Author: fgt

To celebrate an incredible year which has seen David Gilmour’s new album. Luck And Strange, hit the #1 spot in 8 countries and top ten in a further 14, as well as multiple sold-out shows in Rome, London, Los Angeles and New York, Gilmour has today released a very special live version of the first single from Luck And Strange, “The Piper’s Call”.

The Piper’s Call Live Around The World is a digital only release and was recorded at The Brighton Centre, Circus Maximus in Rome, the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles and Madison Square Garden in New York and edited together by Gilmour, Charlie Andrew and Matt Glasby to form one seamless track recorded throughout the Luck And Strange tour.

David Gilmour: “On the Luck and Strange tour, I played with the best band I’ve ever had. Their personalities, playing abilities and enthusiasm for my new music have made for a fabulous experience for Polly and me. Romany’s voice really stands out and has its own particular character, she brings a sense of mischief and fun to the live performance, which I think we needed. Thank you to everyone who attended the shows in Europe and America and thank you for buying ‘Luck and Strange’. I hope you found as much enjoyment in the music as we did while performing it.”

Luck And Strange was recorded over five months in Brighton and London and is Gilmour’s first album of new material in nine years. The record was produced by David and Charlie Andrew, best known for his work with alt-J and Marika Hackman. The album features nine tracks, including the singles “The Piper’s Call”, “Dark And Velvet Nights”, and a beautiful reworking of The Montgolfier Brothers’ 1999 song, “Between Two Points”, which features 22-year-old Romany Gilmour on vocals and harp; the lead-off track, “The Piper’s Call”, and the title track, which features the late Pink Floyd keyboard player Richard Wright, recorded in 2007 at a jam in a barn at David’s house. The album features artwork and photography by the renowned artist Anton Corbijn.

The Luck And Strange tour began with two sold-out warm-up shows at the Brighton Centre before moving to Circus Maximus in Rome for six sold-out nights, followed by the same about at London’s Royal Albert Hall before moving Stateside for sold-out evenings at the Intuit Dome and Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles before concluding with five sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Order the album here.

Luck And Strange tracklistings:

Vinyl: Black vinyl, gatefold sleeve and booklet with photography and design by Anton Corbijn

Side One:

“Black Cat”*
“Luck And Strange”
“The Piper’s Call”
“A Single Spark”
“Vita Brevis”*
“Between Two Points”** – with Romany Gilmour

Side Two:  

“Dark And Velvet Nights”
“Sings”
“Scattered”***  

CD: Album plus two bonus tracks. Digipak and booklet with photography and design by Anton Corbijn

“Black Cat”*
“Luck And Strange”
“The Piper’s Call”
“A Single Spark”
“Vita Brevis”*
“Between Two Points”** – with Romany Gilmour
“Dark And Velvet Nights”
“Sings”
“Scattered”***  

Bonus tracks:

“Yes, I Have Ghosts”
“Luck And Strange (original Barn Jam)”*

Blu-Ray – Audio Only: Album in Dolby Atmos and high-resolution stereo mixes plus four bonus tracks. Digipak and booklet with photography and design by Anton Corbijn

“Black Cat*
“Luck And Strange”
“The Piper’s Call “
“A Single Spark “
“Vita Brevis”*
“Between Two Points”** – with Romany Gilmour
“Dark And Velvet Nights”
“Sings “
“Scattered”***

Bonus tracks (In Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res stereo):

“Yes, I Have Ghosts”
“Luck And Strange (original Barn Jam)”*
“A Single Spark (Orchestral)”*
“Scattered (Orchestral)”*

Deluxe LP & CD boxsets will be announced in the coming weeks.

All songs Music: David Gilmour. Lyrics: Polly Samson.

Except:
*Music: David Gilmour.
**Music: Mark Tranmer. Lyrics by Roger Quigley.  
***Music: David Gilmour. Lyrics: David Gilmour, Charlie Gilmour and Polly Samson.

