verses are grounded by it - and even the later chorus feels influenced by it, despite Wikström opting for some choppier rhythms instead. The drive of the drums and the more modern propulsion of the bass makes the song feel different from much of the rest of the album - whilst the synths feel a lot more restrained, too. They feel a bit bigger during the chorus, but the verses are quite spacious without Appelgren's big presence - and the change of tone somewhat allows some additional variety to permeate through the album. In the Blink of an Eye gets back to something more typical of the album's core sound - with a hooky, mid-paced guitar riff kicking things off and the synths coming back in a big way. Chiming keyboard melodies fill another smooth, mid-paced chorus, whilst plenty more vocal harmonies are also deployed, whilst the aforementioned guitar riff shines throughout the slightly tougher verses. The song does not really do anything especially different in the context of the album, but it is another song with strong hooks that do lodge in the brain after a few listens. It is certainly overshadowed by some of the other more anthemic pieces, though, despite some fast-paced shredded from Wikström in the later parts of the song. The album then comes to a close with One Minute to Breathe, another very memorable anthem which returns to the quality with which the album opened. In truth, most of what is heard here is strong, and the album does not outstay its welcome despite having 13 songs, but the first three are likely the best - and the closing statement is of a similar quality with its massive chorus refrain and the slab-like riffing which drives it. There are shades of more modern melodic rock acts like H.E.A.T throughout this one - with the synth and vocal arrangements reminding me quite a bit of that band, whilst Treat's trademark smoothness, at least on this album, still permeates despite this comparison. There is a lot to like here, then, with a good mix of guitar riffing and synth melodies - plus a final Wikström solo which is busy and full of energy. Overall, then, The Wild Card is a very enjoyable album from Treat - and I like the way that the band have just gone all out for hooks this time. The moments of heaviness are welcome, but this album is immediately more memorable than some of the band's other recent albums, which were all good, due to this focus on big vocal hooks and synth arrangements. It is a pure AOR-fest as a result - so lovers of good 1980s melodic rock will find something to love here.

The album was released on 21st November 2025 via Frontier Records. Below is the band's promotional video for 1985.

Spock's Beard's 'The Archaeoptimist' - Album Review

Today's piece will, sadly, be the penultimate album review here this year. One more will follow before the end of the week, and a couple of gig reviews will follow that, but afterwards I will be taking some much needed time off over Christmas. It is rare that anything of note is ever released in December, so I always consider that November is the end of the musical year when it comes to new albums. The two albums left to cover were November late-comers, too, so are still very fresh - and a third will be covered in brief in one of my end-of-year posts. For today's post, though, I return to one of my first loves, and something which has not been covered all that much here of late, progressive rock. Whilst I am quite a selective progressive rock fan, as there are quite a few big names which do little for me, the prog that I do love is some of my favourite music. My two all-time favourite bands, Mostly Autumn and Marillion, both fall into the wide spectrum of progressive rock - and the later influence that the genre had on metal spawned quite a big chunk of my music collection. Progressive metal continues to expand and evolve, which is great to see, even if I do not like each branch of the tree, whereas progressive rock, sometimes, still feels quite rooted in the 1970s. There are bands that have tried to take the genre in new directions, but there are also plenty that make music which is very much inspired by, and often sounds like, many of the classic progressive rock acts of the past. The wells of Pink Floyd, Genesis, King Crimson, Camel, and Van der Graaf Generator have long been drained by some - and I know that the unwillingness of some newer progressive rock bands to look forward annoys some fans of the genre. Today's band very much likes to live in the 1970s when it comes to their sound - and they are one that I have been aware of for many years, despite having never covered them on this blog before. They are the California-based five-piece Spock's Beard - a band which helped to spearhead the third wave of progressive rock when they formed in 1992. I actually came to Spock's Beard via the supergroup Transatlantic due to the Marillion and Dream Theater connections. Listening to Transatlantic, I learnt that Neal Morse had previously fronted Spock's Beard - and I slowly gave both his solo work and the band a bit more of a listen. I am certainly no Spock's Beard expert, though. I have a handful of their albums, but the only ones I have properly listened to are 1995's The Light, their much-lauded debut, and 2000's V. These albums both came early in the band's catalogue - and a whole era sits between them and the subject of today's review, which is The Archaeoptimist. The Archaeoptimist is the band's fourteenth album overall, and their first since 2018's Noise Floor. I think, at one point, the band had perhaps thought that they were done with new music. Ever since Neal's departure, quite a lot of the band's material had been written by outside writers - and following Noise Floor the band's leading outside writer John Boegehold formed Pattern-Seeking Animals with some present and past members of Spock's Beard to showcase his work. Between Noise Floor and The Archaeoptimist, Pattern-Seeking Animals released five albums, showing that Boegehold's songwriting did not slow down - and perhaps it was decided that it was better to move his work away from Spock's Beard and let it stand on its own. I think Spock's Beard were also happy to somewhat call it day, perhaps doing the odd show here and there, but clearly keyboard player Ryo Okumoto, who is not involved in Pattern-Seeking Animals unlike some of the other members of current Spock's Beard line-up, had other ideas.

