The Tuscany-formed four-piece combo PROTON PACKS has announced their fifth full-length album, ‘Visions From The Void’, a concept record featuring twelve lethal tunes set to guide listeners through a maze of mind trips, hallucinations, and prophecies. The album, which the band calls their hardest-worked project yet, is set for release in February 2026 via Mom’s Basement Records and Striped Music. Self-appointed masters of “Ecto-Punk”—an explosive mix of old-school punk rock in the vein of Ramones and Misfits blended with science fiction and occult themes—PROTON PACKS worked with producer Simone Nati to craft a sonically dark yet sweet, hard-hitting, and guitar-driven adventure. Get ready for this new chapter, as the band plans a series of shows across Italy and Europe throughout 2026 and 2027 to support the new release.
POLICE STATE: Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova Documents MOCA Performance in New Book
Conceptual performance artist and Pussy Riot creator Nadya Tolokonnikova has released her new 232-page book, POLICE STATE, which serves as a powerful document of her 10-day performance exhibition at MOCA in Los Angeles from June 2025. The book weaves a comprehensive narrative of resistance, featuring photographs, prison letters, etchings, artwork by fellow Russian political prisoners, and essential documentation of the ICE and No Kings Day protests held outside the museum during her exhibit. This documentation is receiving critical attention, with Tolokonnikova’s durational performance installation at MOCA being named #6 in ARTnews’ list of The Defining Artworks of 2025, further emphasizing the cultural significance of her fearless activism.
Tolokonnikova, who was sentenced to two years in prison following the anti-Putin “Punk Prayer” in 2012, continues to push boundaries: her 2023 “Putin’s Ashes” installation landed her on Russia’s most wanted criminal list. Her commitment to political resistance and feminist art has led to multiple solo shows in 2025, including exhibits at Honor Fraser gallery and Nagel Draxler, and her work is now held in the collections of major institutions like The Brooklyn Museum and Dallas Museum of Art.
GORILLAZ Drop New Track “Damascus” Featuring Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey
The virtual band GORILLAZ has released their latest single, “Damascus (feat. Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey),” which is the fourth preview from their expansive ninth studio album, ‘The Mountain’, due out on February 27th via their own new label, KONG. This new track is a true collaboration, written by Damon Albarn, Omar Souleyman, and Yasiin Bey, and features Syrian superstar of Bedouin music Omar Souleyman alongside rapper and singer Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def). “Damascus” has already become a fan favorite after its live debut at a surprise performance at London’s Copper Box Arena and a rapturous reception at Wembley Arena’s Together For Palestine event, where the GORILLAZ live band was joined by The London Arab Orchestra.
‘The Mountain’ is set to embody the very essence of the GORILLAZ collaborative ethos, featuring a truly extraordinary list of artists including IDLES, Johnny Marr, Sparks, Black Thought, Anoushka Shankar, and the voices of departed friends like Bobby Womack and Tony Allen, spanning five languages across its 15 songs. The album is described as a playlist for a party on the border between this world and whatever happens next, exploring the journey of life and the thrill of existence. Furthermore, the iconic gates of Kong, GORILLAZ’ fabled home, will open in Downtown L.A. for a limited four-week run of the immersive exhibition House of Kong from February 26th to March 19th, accompanied by two special shows at the Hollywood Palladium where the band will perform the new album in full.
Following two warm-up shows in Bradford, The Mountain Tour 2026 will kick off properly in Manchester on March 20th, visiting arenas across the UK and Ireland for headline shows in Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and more (with four dates already sold out). The tour culminates with the band’s biggest UK show to date at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, June 20th, with support from Sparks and Trueno. Following the UK run, GORILLAZ will head into a packed European festival season, with dates including Primavera Sound, Roskilde Festival, and Rock Werchter, among many others.