Produced by David Gilmour and Charlie Andrew
Engineered by Matt Glasbey, Charlie Andrew, David Gilmour and Damon Iddins
Mixed by David Gilmour, Charlie Andrew and Matt Glasbey
Additional engineering by Andy Jackson and Luie Stylianou

“Luck And Strange” video:

“Dark And Velvet Nights” music video:

“Between Two Points” lyric video:

“The Piper’s Call” music video:

Rival Sons’ live concert album, Pair Of Aces: Live From Santa Catalina Island (Part 2). is out today on both YouTube and all audio streaming platforms. It features the performance of their 2010 self-titled EP which was recorded by 9x Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb and led to the band first being signed. It includes fan-favorite tracks such as “Get What’s Coming,” “Torture,” “Radio,” “Sacred Tongue,” and “Soul.”

The YouTube premiere will be followed by a live Q&A/afterparty with frontman Jay Buchanan and guitarist Scott Holiday. Watch the live concert premiere, and join in on the afterparty below. Stream the album on your preferred listening platform here.

In June 2021, Rival Sons, delivered two live performances from Catalina Island, CA. They were originally streamed via Veeps to fans at home across the world, many of whom were still in lockdown because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Both performances are available to stream visually and digitally for the first time. Pair Of Aces: Live From Santa Catalina Island (Part 1) features the full performance of their 2009 album Before The Fire was released in November. Watch the YouTube performance below, and/or stream the album digitally here.

Drummer Michael Miley states: “Night two of our trip to Catalina Island! We set up in the historic Avalon theater and it was like we were transported to another era. The theater has insane old school acoustics. You can hear someone whisper from 90 feet away like they’re directly in your ear; it was nostalgic. And dusting off the EP, especially during a pandemic, was a respite as well as a funky good time!”

Holiday elaborates on both releases: “In recognition of the 10-year anniversary of our first 2 albums, we played each album in its entirety over 2 different nights. One night in the ballroom (in the round!) performing Before the Fire, and the next night we played the self-titled record in the old movie theatre. It was every bit as cool and interesting as I’d hoped. A real honor and pleasure to fill this beautiful place with sound. The director did a great job capturing it for everyone to share in the experience with us and now it will be available to listen and watch anytime you’d like.”

A Pair Of Aces: Live From Santa Catalina Island (Part 1) tracklisting:

“Tell Me Something”
“Lucky Girl”
“Memphis Sun”
“Angel”
“Pocketful Of Stones”
“The Man Who Wasn’t There”
“Pleasant Return”
“On My Way”
“I Want More”
“Flames Of Lanka”
“Nanda Nandana”

A Pair Of Aces: Live From Santa Catalina Island (Part 2) tracklisting:

“Get What’s Coming”
“Torture”
“Radio”
“Sleepwalker”
“Soul”
“Sacred Tongue”

(Photo – Rick Horn)

Even in a world where rock biopics have become commonplace, talk of films chronicling the incredible career of the Beatles has generated plenty of buzz.

While exact details of the project have been carefully guarded, we do know that four separate films are planned, with each telling the band’s story through the respective perspectives of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

A news release earlier this year confirmed that the movies are scheduled for release in 2027, and reports have indicated filming will begin in the summer of 2025. This marks the first time the band has granted the rights to their life stories and music for a feature film.

READ MORE: Nine Movies That Almost Starred the Beatles

Academy Award-winning director Sam Mendes will be tasked with the challenge of bringing the Beatles to the big screen. He brings an impressive resume with him, including American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Jarhead and the James Bond films Skyfall and Spectre.

“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies,” Mendes said in a statement.

“We intend this to be a uniquely thrilling, and epic cinematic experience: four films, told from four different perspectives which tell a single story about the most celebrated band of all time,” added Pippa Harris, Mendes’ production partner.

Mendes is the biggest name officially tied to the project. Other rumors suggest who has been cast as each member of the Fab Four.

Who Will Play Paul McCartney in the Beatles Biopics?

One of Hollywood’s biggest rising stars is reportedly on board to play McCartney. Paul Mescal, the Irish actor who most recently played Lucius Verus Aurelius in Gladiator II, is reportedly on board to portray the Beatles’ bassist.