Okumoto released a solo album in 2022 called The Myth of the Mostrophus, which he wrote with Michael Whiteman (I Am the Manic Whale; Whimsical Creature) and included a number of Spock's Beard alumni. The two worked well creatively and started to write another album together - but this time Okumoto decided to present it to Spock's Beard, and with some input from founding guitarist Alan Morse and long-time frontman Ted Leonard it turned into The Archaeoptimist. Original bassist Dave Meros and new drummer Nick Potters round out the current Spock's Beard line-up - with Whiteman adding some additional guitar throughout. Whiteman's involvement means there are still outside writers here, but I get the impression that Okumoto has spearheaded this album - with Whiteman, Alan, and Leonard all chipping in. It is, unsurprisingly, a keyboard-heavy album, then, but Spock's Beard have often been that way - and there is still plenty of trademark fiery lead guitar from Alan throughout. As has often been the case with Spock's Beard, too, this is a hooky album. This is Leonard's fourth album with the band, and the opening cut Invisible is very vocal-focused. Due to the bombastic keyboards and Leonard's vocal style, there are quite a few similarities which can be drawn to Kansas. Opening with Leonard's vocals alone, pre-empting a later chorus, the track is relatively punchy compared to some of the songs to come. Pulsing Hammond organ stabs soon join in, creating a hard rocking and riffy intro - whilst a retro synth melody is the first hook. Old-school keyboard textures are never far away, and Okumoto constantly drives this song with something bombastic and melodic. Some of the heavier moments have shades of Uriah Heep, particularly as the song opens up, but the mix of organ and synth melodies later on showcases that Kanses influence - as well as plenty of Styx. Much of what is great here comes from the busy keyboard playing - but the verses and chorus are nicely propelled by Meros' busy and slightly funky bass playing. The guitar takes a bit of a back seat here, but some choppy rhythms are welcome - with Leonard's expressive vocals, especially during a punchy chorus, and the great mix of flashy 1970s synth hooks really keep the song moving. Alan does have a bit more to do during an upbeat instrumental section, with him and Okumoto often teaming up for some unison guitar and keyboard runs - whilst Potters lays down a shuffling groove. Keyboard melodies and solos keep coming, with the bombastic and fast-moving nature of the piece a great representative of the album's core sound. Electric Monk also opens with some big Hammond stabs and, overall, the song is not too different to the opening number. Both tracks are on the shorter side compared to the epic pieces here, and both kick off with joyous organ stabs. Early on here, though, there is a bit more of a guitar presence - and the song overall gives Alan more to do. Despite the keyboards dominating early on, busy guitar leads often punch through the mix this time - with a couple of motifs in particular which are often returned to. There is still plenty of atmosphere thanks to the keyboards, though, and the opening Hammond riff often crashes back in - whilst Meros' bass playing adds a heavy edge to the piece. This song feels a bit more dynamic, too, with an aching guitar solo segment later on, which is then followed by Leonard singing in a more emotional manner against a backdrop of piano - only for more guitar melodies to join back in. There is less bombast throughout, then, but Leonard is given a bit more room to breathe as a singer - and the light and shade allows for a more emotional and diverse arrangement.