The Mountain Tour 2026:
Tour Tickets & Information: www.gorillaz.com
UK & Ireland Dates:
13 March – BRADFORD, Bradford Live (Warm Up Show)
14 march – BRADFORD, Bradford Live (Warm Up Show)
20 March – MANCHESTER, Co-op Live – NEW DATE DUE TO DEMAND!
21 March – MANCHESTER, Co-op Live
22 March – BIRMINGHAM, bp pulse LIVE
24 March – GLASGOW, OVO Hydro* – SOLD OUT!
25 March – LEEDS, First Direct Arena*
27 March – CARDIFF, Utilita Arena* – SOLD OUT!
28 March – NOTTINGHAM, Motorpoint Arena*
29 March – LIVERPOOL, M&S Bank Arena*
31 March – BELFAST, SSE Arena* – SOLD OUT!
01 April – DUBLIN, 3Arena* – SOLD OUT!
02 April – DUBLIN, 3Arena* – NEW DATE DUE TO DEMAND! SOLD OUT!
*support from Trueno
20 June – LONDON, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
With support from Sparks and Trueno
European Festival Dates:
5 June – FRANCE, Paris – We Love Green Festival
6 June – SPAIN, Barcelona – Primavera Sound Barcelona
10 June – CZECH REPUBLIC, Hradec Králové – Rock For People
11-13 June – PORTUGAL, Porto – Primavera Sound Porto
14 June – NETHERLANDS, Hilvarenbeek – Best Kept Secret
23 June – CROATIA, Zagreb – INmusic Festival
25 June – GREECE, Athens – Release Athens x SNF Nostos 2026
27 June – ITALY, Lido di Camaiore – La Prima Estate Festival
2 July – DENMARK – Roskilde Festival
4 July – BELGIUM, Rock Werchter
5 July – LUXEMBOURG, Luxepo Open Air
9 July – SLOVAKIA, Trencin – Pohoda Festival
11 July – FRANCE, Ais-les-Bains – Musilac Festival
14 July – TURKEY, Istanbul – Pozitif Vibrations
16 July – TURKEY, Istanbul – Pozitif Vibrations
18 July – BULGARIA, Plovdiv – PhillGood Festival
23 July – SWITZERLAND, Nyon – Paleo Festival
25 July – ITALY, Trieste – Piazza Unita’ d’Italia
13 August – POLAND, Poznan – BitterSweet Festival
15 August – SWEDEN, Gothenburg – Way Out West
22 August – KAZAKHSTAN, Almaty – Kazakhstan Park Live
29 August – IRELAND, Stradbally – Electric Picnic
DEF LEPPARD Stuns with Orchestral Version of “Hysteria”
Listen up. Def Leppard, the same band you remember from those stadium tours, just did something brilliant and completely unexpected. They performed “Hysteria”—yes, that “Hysteria”—with the BBC Concert Orchestra. It wasn’t some loud, pointless rock stunt; they actually stripped the song down for the BBC Radio 2 Piano Room at Maida Vale Studios. Joe Elliot explained it perfectly: they needed to re-evaluate these songs and make the orchestra the star of the show. It proves that a great song is a great song, whether it’s buried under ’80s compression or soaring with strings. This is how you stay relevant, not by chasing TikTok, but by taking your art seriously enough to challenge its very foundation. They sat on the ‘Diamond Star Halos’ album for a year because they refused to release it into a pandemic. That’s guts. That’s believing in the product. And that’s exactly why you need to hear this version.
APRIL WINE Joins TRIUMPH as Special Guests on 2026 North American Tour
Fans of classic Canadian rock are set to be overjoyed: April Wine is joining the recently announced Triumph North American tour as special guests for the 2026 spring dates. Running from April 22 through June 6, the tour hits major spots across the continent where both bands amassed legions of dedicated fans, including Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, St. Louis, and New York. This is a powerful reunion, as longtime fans may recall April Wine and Triumph sharing the stage during Triumph’s major U.S. debut back in 1977, setting the stage for decades of success for both groups in the U.S. and Canada.
April Wine, now comprised of Brian Greenway, Richard Lanthier, Roy Nichol, and Marc Parent, has been a rock staple for over five decades, known for anthems like “Just Between You and Me,” “Sign of the Gypsy Queen,” and “I Like To Rock.” The band’s resilience and powerful performances have earned them several major accolades, including induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2010 and Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2023. This 2026 tour will bring their melodic and anthemic brand of rock to a dedicated fanbase eager to experience the magic that April Wine delivers once more.