“It would be an incredible story to be attached to,” Mescal admitted to Entertainment Tonight when asked about the rumors. “The fact that Sam Mendes is attached to direct – like truly, it would be a dream come true.”

A different source was far less coy. Ridley Scott, who directed Mescal in Gladiator II, noted the actor won’t be appearing in his next project due to another commitment.

“Paul is actually stacked up, doing the Beatles next,” Scott revealed during a Los Angeles Q&A.

If Mescal is the man who’ll embody McCartney, he’ll bring an extensive musical background. The Irish star is a multi-instrumentalist who performed in musical theater productions of Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables in his youth. He also flexed his vocal chops during a recent appearance on Saturday Night Live.

Who Will Play John Lennon in the Beatles Films?

According to rumors, Harris Dickinson is in line to play John Lennon. The British actor has appeared in such celebrated indie films as Beach Rats and Triangle of Sadness. He most recently starred opposite Nicole Kidman in Babygirl, which has been generating substantial awards buzz.

In a November conversation with Dazed magazine, Dickinson reportedly cracked a “knowing smile” when asked about the possibility of playing Lennon. “There’s nothing I can say about that. It might not be true, it might be, I don’t know. … There’s a speculation culture,” the actor responded.

He echoed similar sentiments during a separate conversation with Variety.

“It would be amazing to do that,” he said. “I think the idea of Sam teaming up to do something like that would be incredibly exciting. Obviously, John Lennon is a very complex role, a pretty formidable force to try to do. It would be cool.”

Who Will Play Ringo Starr in the Beatles Movies?

After scoring an Academy Award nomination for 2022’s The Banshees of Inisherin, Irish actor Barry Keoghan has continued to see his celebrity rise. He starred in Saltburn in 2023 and the acclaimed Apple+ miniseries Masters of the Air this year. Now, it seems the role of Ringo Starr could be in his future.

“I think it’s great,” Starr told Entertainment Tonight when asked about Koeghan’s casting. “I believe he’s somewhere taking drum lessons, and I hope not too many.”

Sony Pictures declined to comment on Keoghan’s involvement in the biopics, but Ringo’s comments sure seem to confirm it.

Who Will Play George Harrison in the Beatles Biopics?

Rumors about the other three Beatles strongly suggest a final decision has been made, but there are conflicting reports regarding George Harrison.

English actor Charlie Rowe, who starred in the CBS series Salvation and Amazon miniseries Vanity Fair, was the subject of many rumors. His team came out and denied such claims, however, throwing cold water on the possibility. For those who like contemplating multiverse cinematic scenarios, Rowe previously appeared in a different classic rock biopic, playing A&R executive Ray Williams in the Elton John film Rocketman.

The other name prominently linked with playing Harrison is Joseph Quinn. Like Mescal, Quinn most recently appeared in Gladiator II, still music fans likely remember him for a different role. In 2022, he played Eddie Munson in season 4 of Stranger Things, enduring one of the most memorable death scenes in the show’s history when he was killed by demobats while shredding Metallica’s “Master of Puppets.”

Why the Beatles Hated One of Their Own LPs

After taking most of the ’90s and ’00s off, a tan, rested and ready Jason Voorhees got back to work in the 2009 reboot Friday the 13th.

The 12th and to date final movie in the Friday the 13th franchise re-introduced Jason as a leaner, faster and more creative killer. It also moved the story up to a modern-day setting and leaned hard on the fast-forward button while recapping the masked killer’s evolution.

“We tried to take elements from all three [of the first] movies to create one reboot,” co-producer Brad Fuller told Shock Till You Drop a year before his Friday the 13th arrived. For example, in the original series, Jason wasn’t even the murderer in the first movie, and didn’t don his famous hockey mask until 1982’s Friday the 13th Part 3. “You will see Jason put on the hockey mask for the first time,” Fuller promised. “How and why. And you’ll actually see him do it. Not just come out with it on.”