Following two highly melodic songs, Afourthoughts clearly wants to showcase something much more overtly progressive and knotty. Meros' rumbling bass kicks things off, with him and Potters creating a strong groove early on over which the initial chaos ensues. It is a little while before Leonard is heard vocally this time, with the song's intro instead being a chaotic mix of guitar and keyboard solos. Even the bass takes the lead at times, despite maintaining a strong groove, and the controlled melodies of the previous two songs are generally cast aside early on this time to allow for some busy and technical soloing. This vibe does somewhat continue throughout the whole song, too, even when Leonard starts to sing. The verses have something of a call-and-response feel, with Leonard singing in slightly different ways throughout - whilst subtly different harmonies are utilised to enhance this vibe. Focus throughout the song is constantly snapping back and forth between different elements - but Leonard still manages to construct plenty of hooky vocal melodies, even if guitar and synth leads are much more likely to interject this time. Something which I remember from one of Neal's solo albums, too, and I understand to be a bit of a him/Spock's Beard thing, is multi-layered vocal arrangements with a limited musical backing. There is a segment like this here, with Leonard and some of the other band members acting as a choir to create these overlaid vocal lines, almost Queen-like, whilst the music essentially drops away. It sounds impressive, and crescendos in something of a guitar solo - before Okumoto takes over for a lengthy piano solo that morphs into a bombastic, synth-led section. There are still plenty of hooks here, though, despite the chaos - and this song is very much a proper prog piece following some hookier opening cuts. A similar vibe continues on in St. Jerome in the Wilderness, at least early on. The transition between the two songs is quite staccato, with stabs of organ and some heavier guitars - and Meros' bass is once again an extremely important instrument. The groove of the bass never really lets up, but following a somewhat busy intro the song returns more to the overt hooks of the opening couple of numbers. The propelling bass helps to link the two sounds, though, whilst Leonard really soars vocally here - with some really memorable individual lines on one of the songs he co-wrote. One of the main chorus refrains really sticks in the brain for me - and there is a great smoothness to much of the song as a result of the excellent bass playing and the focus on big vocal hooks. Bombastic Hammond stabs are utilised at opportune moments, but it is perhaps the piano which stands out the most - with Okumoto later laying down a jazzy piano solo, which goes on for quite a while, before Leonard joins him for a more ballad-esque moment. All of these sections flow nicely together, too, with a later noisy guitar solo seeing Alan shredding and playing with his effects pedals. Not wanting to be outdone, too, even following his antics earlier on the piano, Okumoto also treats listeners to both a huge organ solo and a retro synth wig out - meaning that the second half of the song is bombastic and totally prog in the best, bonkers way. Leonard manages to squeeze in a final chorus reprise towards the end, though, somewhat grounding the piece again.

There are only two songs left at this point, but they are both lengthy epics. The longest of the two, the 20-plus minute title track, is up first - and there is immediately a much more symphonic and grand feel. Warm keyboard textures and more of a cinematic scope are present from the off - with plenty of space for Leonard's storytelling lyrics early on. Acoustic guitar depth, a more restrained rhythm section, and strings from the synths characterise the early moments of this long piece - although the occasional synth melody does cut through for some additional warmth. Given the overall length of the song, though, it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of twists and turns. Following the first few minutes of pastoral warmth, a darkness soon creeps in via a busier bassline - and the first lengthy instrumental section kicks in. This returns to the vibe of the second half of the previous song - albeit more melodic and actually quite Dream Theater-esque at times. There are lots of repeated motifs here musically, which both Alan and Okumoto deliver in their respective solos - all underpinned by some shimmering Mellotron. Perhaps the best part of the song comes next, though, when Leonard starts to sing again and the band really lock into a tight groove - led by some upbeat electric piano chords and more busy bass playing. There is something joyous and immediately hooky about this section - with Leonard sounding expressive throughout, including some more Kansas-esque sections thanks to the use of vocal harmonies. Soloing also takes place above this groove, with a lengthy keyboard solo coming early on - before Alan closes out this segment with some emotive guitar playing. The next core section also feels quite up-tempo, but the groove is different. There is less of a piano drive this time, with more of a melodic guitar backing - whilst washes of organ and the occasional synth lead cut throughout. Leonard sings with power again here, his lyrics telling the song's lengthy story (which is given further context in the CD's booklet) in a suitably narrative manner. There are also some heavier moments during this section - with Potters unleashing the occasional burst of double bass drumming and Okumoto laying down an organ solo over a tough riff from Alan. A more atmospheric section follows this as a nice contrast, with more Mellotron, gentler vocals, and a spacey synth solo. There is not too much left at this point, but piano-led vocal sections, further bombast thanks to plenty of vocal harmonies, alongside a big Alan solo - all making The Archaeoptimist one of the most compelling long-form pieces of the year. The mere 10 minute long Next Step then closes out the album, an impressive piece in its own right - but it does not quite live up to what came before. The jaunty opening instrumental section tries hard to, though, with busy piano motifs, another big guitar solo, and plenty more melody from the whole band. The bombastic feeling of the album's first couple of songs are revisited here, albeit stretched out given the song's length - and there is a good balance here between busy instrumental moments and sparser vocal-led section. Mellotron often signals the change between the two, whilst a rare acoustic guitar-led section comes later on with folky synth melodies and a Canterbury-esque vibe. This quieter moment shows that this album keeps giving when it comes to diversity until the very end but the album's core sound is still very much retained - as things slowly build back towards something more bombastic, with a lot more piano and another groovy bassline from Meros. By the time another lengthy and warm synth solo is reached the band is back on track, but there is not much left of the album by this point - with a final section from Leonard bringing a fine album to a close. Given that Spock's Beard are not a band I know a lot about, it was not a given that I would get this album - but I am glad that I did as each listen has improved my view on it, and the sense of melody throughout is excellent. There is a lot going on here as there often is with prog, but the hooks shine through and the soloing is impressive - and I really need to dig deeper into this band's catalogue as well as the extended family throughout 2026.

