Borknagar, courtesy.

Scene-setting rock by Borknagar, Depeche-Mode-inspired synth-pop by My Life Story, charming jangle pop by Jane’s Party, pop with an edge by Dela Kay, the Dandy Warhols do the Misfits, psychedelic rock by Levitation Room and a return to form by DragonForce.

Borknagar, “Nordic Anthem” — These days, a lot of unsavory people are co-opting Norse symbolism into their toxic ideologies. But this Viking metal band is made up of actual Scandinavians, and the song is about rejecting doctrine in favor of being yourself. Borknagar has been doing this since the ’90s and they’re still getting better. It’s a lot more sedate and melodic than most Viking metal, so even if you don’t think you’ll like it based on the aesthetics, give it a shot.

My Life Story, “Running Out Of Heartbeats” — I’m not generally a pop music fan, but there are some exceptions. Just about anything from the ’60s, for example. British synth-pop is another. It just so happens that My Life Story is a British pop band and embodies what I love. This song was mixed by Ben Hillier, who’s produced several Depeche Mode albums. It’s catchy but not formulaic. It has elements of my two favorite decades, the ’60s and the ’90s. It’s just good all around.

Jane’s Party, “Common Guys” — Let’s touch on the video first: It’s old Marvel comic book panels with, in addition to the lyrics and YouTube comments in the dialogue bubbles. You can tell the band is good because it could find some that weren’t horribly toxic. And the music is good too, jangly enough to be charming but not so much it gets on your nerves. That sounds vaguely insulting, but I promise I mean it as a compliment. And there’s a killer bluesy solo thrown in.

Dela Kay, “IDWTAY” — The title stands for “I Don’t Wanna Think About You,” like in the chorus. I appreciate Dela Kay’s commitment to brevity. This is another pop song, but I’m stuck in the ’90s and this sounds like the run of great women from that decade that did pop with an edge. That needs to be brought back.

The Dandy Warhols, “Danzig With Myself” — Speaking of the ’90s, the Dandy Warhols are from the ’90s! The alt-rock band has shifted tones and genres over the years, and on this song it sounds like Misfits or Danzig slowed down, at least according to frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor. I can’t argue with that. As a fan of both the Dandy Warhols and the Misfits, I love it.

Levitation Room, “Revelations” — Every time I pick Tuesday Tracks, I find metal and psychedelic rock. This Levitation Room song completes the set. I love psychedelia, but this one is better than most. It shows a love for the style, an understanding of it, rather than just an attempt to mimic what it’s been in decades past. And that furthers my quest to get the genre back into mainstream popularity.

DragonForce, “Astro Warrior Anthem” — The latest from DragonForce is too good to ignore. If its new album, Warp Speed Warriors, is all this good, I’m absolutely looking forward to it. And if you’ll excuse a shameless plug, if you want more power metal, check out last Saturday’s REWIND column.

Danny’s pick: I still love metal, and I still love it heavy. But as I become an increasingly old man, I’m gaining an appreciation for the more slow-paced and melodic varieties like this “Nordic Anthem” by Borknagar. I won’t have a sore neck from involuntarily headbanging, but I’m still ready to run through a brick wall when it’s over.

Follow publisher Daniel J. Willis at @bayareadata.press on BlueSky.