READ MORE: Why It’s Been Over a Decade Since Jason or Freddy Killed Anybody

The new Friday the 13th showcased a more evolved Jason Voorhees, who moved faster, had built a large underground lair for himself and developed an even more sadistic streak. In one example, he zips a young woman up in a sleeping bag, then hangs her and the bag over a roaring campfire. When her boyfriend runs over to save her, he instead falls into the second part of Jason’s plan as a bear trap clamps onto his leg, leaving him helpless and screaming in pain as he watches her grisly death.

During a 2008 set visit by SuicideGirls, Fuller talked about the learning curve involved with including sex and nudity in a movie for the first time in his career: “The other night we were shooting a scene where a couple is having sex in a tent, and it’s in silhouette, and the studio exec was on set and the male character is…they’re having sex…and the studio guy says, ‘You can’t have him pump more than three times, the MPAA won’t let you get away with that.’ And I said, ‘I didn’t know there was a pump limit.’ We shot a lot more than three. I don’t know if that’s actually a rule, but let them tell us.” Still, he reassured fans: “No one will be disappointed with the lack of nudity in this film.”

Watch Jason Find His Hockey Mask in 2009’s ‘Friday the 13th’

After the franchise’s rather disastrous trips to New York City, hell and outer space (yeah, really), the back-to-basics, faster-paced take on Friday the 13th went over very well with fans, if not critics. The movie grossed $92 million worldwide, $30 million more than what any of the previous stand-alone Jason movies had made.

Plans for a 2010 sequel were announced but then quickly canceled without any clear explanation. Partly because of legal battles over rights to the character and story, the 2009 film stands as the last entry in the franchise to date, although a prequel TV series named Crystal Lake is set to premiere on Peacock by Halloween 2025.

The term “guilty pleasure” tends to be cast in a negative light, but in many ways, it is a term of endearment.

Take music, for example. If you believe a song is terrible, you just don’t listen, casting it aside and never giving it the time of day again. However, guilty pleasure songs are tunes you return to time and time again, even if they may not be the coolest tracks to have on your playlist.

Of course, songs don’t usually arrive as a guilty pleasure. More commonly, they evolve like a haircut that has since gone out of fashion. When you got it, you thought you looked great, but now you pull out old photos and mutter, “What the hell was I thinking?”

The ’70s offered plenty of guilty pleasures, from straight-ahead rockers to folk and disco. Below, we’ve ranked our 20 favorites. Time may not have been kind, but we still love them.

20. Nazareth, “Love Hurts”
In its original form, “Love Hurts” was a heartbreaking tune recorded by the Everly Brothers in 1960. However, 15 years later, Scottish rock band Nazareth got ahold of the song and turned it into a power ballad. The single was an international success and peaked at No. 8 in America. Though it’s generally regarded as overdramatic and cheesy, the track continues popping up everywhere, appearing in TV shows like Scrubs and Superstore, as well as an array of commercials.

19. Pilot, “Magic”
Credit where credit is due, Pilot’s 1974 hit “Magic” is versatile. Catchy yet nondescript, fun yet inoffensive, the tune has been featured in everything from the blockbuster hit Guardians of the Galaxy to commercials for diabetes medication. Despite the chorus’ sing-ability – “Oh-ho-ho it’s magic, never believe it’s not so” – there’s something slightly puzzling about the track. Maybe it’s because the tune sounds like a halfhearted ELO ripoff, or maybe it’s the faint falsetto “la-la-las” in the background.

18. Kiss, ‘Rock and Roll All Nite’
There is something inherently cliche about a rock and roll song whose sole purpose is to proclaim how cool it is to rock and roll. Throw in grown men wearing makeup and spandex and you have all the ingredients necessary for one of music’s great guilty pleasures. “Rock and Roll All Nite” is not Kiss’ greatest song, but it may be their greatest party starter.

17. Blue Swede, “Hooked on a Feeling”
It’s not the words that make Blue Swede’s rendition of “Hooked on a Feeling” a guilty pleasure, it’s the noises – namely, “Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga Ooga-Chaka.” The weirdly tribal chant is fun to sing along to alone, or perhaps with a toddler still learning how to speak. But there’s no way you’ll find us ooga-ing in public around otherwise respectable members of society.

