Anticipated Albums

ANTICIPATED ALBUMS: OCEAN SLEEPER- PEACE WHEN I’M DEAD

Discovering a new band that you don’t expect is one of the best things. It could be a riff, melody, lyric, or random part that connects. No matter what it is, the feeling of finding a new band to enjoy is something else. With that in mind let me introduce you to, Ocean Sleeper.

Hailing from Australia, the home of the one and only Silverchair (yes, I know there are plenty of other Aussie bands. Silverchair was fucking awesome)! Ocean Sleeper formed in 2016 and have been honing their metalcore meets post-hardcore sound since. Now on their second album, Peace When I’m Dead, Ocean Sleeper have upped the stakes.

Armed with songs that evoke emotion, a heaviness that makes you bang your head and a crisp melodic sensibility, Ocean Sleeper will keep you awake and demand your attention. The most recent single “My Forever Drug” is addictive as it’s catchy but deep. When the chorus hits, it soars. You just have to listen. The title track “Peace When I’m Dead” screams urgency right out of the gate. “Break The Cycle” hits like broken glass against the wall. The impact of this song really gets your blood pumping.

Peace When I’m Dead arrives August 21 via Rise Records. Be on the lookout for Ocean Sleeper!

My Forever Drug:

Peace When I’m Dead:

Break The Cycle:

ANTICIPATED ALBUMS: EVIL ISLAND- TERRAFORM THE AFTERLIFE

Danger is an aspect of rock music that has been missing for quite a while. Certainly there are a few that resonate with being “dangerous.” So when the idea of a new band featuring original members of The Blood Brothers comes along, attention is definitely going to be needed. Enter, Evil Island, this new post-hardcore/punk/hardcore band featuring Johnny Whitney, (vocals) Cody Votolato, (vocals, guitar) Mark Gajadhar, (drums, percussion) Autry René Fulbright II, (bass) and Todd Weinstock (guitar). Who you might also know from Glassjaw and …Trail Of The Dead.

Terraform The Afterlife, their debut album, produced by the legendary Ross Robinson, and to be released on Blowed Out Records on August 14, 2026. The album also features guest spots from Guy Picciotto of Fugazi, Alexis Krauss from Sleigh Bells, Jordan Blilie from The Blood Brothers, and Michael Gatto from XCOMM. Already four eclectic and ferocious songs have been released. Each one having its own charm and personality that makes Evil Island a band that live is going to be the cherry on top.

The notion of danger, a small club and songs that will be lit like fireworks?! Bring it on!

Check Out This Taste Of Terraform The Afterlife!

Tiger Baby:

Animal:

Melted Heart (Featuring Alexis Krauss of Silver Bells):

King Death:

ANTICIPATED ALBUMS: QUICKSAND- BRING ON THE PSYCHICS

It’s been five years since the highly influential, Quicksand, have released a new album. Their 2021 release, Distant Populations, was quite the album. So much so that even the B-Sides the band released were so good, that they should’ve been on the record. Now here we are and Walter, Sergio and Alan are roaring back with, Bring On The Psychics (out July 17 via Equal Vision Records).

Two new singles have been released from their upcoming record, including “Get To It” and “Regenerate.” Both songs grab you by the throat. “Get To It” feels like it could’ve been on their first EP or even Slip. This new album was produced by Jon Markson (Drug Church, Drain, Rollin Coffin).

Bring On The Psychics is described as an album with the band pushing past the pre conceived expectations. Across the ten songs, Walter and company examine the past through present reality. Speaking of that Walter said “For this album, I was going back to a lot of my earlier influences about ‘break down the walls’ or ‘start today,'” he explains. “Regardless of whether you’re into hardcore or youth crew, they’re really cool records because they’re speaking to the time and providing possible paths to a better future … with mosh parts. That’s the energy that I wanted to bring to this.”

Look for Quicksand to be on the road later this year into early next year! I will be there for sure!

