Rising alt-pop storyteller Sabrina Sterling has released her brand-new single, “Jukebox,” a track built on warm, nostalgic production and her signature crystal-clear vocals, which explores the deep ache of longing for a version of someone that never truly existed. Sterling, who is known for her intimate, soul-baring releases, pushes even further into raw honesty here, explaining that she wrote the song after having to cut her father out of her life, saying, “sometimes I would miss – not who he was – but who he was supposed to be.” At just 20, the diaristic storyteller has already built a loyal following by writing emotionally resonant songs well beyond her years, having quickly gone viral after posting her first song to TikTok and later earning millions of views and co-signs from artists like Finneas and Olivia Rodrigo, solidifying her as a talent to watch.
HONEY BXBY Drops Fiery New Single “Shame,” Ushering in Next R&B Era
Honey Bxby, armed with natural curls, red-hot attitude, and vocals built for revenge, has ushered in her next era with the fiery new single “Shame,” out now via Rebirth Ent. / ART@WAR / Warner Records. The track is a sleek evolution in her sound, style, and storytelling, serving as a soulful, stinging takedown of a disloyal lover that flips heartbreak into a power move. With smooth vocals over a hypnotic beat and an unmistakable nod to the Wu-Tang Clan, Honey is not pleading; she’s issuing a final check: “Shame on a n- for thinking he can play me…” The accompanying visual cleverly uses chaos erupting behind her while she sits unbothered, a perfect metaphor for walking away with dignity.
“Shame” arrives hot on the heels of the vocalist’s rising original holiday smash, “All I Want,” a sultry, tongue-in-cheek Christmas record that is positioning her as one of the few new R&B artists expanding into seasonal classics early in their career. Following her breakout year and the success of her most recent EP, Raw Honey—which cemented her as one of R&B’s most magnetic newcomers with collaborations from Lil Kim and Coi Leray—Honey Bxby continues to prove she is a fearless vocalist with a sharp pen and a clear point of view. With “Shame,” the table is now set for her most elevated, intimate, and fiery chapter yet.
THE CURE’s GRAMMY-Nominated Album Performance Hits Cinemas in ‘The Show Of A Lost World’
The Cure’s widely acclaimed and now GRAMMY-nominated album, Songs Of A Lost World, is being brought to cinemas worldwide in a special event film, The Cure : The Show Of A Lost World, debuting tomorrow. This film captures the band’s one and only full performance of the 31-song album, which took place on the night of its release at London’s Troxy in front of 3,000 fans. Directed by GRAMMY-nominated Nick Wickham, the show has been remixed, recut, and 4K remastered, featuring a new Dolby Atmos sound mix by Robert Smith himself, allowing audiences to experience the landmark performance of the entire new record, plus a five-song set celebrating 45 years of the Seventeen Seconds album.
This event is being released via Lost Images, Polydor/Capitol Records, Mercury Studios, and Trafalgar Releasing, with the cinema screening taking place just before the physical Blu-Ray/DVD is released on December 13th and the digital download on December 19th. The band shared a preview of the film in the form of their performance of the track “Alone.” This is an unmissable cinematic moment that celebrates the latest chapter in The Cure’s legendary career, capturing the full scope and emotional weight of the new work in stunning detail.
MEGADETH Pulls Back the Curtain on Final Album with ‘Behind The Mask’ Cinematic Event
Thrash metal legends Megadeth, working with Trafalgar Releasing, have unveiled the trailer for Megadeth: Behind The Mask, a cinematic legacy event set to debut on screens worldwide on Thursday, January 22nd, 2026. This one-night-only film event—which will screen in over 1,000 cinemas across more than 35 countries—arrives on the eve of the release of the band’s self-titled final studio album, which is due out the following day. Frontman Dave Mustaine pulls back the curtain on 40 years of Megadeth history, sharing untold stories and offering his own track-by-track reflections on the new LP. This immersive film will provide fans with the world premiere of the new album in its entirety, making it a powerful celebration of one of metal history’s most influential bands.
In the lead-up to the album and film’s debut, the current lineup—Mustaine, Teemu Mantysaari, James LoMenzo, and Dirk Verbeuren—have already released two tracks: “I Don’t Care” and the album’s first single, “Tipping Point.” Adding a significant full-circle moment to their final album, Megadeth also announced a special bonus track: a reimagined version of “Ride The Lightning,” which Mustaine originally co-wrote with Metallica’s James Hetfield, Cliff Burton, and Lars Ulrich back in 1984.
To get tickets go here.