16. Carl Douglas, “Kung Fu Fighting”
Before “Gangnam Style,” “The Fox” or any of the many other viral novelty songs that have come and gone in recent memory, there was “Kung Fu Fighting.” Culturally speaking, Jamaican-British singer Carl Douglas seemed unlikely to deliver a disco classic about kung fu, but that’s exactly what he did in 1974. The single sold more than 11 million copies worldwide, yet these days nobody is willing to admit they bought it.

15. Buggles, “Video Killed the Radio Star”
The Buggles’ loan hit is a quirky remnant from the era in which it was made. Music videos’ impact was on the horizon, and “Video Killed the Radio Star” was appropriately the first clip played on MTV (albeit two years after the song’s release). With its layers of synths and peculiar vocals, the tune is unabashedly odd. But its chorus is pure nostalgia, and we can’t help but grin every time we hear it.

14. Starland Vocal Band, “Afternoon Delight”
Maybe it was the Anchorman a cappella rendition, or perhaps it was the uncomfortable duet in Arrested Development. Regardless, at some point, Starland Vocal Band’s “Afternoon Delight” evolved from a forgotten one-hit wonder to a modern guilty pleasure. We blame the lighthearted song’s giggle-inducing lyrics. Never has a midday romp sounded so tame.

13. Rupert Holmes, “Escape: (The Pina Colada Song)”
Hey, look! It’s that song everyone mistakenly thinks was recorded by Jimmy Buffett! Rupert Holmes’ 1979 hit certainly connected with Parrotheads, what with its similar appreciation for iced mixed cocktails. Some have even criticized the English singer for copying Buffett’s mellow, good-time style. Regardless, much like the titular beverage, “The Pina Colada Song” is a tasty treat that we’ll never admit to enjoying (even though we do).

12. Partridge Family, “I Think I Love You”
If the Bradys had a band, they’d be the Partridge Family – that’s not necessarily a good thing. While the sitcom was popular during its four-season run in the early ‘70s, The Partridge Family was more about sugary family entertainment than cool music. That’s what makes “I Think I Love You” such an outlier. The 1970 single was a No. 1 hit for the fictitious family band and has since been covered by a broad spectrum of artists, including Olivia Newton-John, Less Than Jake and Tenacious D.

11. Lipps, Inc., “Funkytown”
Lips Inc.’s classic “Funkytown” is incredibly repetitious. The phrase “Gotta move on now” is sung six times, while “Won’t you take me to Funkytown” is repeated an astonishing 14 times in the song. Despite the simplicity, we can’t help but get swept up by the intoxicating disco beat.

10. Barry Manilow, “Copacabanna”
We don’t know a single person who openly admits to being a Barry Manilow fan. Yet we’re pretty sure you know the words to “Looks Like We Made It,” “Mandy” or the cream of the guilty pleasure crop, “Copacabana.”

9. Harry Chapin, “Cat’s in the Cradle”
It’s pure heartstring fodder, the kind of song inherently designed to stir emotions from deep inside. We know that going in, we even expect it, yet every time “Cat’s in the Cradle’ gets played, our eyes well up just a little bit. Now, please excuse us for a moment, we’ve got to go call our dad.

8. ABBA, “Dancing Queen”
Yes, we hear you when you complain that ABBA doesn’t belong on a classic rock list. But we also see you when “Dancing Queen” begins to play – your hips sway, your head bobs to the beat and you try to hide the fact that you’re quietly singing along to every word. Let’s all just accept that this 1976 song is a classic guilty pleasure and agree to move on, OK?

7. Gary Wright, ‘Dream Weaver’
Too spacey for standard rock, too mainstream sounding to be called prog, Gary Wright’s “Dream Weaver” falls awkwardly in music’s no man’s land. The song’s synthesizers, while modern at the time, sound cheesy more than 40 years later, and the celestial sound effects don’t help rein in the tackiness. Still, the chorus remains emphatic enough to keep us coming back time and again.