The album was released on 21st November 2025 via Madfish/Snapper Music Ltd.

Cheap Trick's 'All Washed Up' - Album Review

In some ways, it seems strange that Illinois' Cheap Trick are not more well known. Clearly the band remain popular in their native America, and they have always been massive in Japan, as the seminal live album Cheap Trick at Budokan from 1978 can attest, whereas elsewhere they are known but never seem to be world beaters. Not everything in the band's lengthy catalogue is top-drawer, admittedly, but their classic era singles remain as hooky as everything - and given their love and, at times, similarity to The Beatles, it is strange that they did not achieve more fame elsewhere, especially here in the UK. In fairness, their peak years coincided with the explosive UK punk scene - whereas rockers were soon to be tempted down heavier paths with the NWOBHM taking things to the next level only a couple of years later. Perhaps Cheap Trick's sleek, well-crafted pop rock was just not what the British public wanted at the time. After all, The Beatles had been and gone by this point - and bands like The Clash were now doing the business, whilst some of the 1970s hard rock acts, such as UFO and Thin Lizzy, peaked around the same time. I Want You to Want Me is the band's only single to crack the Top 40 here, and that was back in 1979, whereas the aforementioned Cheap Trick at Budokan also made it into the Top 40 of the album charts in the same year. Other singles and albums charted, but little else came close to the fabled Top 40 - and the opportunity to appear on Top of the Pops or chart rundowns on the radio. The band had their brief moment in the sun here, then, but their success was largely elsewhere - and the only time I have seen them live was when they opened for Def Leppard back in 2018. A brief headline tour which was scheduled more recently initially fell foul of the pandemic before then being cancelled for other reasons - as was another lengthy tour with Journey which was supposed to take place last year. It seems, too, that the band are slowly winding things down - so I would imagine that the UK has seen the last of the band in terms of live shows. This is a shame, as I have slowly worked my way through the band's catalogue over the past couple of years and found plenty to like. Their early work remains their best - but a lot of their poppier 1980s material is still very enjoyable, and many of their newer albums also contain plenty to recommend. They have remained relatively prolific, generally releasing something new every four or five years. The band's last album, In Another World (which I reviewed here) came back in 2021 - a couple of months before lockdown restrictions here in the UK started to lift. A positive and summery album, In Another World felt quite apt at the time. For those of us who were keen for the pandemic to end, which sadly was fewer than I would have liked it to be, even in April 2021 when the album dropped there seemed to be better days on the horizon - and, indeed, that summer saw the country essentially return to normal, despite a few subsequent scares. I listened to In Another World quite a lot around that time, then, and it very much felt apt given the situation. Four year on, though, and Cheap Trick have returned with their latest album All Washed Up - which may well end up being their last if they are indeed winding down. In contrast to the pop hooks of the previous album, All Washed Up feels a bit heavier overall. It is a bit riffier and there is a tougher, punk edge at times - whilst the band's core pop hooks and garage rock vibes remain. Cheap Trick have made albums like this before, including many of their more recent efforts - with the heavier sound suiting the aged voice of frontman Robin Zander. He still sounds great, but his voice is certainly grittier now than it used to be.