APRIL WINE 2026 TOUR DATES (w/ Triumph):
- April 22: Sault Ste. Marie, ON @ GFL Memorial Gardens
- April 24: Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
- April 25: Hamilton, ON @ TD Coliseum
- April 28: Halifax, NS @ Scotiabank Centre
- April 29: Moncton, NB @ Avenir Centre
- May 1: Laval, QC @ Place Bell (Montreal)
- May 2: Ottawa, ON @ Canadian Tire Centre
- May 5: Winnipeg, MB @ Canada Life Centre
- May 7: Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place
- May 8: Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome
- May 13: Rosemont, IL @ Rosemont Theatre (Chicago)
- May 14: Milwaukee, WI @ Miller High Life Theatre
- May 16: Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre
- May 17: St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
- May 20: Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory (Dallas)
- May 21: San Antonio, TX @ Frost Bank Center
- May 22: Houston, TX @ Smart Financial Center at Sugar Land
- May 24: Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheater
- May 26: Atlanta, GA @ Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park
- May 28: Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion (Philadelphia)
- May 30: Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill (Detroit)
- June 3: Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater
- June 5: Wantagh, NY @ Northwell at Jones Beach Theater (New York)
- June 6: Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion
COLIN STOUGH Delivers Vulnerable New Country Ballad “Best For You”
19 Recordings/BMG Nashville artist Colin Stough gets emotionally vulnerable on his brand new ballad, “Best For You,” which arrived today. Penned by Stough alongside Phillip Kane, this new track slows the pace after the up-tempo energy of his recent releases “White Trash” and “20 Bucks,” giving fans a heartfelt country lyric that mines the depths of heartbreak. The song is about loving somebody, watching them walk away “like it’s nothing,” but still genuinely wanting the best for them. With imagery of streetlights and unanswered calls, the ballad captures the pain of watching someone move on while the singer admits he keeps coming back, unable to numb the heartache, ultimately landing on the powerful truth of unconditional love.
The Mississippi native and American Idol finalist, known for his self-taught guitar skills and gravel-voiced storytelling, has built a loyal following of over 800k across social platforms. Following his standout third-place finish on American Idol Season 21, Stough has continued to build his raw, hard-edged body of work through EPs like ‘Promiseland’ and ‘Lookin’ For Home’, alongside recent singles “White Trash” and the new “Best For You.” A student of the outlaw spirit, Stough is not chasing trends; he is telling the underdog’s truth, one song at a time, and is set to continue building his live show throughout 2026 after opening for acts like Chase Matthew and Kidd G.
JOSH ROSS Drops New Live Single “Hate How You Look” and Official Music Video
Global country force Josh Ross has released the fan-favorite new single “Hate How You Look (Live From London),” a powerful track that follows his achievement of a fourth Canadian Country Radio number one with the studio version of the song. The live version is a stunning showcase of Josh’s commanding vocals and arrives alongside an official music video that captures his recent travels and performances across the pond in London. This new momentum builds on the massive success of his track “Single Again,” which recently scored Josh his first ever U.S. number one hit, earning GOLD certification in the U.S. and a massive 4x PLATINUM certification in Canada, while “Hate How You Look” is already Canadian GOLD certified.
The highly active singer, who released his full-length debut album ‘Later Tonight’ in September, is now setting out for a major year on the road in 2026. Produced by longtime collaborator Matt Geroux, the 15-track album debuted strongly at number one on the Canadian Country Albums chart and number five on the U.S. Current Country Album Sales chart, demonstrating the strength of his rock-tinged, emotive country sound. Ross will headline his 17-date Bud Light Presents ‘Later Tonight Tour’ across Canada starting February 6 with support from Chandler Walters, and he was also just announced as direct support for Nate Smith’s Long Live Country Rock & Roll 2026 Tour, ensuring fans across North America have ample opportunities to catch his live show.