Pre-Order Bring On The Psychics HERE

Quicksand- Get To It:

Quicksand- Regenerate:

ANTICIPATED ALBUMS: HELD.- GREY

About a month as of this writing, the debut album from Held. will be released. Since the beginning of the year, Held. has been unveiling themselves via now three singles and three intense performance videos. The first single “New You Anthem” was right out of the gate a welcome introduction. The catchiness of the riff and the chorus, if that doesn’t strike you, there’s something wrong with you. Seriously, it’s heavy, melodic, packs quite punch to the gut. Then you add in Frank Iero’s guest vocal spot and how his voice hits the perfect counter balance to vocalist/guitarist Douglas Robinson. The second single “Constant Tension” (which of the three released is my favorite. When you get to the bridge of the song, you’ll know why), is a song that could’ve been released during the 90’s evolution of “emo” music. There’s a really cool Sunny Day Real Estate/Jawbox vibe mixed with a bit of a hardcore element. The rhythm section of Josh Eppard and Sal Mignano really shines here. They are beyond tight yet combustable in the best way. I can only imagine them on stage and this song is played. The lyrical connection here is real and very personal. The honesty is pure as you can hear in Douglas again here. “Knifepoint” is the one of the three released that hits the more “alternative” side of the band so far. The syncopated riff/rhythm has a cool push and pull that hits in a very striking way with the vocal as well as the guest spot from Graham Sayle of High Vis.

So here we are at three songs into their debut and it’s shaping up to be quite the explosive one. This combination of Douglas, Sal and Josh sounds even better than you’d think. As a fan of Josh’s playing, he really gets to go for it here in Held. That’s not to say he doesn’t in Coheed And Cambria, you can just hear a different excitement in his playing here. After Douglas left Night Verses, I was pretty bummed not to get to hear him as a part of that band. I really enjoyed the two albums they made and thought they were really on to something. The Ross Robinson produced second album, Into The Vanishing Light, is very underrated and has some truly deeply gritty vocal performances by Douglas. Getting to hear Sal in a different light than The Sleeping is a treat too. As a fan of that band too, you can hear where the roots come from. The sum of the parts here in Held. is going to be something special to see live. I look forward to what’s to come. And let’s just put a proper Los Angeles show out in the universe to happen soon!

Knifepoint:

Constant Tension:

New You Anthem:

ANTICIPATED ALBUMS: PUSCIFER- NORMAL ISN’T

Over the course of the last few years Puscifer has become more than a side project. In fact, I’m actually glad that it has evolved further past that aspect and into it’s own entity. While it started as a sort of tongue in cheek project, the lyrical urgency of the last album and into the latest, Normal Isn’t, shows Puscifer is more than what the surface shows. The new album, Normal Isn’t, already is emitting sweet post-punk, alternative rock and electro energy. The first single “Self Evident” strikes quite the topical nerve lyrically. Then the second “Pendulum” really ignites the post-punk fire. And the latest “ImpetuoUs” has a way about it that sways into the Nine Inch Nails realm. Which is fine by me. It does have me wondering if there is any subconscious Tapeworm memories that crept in. Just a theory. I’m quite looking forward to this new album and where else it goes. Normal Isn’t sure hits the world and officially arrives on February 06, 2026 via Puscifer Entertainment/Alchemy Recordings with a full North American tour to follow!

Self Evident:

Pendulum:

ImpetuoUs:

NEW RELEASE: POISON THE WELL- THOROUGHBREDS

I know I’m excited about this and many of you are too. Poison The Well have announced their first NEW ALBUM is 16 years!! Peace In Place will arrive on March 20, 2026 via Sharptone Records. The new album was produced by Will Putney (Better Lovers, Every Time I Die, etc) and it sounds as sharp (no pun intended) and direct as I’d hope it would. The first single “Thoroughbreds” has some reminders of the Tear From The Red era mixed with where they left off with The Tropic Rot. As a long time Poison The Well fan this is quite exciting. Their reunion show a few years back proved that their comeback was needed. Then each time they’d come back to celebrate The Opposite Of December or You Come Before You, you could feel it in the crowd that Poison The Well was coming back like a force of nature! March 20th can’t come soon enough!!

Poison The Well- Thoroughbreds:

ANTICIPATED ALBUMS: BLACKWATER HOLYLIGHT- NOT HERE NOT GONE

There is nothing better than starting off a new year with an album you are highly anticipating. And when said album comes out the first month of said new year, you can look at it as a precursor to great things to come. With that in mind take a few minutes to dig into these first three singles released from Blackwater Holylight’s upcoming new album, Not Here Not Gone, which arrives Friday January 30th via Suicide Squeeze Records. I’ve been thoroughly impressed by Blackwater Holylight for some time now. Their, If You Only Knew EP, was one of my favorite releases of 2025. As the table is set for Not Here Not Gone, and based off of “Heavy, Why?,” “Involuntary Haze,” and now “Bodies,” this new album is going to rock the socks off you. The delicate and etherial nature of the band mixed with the crushing riffs and pulsating rhythms, is sure to make this new offering from Blackwater Holylight one of the best releases of 2026. I’m very much looking forward to this album and the tour that will soon follow. Be sure to check this band out and let them know Brian from Audioeclectica sent you!