The band's core trio of founding members: Robin, guitarist Rick Nielsen, and bassist Tom Petersson; returns here as always - with two of their sons: guitarist Robin Taylor Zander and drummer Daxx Nielsen; rounding out the line-up. There are 11 songs here and the whole thing is done and dusted in under 40 minutes - making the album a bite-size and enjoyable listen, in-keeping with many of the band's other releases. The up-tempo title track kicks things off, which opens with a slashing riff from Rick - and the trademark Cheap Trick sound is evident from the off. The riff, which resurfaces throughout the song, is hooky and full of energy - whilst the guitar tone is suitably gritty to allow that garage rock feel to shine through. The verses are a bit more laid back, with chiming clean guitar melodies and Petersson's propelling bass playing - with the heavier guitars cutting in occasionally. They back the sing-a-long chorus, though, which features plenty of hooky vocals from Robin - his melodies as melodic as ever despite the tougher backing. There is a good mix of hard rock and melodic pop here, with the hypnotic riff and the repetitive vocal melodies during the chorus in particular likely to stick in the brain for a long period of time. All Wrong Long Gone is less aggressive, with the band pulling the pace back to something more mid-paced - and Rick's guitars taking on less of a gritty tone. A fairly slow-burning, yet melodic, guitar riff drives this one - whilst Daxx lays down a subtle groove on the drums. The song has a bit more space to breathe as a result - and Robin's vocals very much shine through. During the verses in particular his voice cuts through the slow moving riff - his mix of grit and melody a big draw. The chorus feels a bit more full-on, though, following a bass-led pre-chorus section, with a bigger guitar presence, making use of both Rick and Robin Taylor's playing for layering, whilst subtle synths and vocal harmonies add some extra melodies. A bluesy guitar solo later adds further interest. The Riff That Won't Quit returns to the harder rock sound of the opening track, with a jovial kick-off riff that sets the tone for the rest of the song. This song, like many on this album, is a short track - and it very much gets in and gets out. It is a punchy, poppy rocker with the great opening riff repeating regularly throughout - whilst Robin's somewhat punky vocal delivery ensures an in-your-face attitude, particularly during the snappy chorus. Given the short length of the song, the later guitar solo is surprisingly lengthy - with Rick going for a noisier approach to contrast with the snappier riffing elsewhere. Bet It All slows the pace, going for a bluesier groove from the off. Rick's main riff has a slightly doomy vibe, which feels heavier than is typical for the band, but this just showcases that the blues can be heavy - it is how Black Sabbath started out after all. This riff and the shuffle from the rhythm section grounds the whole song, whilst Robin sings in a slower and deeper manner than usual - with shriller harmony vocals adding some additional layers. A brief chorus showcases those typical Cheap Trick hooks, where pop meets rock, whilst the instrumental section mixes bluesy guitar soloing with a more riff-led moment. The heavier vibe is welcome, as the heaviness is more from a classic rock and blues perspective than the punkier vibes heard elsewhere.

The Best Thing shakes things up somewhat, going for a much more shimmering pop vibe. The band's love of The Beatles is very much on show here - with Robin's vocals much cleaner and more overtly melodic, whilst airy synths are utilised in the background to add depth. There is no real riffing here, with the guitar playing this time much more atmospheric in nature. Layers of clean guitar melodies and the occasional tougher chord form the backing for Robin's vocals, alongside the synths, whilst the main punch comes from the rhythm section. Cheap Trick will often ensure that there are a few songs like this on each album, and they always do this slightly more rocked up take on dreamy Beatles-esque pop well. The song is also one of the longer cuts here, so the atmospheric sound is allowed to stretch out a bit more. Twelve Gates is somewhat similar, but with more of a hard rock injection. A similar pace is retained from the previous song, with similar synths in the background, but this time the guitars feel a little more intense. The backing guitars feel a little tougher, despite the patterns being somewhat similar, whilst the drums are much more percussive to allow for a punchier feel - with plenty of tom work during the main verses. Robin still sings in his more melodic manner, though, despite the slight increase in toughness - which means that more big Beatles-esque melodies are present throughout. As such, the song is very easy on the ear. The melodies are sweet and airy throughout - whilst even the later guitar solo, which is quite effects-heavy in sound, has something of a strange floaty feel; despite the tougher grounding of the rhythm section this time. Throw in the synths taking more of a leading role at times, with some pulsing melodies, and the song continues the more atmospheric shake-up started with the previous one. Bad Blood ups the pace somewhat again, but there are still moments of atmosphere that creep through. The toughness has slowly crept up during the past few songs - and this track feels like the best representative of the band's two sides in one. The guitars are crunchy at times, but generally the scope is poppy and cinematic - with a swing from the rhythm section expanding the overall scope and plenty more synths. Occasional more knotty guitar riffs do add some moments of harder rock, and these allow Robin to add a grittier edge to his vocals, but largely this another quite mid-paced and poppy number - with a easy on the ear chorus and more atmospherics. A very melodic guitar solo is also included. It is no surprise that this run of songs in the middle of the album are some of the longer cuts here - and they allow the band to stretch out somewhat and really present this poppy and atmospheric sound as a contrast to their punchier, rockier songs elsewhere. Dancin' with the Band returns to the harder rock sound of the early part of the album. The guitars immediately feel tougher here, and there is a strong groove throughout which is much more hard rock in nature than the songs which immediately preceded it. The atmospheric synths which came before are largely absent this time, with the weight of the guitars, bass, and drums carrying everything - whilst Robin's vocals feel grittier and more hard rocking this time, despite the chorus still being pretty poppy overall. It feels like an old-school Cheap Trick classic from the 1970s - with a good mix of punk grit and pop rock melody nicely bringing everything to life.