6. The B-52’s, ‘Rock Lobster’
Let’s briefly analyze the absurdity of the B-52’s “Rock Lobster”: The lyrics make no sense, the vocals feature animalistic squawks and could anyone really confuse a crustacean with a rock? Despite all of these factors, the 1978 single is a beloved bop. It’s even remained an unlikely pop culture reference point, appearing in everything from Family Guy to Knocked Up.

5. Foreigner, “Hot Blooded”
We’re card-carrying Foreigner fans, but even we can recognize the problems with “Hot Blooded.” Besides being lyrically simplistic, the tune simply doesn’t fit with Foreigner’s persona. Unlike many other frontmen of his time, Lou Gramm was (refreshingly) not a sex-crazed lothario. His attempts to go against character in this song feel uncomfortable, like a tabby cat pretending to be a tiger. Though “Hot Blooded” feels a bit too fabricated to be cool, the catchy chorus and melody keep it on our playlist.

4. The Knack, ‘My Sharona’
One of the ‘70’s greatest guilty pleasures only barely made it into the decade. Released in 1979, the Knack’s “My Sharona” is an undeniable earworm. From the perfectly utilized “M-m-m-my” stutter to the instantly familiar guitar riff, the chart-topping single is built to get stuck in your brain. Sure, rhyming lines like “thighs Sharona” and “eyes Sharona” may seem a little simplistic, but we can’t help but love the Knack’s classic tune.

3. Doobie Brothers, “What a Fool Believes”
If there’s one type of music that embodies the concept of a guilty pleasure, it’s yacht rock. And captaining the genre’s ship is Michael McDonald, with his distinctive voice and perfectly groomed facial hair. “What a Fool Believes” was a chart-topping hit for the Doobie Brothers in 1979 and even earned a pair of Grammys. It’s proof that a song can be both timeless and a guilty pleasure.

2. Elton John & Kiki Dee, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”
Few musicians can compete with Elton John’s impressive resume of work. We’ll happily play 99% of his hits on full blast, but we’re turning the volume down for “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” The 1976 duet is certainly catchy, and we’ve even been known to sing it at karaoke after a couple of beers. Problem is, it’s always sounded like a karaoke tune. And singing along to the saccharine track while sober can be embarrassing.

1. Bay City Rollers, “Saturday Night”
The cheese-factor is turned to 11 on this Bay City Rollers track, originally released in 1973. By ‘76, the infectious chant of “S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y… Night!” was ubiquitous around the globe. Given that the Bay City Rollers were essentially a teen idol boy band, it’s understandable that “Saturday Night” was never considered “cool” despite its popularity. Still, its remained a guilty pleasure for decades, and became a surprising influence to one of punk’s greatest tunes: The Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop.”

Ted Nugent has responded to Tommy Shaw’s recent comments regarding the end of their supergroup, Damn Yankees.

“It was one of those things that wasn’t meant to be forever,” Shaw explained during an interview with UCR. “It’s something that we had a great time doing. We made two records and you could kind of feel it pulling it away at the seams after that.”

Now, in his own conversation with UCR, Nugent has added clarity to Shaw’s remarks.

“I know he didn’t mean that in the terms of friction,” Nugent declared. “There’s no friction. There was moments of where we — I don’t even think it elevated to an argument — about a bridge, a chord injection. I would come up with something spicy, they would contemplate it, and if I could make the case, they’re smart guys. They’re musical animals. So we all make the case for our musical inflections, injections, recommendations, and we’re all respectful of each other.”

READ MORE: When Damn Yankees Took a Final Stand With ‘Don’t Tread’

The core members of Damn Yankees — Nugent, Shaw and bassist Jack Blades — have reunited twice since the supergroup’s 1994 breakup. They most recently shared the stage together at the NAMM convention in 2010.

Ted Nugent Says Damn Yankees Wanted a ‘Next Musical Step’

Rather than friction, Nugent asserted that Damn Yankees ended due to the members’ desires to return to their respective previous bands.

“Coming apart at the seams was [Shaw] couldn’t wait to revitalize Styx,” the guitarist noted, adding that he was supportive of the idea. “And I couldn’t wait for him to revitalize Styx. I couldn’t wait to hear what [Blades’ band] Night Ranger would do with the team.”