EPICA Unleashes “Avatar – The Final Incarnation” Ahead of Massive European Tour
Symphonic metal titans Epica have proudly released their explosive new single, “Avatar – The Final Incarnation,” a track inspired by Hindu philosophy, where Mark Jansen notes Kalki represents the final avatar who restores balance and restores truth and purity at the end of the age. Jansen shares that the concept of breaking free from cycles through self-realization and inner transformation “resonates deeply,” channeling a powerful and universal journey toward liberation that is both universal and powerful. The track arrives with a stunning visualizer featuring artwork taken directly from the band’s forthcoming Aspiral Oracle Card Set, a beautifully crafted deluxe boxset that launches worldwide on January 7th. Vocalist Simone Simons adds that the new song will definitely “warm you up for the journey we’re about to take together” as the band prepares to kick off “The Arcane Dimensions” European Tour from January through March, bringing them together with Amaranthe and Charlotte Wessels’ The Obsession for an unforgettable live experience.
tour dates 2026
16.01.26 | Palladium | Cologne, DE
17.01.26 | Zenith | Munich, DE
18.01.26 | Forest National | Brussels, BE
20.01.26 | Bristol Beacon | Bristol, UK
21.01.26 | Barrowlands | Glasgow, UK
23.01.26 | O2 Apollo | Manchester, UK
24.01.26 | Eventim Apollo | London, UK
25.01.26 | Le Zenith | Paris, FR
27.01.26 | Halle 622 | Zurich, CH
28.01.26 | Alcatraz | Milan, IT
30.01.26 | Razzmatazz 1 | Barcelona, ES
31.01.26 | Sala La Riviera | Madrid, ES
01.02.26 | Coliseu dos Recreios | Lisbon, PT
03.02.26 | Bikini Toulouse | Toulouse, FR
04.02.26 | Radiant-Bellevue | Lyon, FR
06.02.26 | MHP Arena | Ludwigsburg, DE
07.02.26 | Ziggo Dome | Amsterdam, NL
06.03.26 | Inselpark Arena | Hamburg, DE
07.03.26 | Haus Auensee | Leipzig, DE
08.03.26 | Columbiahalle | Berlin, DE
10.03.26 | Poolen | Copenhagen, DK
11.03.26 | Fallan | Stockholm, SE
13.03.26 | Tapahtumakeskus Tullisali | Oulu, FI
14.03.26 | Black Box | Helsinki, FI
15.03.26 | Helitehas | Tallinn, EE
17.03.26 | Arena Torwar | Warsaw, PL
18.03.26 | Gasometer | Vienna, AT
20.03.26 | Barba Negra | Budapest, HU
21.03.26 | Forum Karlin | Prague, CZ
22.03.26 | Jahrhunderthalle | Frankfurt, DE
AXEL RUDI PELL Announces New Album ‘Ghost Town,’ Drops Title Track Video
Bochum-based guitarist and composer Axel Rudi Pell is back with the title track, “Ghost Town,” the debut single and lyric video for his just-announced new album, also titled Ghost Town, set for release on March 20, 2026, via SPV/Steamhammer. For well over 35 years, Pell has been wowing fans with his unmistakable signature—a hybrid of powerful guitar riffs and catchy melodies, presented by his brilliant band, including American vocalist Johnny Gioeli and former Rainbow drummer Bobby Rondinelli. The title track itself is a haunting, very catchy uptempo number that perfectly represents the album’s sound, which brings to mind the style of early Rainbow classics.
The new album is no exception to Pell’s history of including remarkable collaborations: it features a sensationally powerful duet on the track “Breaking Seals,” starring frontman Gioeli together with German metal legend Udo Dirkschneider—an absolute first in Pell’s long career. Pell produced the 11-track record himself, with Tommy Geiger providing valuable engineering support during sessions at the Blind Guardian Studios in Grefrath. This new offering cements Pell’s status as a veteran composer who continues to surprise and deliver high-stakes hard rock.
FIVE STAR’s DENIECE PEARSON Announces Spiritual New Solo Album ‘Free-Queen-See’
Fifteen years after her career’s height with Five Star, Deniece Pearson is back with a bold new chapter, announcing the release of her self-written and produced 15-track album, Free-Queen-See. The album is a rich blend of pop, reggae, and R&B, infused with spiritual insight and soulful harmonies that leverage her “Five Star harmonies” branding, but this time, the whole project is coming from one powerful, singular source. Pearson revealed that the loss of close friends and family inspired a turning point, pushing her into eight months of solitude where she “connected with God, my angels, and my spiritual guides and all these songs came through.” The album title itself is a play on “frequency” and “free queen,” reflecting its dual mission to elevate and to empower, centered on a message of manifestation and staying “happy and pure and kind.”
The album covers an impressive sonic and emotional range, starting with the sun-drenched bounce of the opening track, “Berry,” which Pearson cites as a favourite for its “Jamaican energy, playful, emotional, and full of heart.” Other standouts include “Deliverance,” which she describes as a Bob Marley-inspired anthem of unity and a return to “Utopia Africa.” For the festive season, Pearson has included the catchy new single “I Didn’t Know,” sparked by a conversation about Jesus. Tracks like “When Jesus Spoke” and “Like A Child” (with nods to 90s R&B legends like TLC) draw directly from scripture, but Pearson ensures melodic accessibility, flipping the script on negative messaging to “create something uplifting and positive, that still gets stuck in the subconscious mind.”