Love Gone slows the pace down again somewhat, although the overall arrangement is not as floaty as some of the poppy songs which came before. The mix of vibes is similar to Bad Blood overall, with some toughness coming from the chugging guitars throughout, alongside some percussive drumming, whilst atmosphere is once again provided by some synths - and Robin's vocals feel much poppier overall and less gritty. There are strong Beatles vibes throughout the track again as a result, whilst a slide guitar solo is included - which is something a bit different for the band. The slow-burning slide solo helps to add to the song's somewhat melancholic vibe, despite the melodies being very hooky, and the song is another which mixes the band's core sides and sounds together nicely. A Long Way to Worcester opens with some chiming guitar melodies, almost country-esque in tone, and percussive drumming - over which Robin starts to sing. Washes of keyboards and some well-placed wordless vocal harmonies add depth, but the song does not feel especially poppy or floaty compared to the songs in the album's middle. There is less of a Beatles feel this time, with the guitars overall feeling decidedly more American thanks to the country twang and there is a darker overall tone thanks to the bass, which is high in the mix, and Robin's more emotive vocals. There is little of the band's carefree side here, and this track feels quite a bit more serious overall - with a much more layered sound and plenty of atmospheric depth. The guitar solo is busier and more hard rock in nature, too. Rick's tone during it is cutting and slashing, meaning that the punky, bluesy melodies cut through the dense piece nicely - and the song overall has a strong cinematic feel thanks to the overall arrangement, Robin's wistful vocal delivery, and these more slashing harder rock moments which cut through on occasion. Following this lengthier, more serious piece; the album then comes to a close with the short burst of energy that is Wham Boom Bang. It opens with some jaunty acoustic guitar melodies over which Robin sings some very affected 1960s-esque melodies - whilst the song grows in stature around this beat combo-esque vibe. Drums and bass are added to the mix as the track progresses, whilst the later chorus is percussive and memorable thanks to some call-and-response melodies between Robin's voice and Rick's guitar. The song feels like a deliberate throwback to the 1960s, with later keyboard melodies joining in which feel very dated, but this works in the context of the album - with the song feeling like a fun closing number in the context of an album which has moved back and forth between tougher and more atmospheric sounds. Overall, for me, All Washed Up is another strong modern album from Cheap Trick. It does not really do anything new that we have not heard from the band at this point, but the overall vibe is positive despite some more melancholic moments - and I like the good mix of heavier moments and poppier tunes which allow for quite a bit of variety despite the album being quite short. Nothing ever outstays its welcome, and the band show here that they remain masters of their craft when it comes to garage rock and pop songwriting. Washed up Cheap Trick certainly are not, and if they are to wind up soon then they will have gone out on a high with this album.

The album was released on 14th November 2025 via BMG Rights Management (US) LLC. Below is the band's promotional video for The Riff That Won't Quit.

