Megadeth may be decades in the past for guitarist Marty Friedman, but the virtuoso is no less busy cranking out instrumental guitar rock albums. Tokyo Jukebox 3 completes a trilogy of releases with Friedman covering some of his favorite J-Pop and Japanese songs in his own guitar-driven prog-rock style. Now living…

Lacey Sturm, courtesy. Initially, Lacey Sturm wasn’t quite ready for the release of her latest two singles, “State of Me” and “The Decree.” The duo of songs are heavy, aggressive, and some of her most hard-driving tracks of her career, like her earliest work. “I was not wanting to…

The Bitter Truth by Evanescence represents the battle between light and dark, and the ways in which 2020 left its mark on the band. It’ not only global, with COVID raging across the world and racial injustice in the U.S., but also personal. Singer Amy Lee was dealt the unexpected…

From Ashes To New, courtesy. The pandemic scuttled the release of the third album by Pennsylvania rockers From Ashes to New. Done by early 2020, the band watched weeks turn into months, with the assumption that eventually they’d be able to let the record, Panic, into the wild and hit the…

63rd Grammy Awards, courtesy: Recording Academy. Welcome to the Olympics of music! The 63rd Grammy Awards are not the be-all, end-all of music achievement, or even an accurate representation of the most adventurous, unique music being made today, but they’re the standard barometer of commercial success. The two awards…

Nick Jonas doubles down on the atmospherics and lets music breathe on his fourth solo studio album, Spaceman. From the opening piano and synth notes of the first track “Don’t Give Up On Us,” Jonas’ matured sound becomes abundantly clear. He keeps the sounds soulful and smooth while adding…

Brooklyn-by-way-of-Memphis singer-songwriter Valerie June set ambitious sights for her fifth album. Working with acclaimed producer Jack Splash (Kendrick Lamar, Alicia Keys), June embarks on a journey that spans the musical spectrum. The album, The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers, is both raw and intricate in its construction. Sometimes atmospheric, sometimes…

Madison Beer performs during the East Coast feed of her “Life Support in Concert” livestream on March 6, 2021. Courtesy: Headliner. While Madison Beer‘s coronation in front of fans will have to wait a little longer as in-person concerts crawl back to a semblance of normalcy, the budding pop…

Fastest Land Animal, with John Cusimano. Courtesy. “Every song’s gotta be fast,” said John Cusimano. “The idea was nothing slower than 150 beats per minute, which is a pretty peppy song.” Cusimano had a need. A need for— The gears had already been turning in his head. The name of a…

A Day To Remember have a reputation for keeping their music predictably unpredictable. Rooted in a fusion of hardcore and pop-punk, the band has always veered into other genres. With You’re Welcome, the band enters its most musically diverse territory yet. Sure, the riffs are still there, along with the…