JOSH ROSS – CANADIAN HEADLINE TOUR DATES
- 2/6: Moncton, NB @ Casino New Brunswick
- 2/10: Montreal, QC @ Mtelus
- 2/12: Ottawa, ON @ Hard Rock Casino
- 2/13: Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
- 2/14: Toronto, ON @ History
- 2/18: Hamilton, ON @ FirstOntario Concert Hall
- 2/20: London, ON @ Centennial Hall
- 2/21: Kitchener, ON @ Centre In The Square
- 2/24: Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre
- 2/25: Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre
- 2/26: Regina, SK @ Conexus Arts Centre
- 2/28: Calgary, AB @ Grey Eagle Events Centre
- 3/2: Penticton, BC @ Penticton Trade Convention Centre
- 3/5: Edmonton, AB @ Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
- 3/6: Grande Prairie, AB @ The Bowes – Bonnetts Energy Centre
- 3/7: Edmonton, AB @ Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
- 3/9: Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum
JOSH ROSS – SUPPORTING NATE SMITH TOUR DATES
- 4/2: Wallingford, CT @ The Dome at Toyota Oakdale Theatre
- 4/3: Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore Silver Spring
- 4/4: Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
- 4/9: Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues Orlando
- 4/10: Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre
- 4/11: Charlotte, NC @ Coyote Joe’s
- 4/16: Waukee, IA @ Vibrant Music Hall
- 4/17: Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room @ Old National Centre
- 4/18: Cincinnati, OH @ The Andrew J Brady Music Center
- 4/23: Wheatland, CA @ Hard Rock Live
- 4/25: Reno, NV @ Grand Theatre at Grand Sierra Resort
- 5/7: Omaha, NE @ Steelhouse Omaha
- 5/8: Columbia, MO @ 9th Street
- 5/14: Mankato, MN @ Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center
- 5/15: Grand Rapids, MI @ GLC Live at 20 Monroe
- 5/16: Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit
- 5/28: New York, NY @ The Rooftop at Pier 17
- 5/29: Boston, MA @ Citizens House of Blues
- 6/17: Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
- 6/18: Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
FEAR OF DOMINATION Unveils Melancholic New Single “Endgame”
Finnish industrial metal outfit FEAR OF DOMINATION has released the melancholic and massive new single, “Endgame,” offering an emotional look into their upcoming seventh full-length album, ‘Katharsis’, which arrives on January 9th. Accompanied by a cold and beautiful music video, the song takes you to a lost place and time, exploring the crucial decision to keep playing the cruel game called life and remain in this world a little longer. Composer Lasse Raelahti, who developed the core proggy idea back in upper secondary school, notes that the track is one of the best on the album due to its somewhat tricky but still catchy nature, powerfully balancing power and fragility all in one compelling package.
Originally founded in 2006, FEAR OF DOMINATION has cemented its reputation for dynamic live performances while touring extensively across Europe with bands like Deathstars, Amaranthe, and PAIN. This new era of music, as presented on “Endgame,” continues to showcase the band’s ability to fuse crushing heaviness with dramatic depth. Fans can pre-order the album ‘Katharsis’ now and catch the band on their upcoming run of Finnish shows throughout January and March, including stops at Louhisali, On The Rocks, and Olympia.
FEAR OF DOMINATION UPCOMING SHOWS:
- 10.1.2026: Espoo @ Louhisali [FIN]
- 16.1.2026: Kouvola @ House of Rock /w King Satan [FIN]
- 17.1.2026: Helsinki @ On The Rocks /w Let It All Burn [FIN]
- 23.1.2026: Turku @ Apollo /w Herja, Morket [FIN]
- 24.1.2026: Tampere @ Olympia /w King Satan [FIN]
- 30.1.2026: Jyväskylä @ Freetime [FIN]
- 31.1.2026: Oulu @ Kantakrouvi, Winter Massacre [FIN]
- 13.3.2026: Kuopio @ Circus /w Ruoska [FIN]
NAS and DJ PREMIER Finally Drop Long-Awaited Collaborative Album ‘Light-Years’
After literally decades of anticipation, GRAMMY-Award winning rap icon Nas and legendary producer DJ Premier have finally dropped their collaborative album, ‘Light-Years’, out today via Mass Appeal. This release is the grand finale of Mass Appeal’s historic Legend Has It… series, which celebrated a year of historic hip-hop releases. ‘Light-Years’ is a 30-year working legacy reborn, cementing their status as one of the greatest rapper-producer duos of all time, a partnership embedded in the DNA of hip-hop since their start on ‘Illmatic’ in 1994. The 15-track album leans unapologetically into boom-bap, featuring a sole guest appearance from Nas’ longtime collaborator AZ, ensuring the focus remains on their undeniable and elusive synergy.
The duo, whose chemistry deepened over the years with classics like “I Gave You Power” and “Nas Is Like,” first teased a joint project on the cover of Scratch Magazine in 2006, fueling twenty years of fan frenzy. Now, they deliver a project that stands as a true testament to their influence and legacy. Fans can pre-order the special ‘Light-Years’ Day Ones Edition 2X vinyl and shop for a limited edition Denim Tears Collab T-Shirt at the Mass Appeal’s Legends Only Pop Up Retail Experience, open today at 47 Howard St in New York City. This album is the defining moment that closes out what has been hip-hop’s year of renaissance.