This new solo venture is rooted in a 40-year legacy that saw Pearson and Five Star achieve unprecedented success, including over 20 top thirty UK singles, a BPI Award for Best Pop Group, and setting a record for achieving seven consecutive hit singles from a single album in the UK. Even after the group, Pearson has maintained a high-profile career, including co-writing with Ryan Tedder and touring with The Jacksons. To support the new album, Pearson is currently planning a New UK Tour for 2026, titled An Audience With…, with initial live dates scheduled from April through December.
‘FREE-QUEEN-SEE’ TRACK LISTING:
- Berry
- When Jesus Spoke
- Wash
- We Found Love
- Merriment
- I Didn’t Know
- Trumpets in the Air
- Deliverance
- Like A Child
- The Way The Truth The Life
- You Don’t Know What You Want
- SHOOGAH
- Tell Everybody
- 11 Stars
- Snakes Inna Di Grass
LIVE DATES:
- 24th April – Butlin’s Bognor Regis
- 2nd May – PizzaExpress Chelsea
- 6th May – Hale Barns
- 16th May – Northwich Arley Hall Cheshire
- 20th September – Skegness
- 1st November – Bognor Regis
- 5th December – PizzaExpress Chelsea
NEW MISERABLE EXPERIENCE Reveals Single “The Devil We Know” From Upcoming Album ‘Gild The Lily’
New Miserable Experience has revealed their new single, “The Devil We Know,” which is the latest preview of the Philadelphia-rooted collective’s new album, Gild The Lily, due out on January 23rd via Pelagic Records. This five-piece reshapes heavy-music rigor into expansive, melody-forward alternative synth-rock, a sound built from the foundation of vocalist/bassist David Grossman (ex-Rosetta) and multi-instrumentalist Joshua Mahesh Kost. The full lineup now includes Rosetta drummer Bruce “B.J.” McMurtrie Jr., technical-metal bassist Brett Bamberger (ex-Revocation), and guitarist Brody Uttley (Rivers of Nihil), each contributing a distinctive sonic fingerprint to their precise, textured craft.
Their third album, Gild The Lily, features twelve tightly arranged tracks that trade overt bombast for patience, building emotional weight through clear melodies and nuanced production. The band emphasizes careful craft over spectacle, shaping a sound that combines alternative synth rock with chorus-tinted guitars and a rhythm section that alternates between taut propulsion and roomy, reverb-soaked space. Comparisons can be drawn to artists as varied as Crosses, Ulver, and The Black Queen, proving that New Miserable Experience is creating a sound that truly rewards patient listening.
LEAH BLEVINS Drops New Single “Be Careful Throwing Stones” with Dan Auerbach Producing
Hold on to your hats, because singer/songwriter Leah Blevins is back with another sonic gem, “Be Careful Throwing Stones,” hot on the heels of her Dan Auerbach-produced title track, “All Dressed Up.” Written by Blevins, Auerbach, and Daniel Tashian (of Kacey Musgraves fame), this track is pure fire, showcasing Blevins’ powerful storytelling and unflinching emotional honesty, all wrapped up in a glorious dash of ’70s retro glamour and sheen. It’s that perfect, timeless blend of Southern rock earthiness and pop-country shimmer, anchored by a twangy, Karen Carpenter-esque vocal clarity that will absolutely stop you in your tracks, making this latest glimpse into her upcoming album an essential listen.
VOLUMES Announce Fifth Album ‘Mirror Touch,’ Drop Riff-Roaring Single “S.O.A.P.”
Fifteen years into their career, the Los Angeles quartet Volumes—featuring Michael Barr, Myke Terry, Raad Soudani, and Nick Ursich—have announced their fifth album, Mirror Touch, set for digital release on December 12, 2025, via Fearless Records, with the physical album following on February 27, 2026. To signal the start of this new era, the band has dropped the visualiser for the new single, “S.O.A.P.,” a riff-roaring track with crunchy, industrial-tinged production that showcases the band at their most confident. The song, which the band says is about “pure and impure indulgence” and playing with fire, features a thunderous breakdown that sounds like Meshuggah or Fear Factory entering a cage match with the T-1000.
Volumes have always carved out their own corner of heavy music with an inimitable hybrid of prog-spiked metal and hardcore spirit, amassing over 167 million streams in the U.S. alone. This new album promises to fortify their sensory assault with thick riffing and the venomous bite of their two-headed vocal hydra. The new album, Mirror Touch, includes a collaboration with Black Sheep Wall and follows their acclaimed 2021 release, Happier?, which KERRANG! hailed for nodding to the band’s past while bringing in new ideas.
‘MIRROR TOUCH’ TRACK LISTING:
- “Sidewinder”
- “Bottom Dollar”
- “Bad Habit”
- “California”
- “Adrenaline”
- “Stitch”
- “S.O.A.P.”
- “Dream”
- “Worth It”
- “Suffer On” (Feat. Black Sheep Wall)