READ MORE: Top 10 Ted Nugent Songs

Nugent admitted he had similar feelings, including a desire to revisit his solo work.

“So we were coming apart at the seams because I couldn’t wait to get back on stage and play my favorites every night. My ‘Stranglehold,’ my ‘Hibernation,’ my ‘Cat Scratch,’ my ‘Wang Dang,’ my ‘Wango Tango,’ ‘Great White Buffalo,'” he explained. “I was fulfilled every day with the Damn Yankees, but I also had these cherubs, naked cherubs coming out of the clouds where I’s going, ‘Stranglehold’ is really fucking cool. So I couldn’t wait to unleash those. Plus I had more musical ideas. So when he said coming apart at the seams, no, it wasn’t a friction development. It was a next musical step desire by musical forces.”

Southern German hard ‘n’ heavy powerhouse, Brainstorm, is finally breaking their musical silence. Their upcoming album, Plague Of Rats, is set to drop on February 28, through their new label partner, RPM.

Today, they’ve given fans a taste of what’s to come with the release of the album’s first single. Rest assured, the band haven’t taken a detour into fairy-tale territory with this India-inspired record. Instead, they deliver a pure heavy metal anthem with the track “Garuda (Eater Of Snakes)”.

The single tells the tale of Garuda, the mythological half-human, half-eagle creature known for slaying snakes and serving as the messenger of the gods. With its powerful riffs and Far Eastern melodies, “Garuda (Eater Of Snakes)” bursts forth as a dynamic and fitting introduction to Plague Of Rats. This track doesn’t just live up to its name – it’s a striking first glimpse into the album’s sonic landscape. The accompanying music video, crafted by Mirko Witzki, delves deeper into the rich tapestry of Indian mythology and legends, immersing fans in this mystical world.

“The wait is over and we couldn’t be more happy to finally release new music to our fans – and ‘Garuda’ is the perfect introduction to our upcoming album Plague Of Rats: it’s heavy and powerful and you feel connected to the music, the beat, the riffs and the melodies immediately!,” comments guitarist Torsten “Todde” Ihlenfeld.

Watch the official music video below, stream/purchase the song here.

Plague Of Rats can now be pre-ordered in your preferred physical format [earbook, digipak-cd, coloured vinyl, ticket bundle], pre-saved on your favourite digital service provider (DSP) or pre-ordered digitally (incl. instant-grat track “Garuda (Eater Of Snakes)”). Pre-order/pre-save here.

Plague Of Rats tracklisting:

“Beyond Enemy Lines”
“Garuda (Eater Of Snakes)”
“False Memories”
“The Shepherd Girl (Gitavoginda)”
“Your Soul That Lingers In Me” [feat. Elina Siirala]
“Masquerade Conspiracy”
“From Hell” [feat. Alex Krull]
“The Dark Of Night”
“Crawling”
“Celebrate Youth” [Rick Springfield cover; excl. digipak/earbook bonus track]
“Curtains Fall”

“Garuda (Eater Of Snakes)” video:

Once caught by “Garuda (Eater Of Snakes)”, which might probably find its way to the band’s future set list, European metalheads should make sure to attend Brainstorm’s 8-date release tour alongside Arion and Stranger Vision, kicking off on the night before the official Plague Of Rats release date in Aschaffenburg, Germany.

Excl. CD+ticket bundles here, regular tickets here.

Though Brainstorm have a long history – much like the ancient Indus civilization, the main force behind Plague Of Rats – they’re still in tune with the times. Their latest opus combines signature elements with a fresh, modern edge that’s clearly left its mark on the album. Plus, the band’s ‘attack mode’ approach shines through with a lineup of powerful tracks – no slow songs, no ballads, just pure, high-energy metal. Created alongside their trusted team – Sebastian “Seeb” Levermann for mixing and mastering at Greenman Studios, Gyula Havancsák on artwork, and Alex Kühr on photography – this album delivers ten epic new tracks that will transport fans to the captivating world of India and beyond.

(Photo – Reigning Phoenix Music)