Music

Following the news that Tom Delonge would be leaving Blink-182 - again - to concentrate on other projects, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker could have accepted defeat and called it a day. Instead, they announced that friend and Alkaline Trio frontman Matt Skiba would be stepping in - here's what we thought of their latest album 'California'.

Things aren’t great at the moment; you only have to turn on your TV or look at your Twitter feed to see that (eugh). So what better way to make ourselves feel better than a listen to an acoustic EP from a band from our younger years? Hit The Lights’ latest release Just To Get Through To You is an uplifting six track treat, perfect for reminiscing about the days you made your carefree memories – when the sun actually shone in the summer! – but with an observant, realistic edge.

Camden Rocks this year was brimming with up and coming bands, including punk rock five-piece Drones. After a recent shift in band members, we were keen to find out how things were going, so we caught up with drummer Mitchell Thomas and new members Lois McDougall and Tim Kramer to see what they had to say.

Vinnie Caruana approaches his first every solo full length with a mature head, which reflects in the song tempo and style, whilst still maintaining his macabre-esque quality in song names and content depicting everyday struggles. From happiness to woes, from love to death, Caruana is the perfect witness of life.

Right from the off, it's easy to identify New York noise rock outfit Big Ups' musical evolution on Before A Million Universes. A fine example of musical evolution it develops the band's sound without abandoning its core and is an excellent album in its own right.

After a three-year hiatus and a seven year gap between albums, The Fall of Troy have returned with their new album, OK, released for free - and independently - on the band's website. We spoke to lead vocalist and guitarist Thomas Erak and drummer Andrew Forsman about the release of OK and the events surrounding its recording.

What's most surprising Irish metallic hardcore sorts BAILER is that they've only been a band for the better part of the year. This is surprising because of how talented, polished and accomplished Shaped by the Landscape, the band's debut EP, sounds.

Camden Rocks is a great festival for showcasing smaller, up and coming bands, so we thought we’d give you a heads up on the ones you’d be foolish to miss. Some of these acts are already starting to break into the big time, so catch them at the intimate venues before it’s too late!

Brighton's Architects are one of modern metal's most reliable and consistent acts. Back with their highly anticipated album 'All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us' they may have returned with a familiar sound; but have they taken it to the next level?

One Hundred Percent Strong starts off quite enjoyable - gutsy and noisy, similar to Pulled Apart by Horses, loud enough that it jars nicely against the saturation of jangly guitars and acoustics that are about nowadays. But does the rest of the EP follow suit?