Katatonia - Bristol Review

There is not much of 2025 left. It does not seem like that long ago that I was heading up to Bristol for the first time this year to catch The Halo Effect at The Fleece - but this past Monday saw my last trip to Bristol in 2025. Always a great city for gigs, I have been to Bristol quite a few times this year as is tradition - and I already have a few nights out planned there for next year. Whilst 2025 still contains a couple more gigs, with a long weekend away in Wolverhampton planned just before Christmas - the year feels like it is winding to a close. It will not be long before I am writing up my Albums of the Year list and rounding out the year blog-wise - but there are still a few more reviews to come before then, both of gigs and a last few albums I am hoping to get to time allowing. My last trip to Bristol of the year, then, was to catch a band live for the first time - with Sweden's gothic/doom/progressive metal mainstays Katatonia the reason for my train trip. Fellow Swedes Evergrey being on the bill helped, and I may not have gone to see Katatonia without their presence, but I needed an excuse to check out Katatonia properly and this December gig seemed like a good opportunity to do so. I do not have much of a history with Katatonia. I have had a copy of 2012's Dead End Kings for many years, but I only started to listen to the band properly earlier this year - and I have since picked up and have heard everything from 2006's The Great Cold Distance onwards, plus reviewing latest effort Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State (which can be read here) back in July. In truth, I am still not really sure what I think of Katatonia - both having explored their catalogue somewhat and now having seen them live. I quite like their core sound, and it reminds me at times of bands I like very much like Anathema and Opeth, but album to album things can get very samey. I get the impression that the band's earlier work is much heavier, so is likely quite different, but in more recent years a core sound has very much emerged - which is certainly enjoyable but does somewhat fatigue me after a while. Katatonia are very much a mood band. There have been times that I have listened to one of the band's albums and been swept away by it - only for the same album to leave me a bit cold another time. They are very much a band that I need to be in the mood for, then, but I have enjoyed spending some more time with them this year. Occasionally I book a ticket for a gig which, at the time, is far in the future and not surrounded by anything else as doing so seems like a good opportunity to get into a band - with plenty of time to digest the catalogue and properly become a fan. Sometimes this works and sometimes it does not - with this example falling somewhere in the middle. I certainly did not listen to as much Katatonia this year as I should have done - but nevertheless I am much more familiar with the band than I was. I was feeling negative about the whole experience on the day of the gig, too. I was tired after nights in Nottingham and Torquay beforehand - plus I was worried that inclement weather would disrupt my journeys to and from Bristol. Thankfully, I got to Bristol on Monday and back home on Tuesday without any real issue - but I nevertheless was concerned during the gig itself about the travel arrangements the next day as the weather reports just kept getting worse.

This whole intro seems quite negative, so I imagine people will be assuming that I did not enjoy the gig - but that would not be true. Despite not being as versed in Katatonia's catalogue as I should be, and my overthinking regarding getting home, I still enjoyed my night at the Electric Bristol - which attracted a healthy crowd. Two support acts came before Katatonia, though, with the Italian progressive/alternative metal Klogr opening the night. I knew little about the band before they hit the stage, but their riffy and somewhat tech metal-esque sound was enjoyable. Fronted by Gabriele Rustichelli, and his impressive beard, Klogr played a fairly straight ahead brand of riffy progressive metal that was very much influenced by groove and tech metal. The riffs were not as angular or as dry as pure tech metal, but the band's sound was very much riff-based - with traditional lead guitar melodies largely absent, apart from a few shredded solos from Rustichelli. Atmospheric clean guitar melodies and textures were often used instead to add an extra dynamic and take attention away from the big riffs - whilst prominent basslines and bass melodies were also common. Despite having quite a simple sound on the surface, then, there was actually quite a bit going on - with the two guitars and the bass all generally doing something a bit different whilst the drums went back and forth between faster, punkier beats and groovy patterns. Rustichelli's voice was strong, too, adding some grit to the overall sound - whilst still managing to throw in a few hooky choruses. All of the bands on the bill are sometimes labelled as progressive metal, despite having other influences, and all are on the simpler side in terms of song structure and intricacy - which made the pairing work quite well. Klogr are never going to blow anyone away with their technicality, but their grooves were massive and the overall atmosphere and texturing of their sound certainly felt progressive - and the growing crowd seemed to have a good time, forming quite a queue at the merch stall after the band's set.

After only 20 or so minutes it was time for Evergrey - easily my favourite of the three bands on the bill in general and likely the main reason I bought a ticket. I have seen Evergrey live a number of times, as a support act, at a festival, and as a headline act - with my last show of theirs also coming in Bristol back in 2022 when they headlined the Thekla. For whatever reason, this latest Evergrey set felt a bit less powerful than others I had seen - but for the next 45 or so minutes the band still showcased their emotive core sound nicely, with frontman Tom Englund sounding a rich as ever. The band all seemed quite cramped towards the front of the stage, which likely did not help, and they currently have a make-shift line-up - with Collibus and Scar Symmetry guitarist Stephen Platt filling in for Henrik Danhage. Drummer Simen Sandnes is still quite new to the band, too, so this line-up is still likely finding its feet - perhaps leading to the set not being as memorable as previous ones. That being said, the seven-song setlist was still a good representation of the band's last few albums. The lengthy A Silent Arc kicked things off, with its tech metal riffing and cold atmosphere - before the more epic and endlessly melodic King of Errors followed. This song generally closes the band's shows, so it felt strange hearing it early in the set - but it woke a few from their slumbers and there were quite a few around me singing along. These first two songs have been setlist staples for a while now, with the following two also following suit. The cold, sweeping Distance, with plenty of atmospherics from Rikard Zander (keyboards/vocals), always feels at home when played live - whilst the warmer Where August Mourn showcased the band's denser, riffier sound. The final three songs were all new to me live. I had not seen the band live since their last album came out - so it was good to see two songs from it included in the set. Cold Dreams of course features Katatonia frontman Jonas Renkse - but he did not join Evergrey on the stage, with his vocals instead just played over the PA. This meant that Englund was just stood around sometimes whilst these vocals were being played, which was a bit strange, but the more epic and keyboard-heavy Falling from the Sun showcased some more hooks - something which the band can really pull out when they want to. There were clearly quite a few Evergrey fans in the crowd and the more melodic songs featured quite a bit of singing from those around me - and in a way I was surprised that the band were afforded only around 45 minutes on a bill like this. A couple more songs would have certainly been welcome, as by the time new single Oxygen!, from the band's next album, rolled around it felt as if no time had really passed. The new song is very typical of Evergrey's recent core sound, with another emotive Englund chorus, and it ended the set on a high with plenty being aware of the track despite it being new. The setlist was:

A Silent Arc

King of Errors

Distance

Where August Mourn

Cold Dreams

Falling from the Sun

Oxygen!

Again, the changeover between the sets seemed fairly quick - and it did not seem all that long before the stage was bathed in red light and the five current members of Katatonia took to the stage. With only Renkse left from the band's early days, and two new guitarists in tow, this is very much a new-look version of the band. Renkse has been dominating things from a songwriting and production standpoint for quite a while now, though, so the change in line-up has not really altered the core sound much - with Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State very much in-keeping with what came before. Two of the new songs came early on, with Thrice and The Liquid Eye being deployed early - whilst the older favourite Soil's Song separated the two to drag the old hands along. Overall, the band's core sound came across well live. The interweaving guitar riffs and melodies of Nico Elgstrand and Sebastian Svalland did a lot of the heavy lifting - but I was also impressed by the playing of Niklas Sandin (bass guitar) who laid down plenty of melodic basslines and counter melodies throughout. An understated frontman, Renkse generally sounded strong vocally. He has this strange habit of waving the microphone around in front of his face, though, which meant that his voice was not always as clear as it should have been - but his core tone and that sense of hopelessness his singing can often give did cut through. Despite the gothic and downbeat nature of much of the band's sound, alongside a gloomy lighting set-up and dark colours on the video screens, Renkse and the band seemed to be having a good time. Katatonia are never going to be a band to attract rowdy crowds or big sing-a-longs, but the vibe in the room fit their music nicely - and the crowd was appreciative throughout. Renkse seemed pleased with the reception throughout, and seemed to have fond memories of previous gigs in the city. Clearly Katatonia are well-liked in Bristol, with the Electric Bristol nicely full without being packed - and Renkse regularly took time out to thank the crowd despite not talking all that much overall. I recognised the songs played, but I cannot say that I was really all that familiar with any of them apart from those on the new album. The older Leaders did stand out, though, whilst I did also remember Dead Letters from my few listens to Dead End Kings when I picked it up a while ago. Another highlight, too, was the heavier Nephilim - a song which perhaps hints at where the band came from. Whilst it essentially followed the same patterns and core sound as everything else, the riffing certainly felt doomier - and it was the toughest moment of the set which was often much more atmospheric than truly riffy. Despite my earlier comments, the newer Wind of No Change did elicit a little bit of a sing-a-long - whilst Old Heart Falls perhaps garnered one of the strongest reactions from the crowd in terms of cheering its announcement. Another song I remember from a few years ago was the more melodic Lethean - a song which always reminded me a little of Anathema. It was a welcome addition to the ending portion of the band's main set - which later ended with a slightly longer version of In the Event Of from their latest album. The band did briefly leave the stage, but there was time for one more - with another somewhat riffier piece in the form of Forsaker giving the long-time fans something to cheer for as the band's 80 or so minutes on stage came to a gloomy close. The setlist was:

Thrice

Soil's Song

The Liquid Eye

Austerity

Rein

Leaders

Dead Letters

Nephilim

Wind of No Change

The Longest Year

Old Heart Falls

July

Lethean

No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall

In the Event Of

-

Forsaker

Despite not coming away from the night any more of a Katatonia fan than I already was, I remain a casual fan of the Swedish gloom-mongers - and I am glad that I have now seen the band live. They are a band that I probably should like more than I do - but they still managed to impress live and there was a strong atmosphere in the Electric Bristol throughout their set. I probably do need to check out the band's older, heavier work to properly understand their journey - but for now I have strong memories from seeing them live for the first time.