Mad About Rock

  As Everything Unfolds, Tropic Gold, TheCityIsOurs and FOXHAUNT confirmed Novacaine Festival has revealed the first wave of artists for its 2026 edition, signalling a major step forward for the fast-rising UK alternative event. After a hugely successful debut on Saturday 4 October 2025, Novacaine Festival quickly established itself as a new platform within the UK alternative music scene. The inaugural event was headlined by The Five Hundred, with main support from Bleed Again, alongside a diverse line-up including DACRA, Night Thieves, Reckoner, Broken Empire, and local rising artists Reanimate, Our North, Dead Demons and Ocean Thieves. With the 2025 event coming close to selling out, the festival’s mission was clear from the outset: bring together established touring bands and emerging talent from across the UK while delivering an uncompromising live experience for fans. Now, Novacaine Festival returns on Saturday 28 November 2026, raising the bar once again. Headlining the event...

  Brit alternative rockers VERSUS have thrown down a serious marker with the release of their enticing new single and video, 'This Is Everything', which is out now – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB3XRUJshOk Listen to the band at - https://open.spotify.com/artist/67pt9vgrdK8u8meLF6B0km Making waves with their high-energy blend of post-hardcore grit and emotionally charged songwriting, VERSUS has quickly built a reputation for live performances that go beyond the typical gig, combining dynamic lighting, powerful visuals, and crowd-driven moments to deliver truly immersive experiences. Drawing on influences from grunge, emo, and heavy rock, the Leeds-based alt-rockers balance raw aggression with melodic accessibility. Vocalist, Shortie states: “This track explores the aftermath of a deeply toxic relationship, where prolonged gaslighting and manipulation suddenly become clear. That moment of clarity forces acceptance of the damage done, reshaping the entire mindset and drivin...

  DOWN’s special cover of Dr. John’s 'Right Place, Wrong Time', released in video form for a limited time to celebrate Mardi Gras earlier this year, is currently available on all streaming platforms! New Orleans native Dr. John was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. His music combined New Orleans blues, jazz, R&B, soul, and funk. 'Right Place, Wrong Time' was the first single from Dr. John’s 1973 album, In the Right Place, and became the most popular single of his career. The song has been featured in various films and television shows, including Dazed And Confused and American Horror Story: Coven. DOWN’s cover of 'Right Place, Wrong Time' is an homage to Dr. John and his appearances on The Midnight Special TV series, a late night musical variety show that aired from 1972 to 1981. Stream DOWN’s rendition of Dr. John’s 'Right Place, Wrong Time' HERE .​ In related DOWN news, the band will serve as direct support to Slayer on the special 40...

  How about a whole host of excellent BLOODSTOCK news that doesn’t announce a single band? BLOODSTOCKers, we know you’ve been asking, and HQ wants you to have pleeeenty of time to plan the most splendid FANCY DRESS outfits, so without further delay, here are the themes for 2026! On Thursday, we know it’s been done before, but with HEAVYSAURUS on the bill and it being SO MUCH FUN, it has to be DINOSAURS again. That costume you bought a couple years back is now excellent value for money, huh? On Friday, we embrace the dark, the macabre, and the creative… we want to see how you interpret TWISTED FAIRYTALES as a theme! Black widow bitten Miss Muffet? Malice in Wonderland? Goth fairies welcome! Saturday rolls back the clock to the 1980’s! Bring out your best ‘80’s fashion (mullets encouraged, neon leg warmers optional), or be a character from your fave ‘80s movie, TV show, or band! There is no such thing as too much leopard print. On Sunday, there’s a special treat in the RAM Gallery, a...

  We checked in with rising UK hard hitters OPENSIGHT and asked the band to exclusively reveal the five songs that have greatly shaped their sound, and here's the lowdown: "Choosing only five songs was difficult, but it was also a really interesting and cool exercise. Opensight has always drawn inspiration from different places: heavy metal, hard rock, cult cinema, vintage video game music, progressive music, spy themes, horror scores and plenty of other corners. Rather than choosing five favourites, we thought it would make more sense to pick songs that connect in some way with the ingredients behind our new album, The Outfit. Of course, that means leaving out a lot of artists who have been hugely important to us, including Faith No More, Iron Maiden, Cynic, Fabio Frizzi, Jerry Goldsmith, Black Sabbath, Henry Mancini, Stelvio Cipriani and many more. Their influence is still there somewhere." OPETH - The Lotus Eater "The entire journey of Opeth has influenced Open...

  London’s NIGHT THIEVES are coming in hard and fast, and they’re not easing up for anyone. The alt-metal four-piece have been building serious momentum off the back of a sound packed with crushing riffs, razor-sharp hooks, and huge, fist-in-the-air choruses. Their debut album 'Metaxis' is out now, and it’s a clear statement of intent. The band have just unleashed a new single 'See You on the Other Side' (featuring Jessie Powell from Dream State), which is also out now - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek1eL0mu0_ Listen in via - https://open.spotify.com/artist/42azirKNGgnSrqW10zeJju Already picking up heavy support from Metal Hammer, Planet Rock, Kerrang!, BBC Radio One and more, the band are quickly forcing their way into the conversation around the UK’s next wave of heavy hitters. On stage, they’ve been earning their stripes too, sharing bills with the likes of Marisa and the Moths and Chuggaboom. Following 2024’s Polarity EP, NIGHT THIEVES teamed up once again wi...

  FangSlinger, the chief purveyors of 'UNDEAD REDNECK ROCK ’N’ ROLL', unleash their debut album 'Welcome to the Lost Souls Saloon': A band of Vampire Outlaws blending southern grit, gothic atmosphere and cinematic storytelling into a hard rock sound that is rooted in big riffs, blues-soaked grooves and dual-vocal interplay. Their music draws from the swagger of Guns N’ Roses and Black Stone Cherry, with a darker edge that sets them apart from their peers. Released today on 24th April 2026, the 10-track album is available on all major digital platforms and CD format. At the core of FangSlinger is a narrative thread of three outlaws bound by a curse, roaming a fractured Old West in search of souls. While that world adds depth and identity, FangSlinger’s true strength lies in their ability to deliver songs that land just as hard in a packed venue as they do through headphones. Their debut album, 'Welcome to the Lost Souls Saloon', brings that vision fully into f...