PRE-ORDER- NOT HERE NOT GONE

Heavy, Why?:

Involuntary Haze:

Bodies:

ANTICIPATED ALBUMS: BLACKWATER HOLYLIGHT- NOT HERE NOT GONE

There’s something about the feeling that comes over you when you hear a band that strikes at the right time. It’s not that I haven’t listened to this band before but, the way their new music sparked a sense of “Yes! This is what I’m looking for and I wasn’t even looking.” With that in mind, Blackwater Holylight is the band I’m talking about and if you haven’t heard this fantastic band, you’ve been missing out. In 2026, January 30th to be exact, Blackwater Holylight will be releasing their new album, Not Here Not Gone (via Suicide Squeeze Records). Packed with a sound that is as much intoxicating as it is hypnotic is quite the treat. The elements of shoegaze, doom and metal mixed with the atmospheric/cinematic synths, underlying pulsing rhythms that feel like waves and vocals that soar and swoon, are exactly what I hear in Blackwater Holylight. The two songs released so far, “Heavy, Why?” and “Involuntary Haze” are whimsical and the perfect way to introduce what’s to come. A full US tour will be happening next year with two bands that have been featured on Audioeclectica, Glassing and SOM. The idea of SOM and Blackwater Holylight on the same bill is actually blowing my mind as I think and write this. Truly, I can’t wait for this new album to hit right out of 2026. Now, go check out Blackwater Holylight!

Heavy, Why?:

Involuntary Haze:


Pre-Order NOT HERE NOT GONE:

TOUR DATES:

Glassing supports 2/13-2/27. SOM supports 2/27-3/14.

Fri 2/13 – San Diego, CA – Casbah
Sat 2/14 – Phoenix, AZ – Last Exit
Sun 2/15 – Albuquerque, NM – Sister
Tue 2/17 – Austin, TX – Radio/East
Wed 2/18 – Houston, TX – White Oak
Thu 2/19 – New Orleans, LA – Siberia
Fri 2/20 – Pensacola, FL – Handlebar
Sat 2/21 – Atlanta, GA – Drunken Unicorn
Sun 2/22 – Asheville, NC – Eulogy
Tue 2/24 – Charlottesville, VA – Southern Cafe
Wed 2/25 – Baltimore, MD – Metro
Thu 2/26 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Fri 2/27 – Brooklyn, NY – Meadows
Sat 2/28 – Braintree, MA – Widowmaker Brewing
Mon 3/02 – Youngstown, OH – Westside Bowl
Tue 3/03 – Indianapolis, IN – Black Circle
Wed 3/04 – Chicago, IL – Sleeping Village
Fri 3/06 – Denver, CO – Hi-Dive
Sat 3/07 – Denver, CO – Hi-Dive
Sun 3/08 – Salt Lake City, UT – Aces High
Tue 3/10 – Seattle, WA – Neumos
Wed 3/11 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater
Thu 3/12 – Sacramento, CA – Starlet
Fri 3/13 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
Sat 3/14 – Santa Cruz, CA – Moe’s Alley
Sat 3/21 – Los Angeles, CA – Pacific Electric

ANTICIPATED ALBUMS: HEAVY HALO- DAMAGED DREAM

A little while back I brought up a band called Heavy Halo and I’ve been totally enthralled by them. Their distinctive sound that mixes electronic, industrial, alternative and a bit of goth makes for one hell of an enjoyable listen. Imagine if Nine Inch Nails, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure, and a dash of (early) New Order, put that all together and you get Heavy Halo. Their album Damaged Dream comes out on July 25 and it’s definitely one of the most anticipated albums for the rest of 2025 for me. There are so many different things to unpack when listening to this band and their album. One of the things that I love most is the use of melody throughout which brings a different light to the genre. The hooks found in the songs as well, drive home that there is more in these songs than just beats. Lyrically too, its a deeply reflective album that resonates in many different ways. July 25 can’t come soon enough so the rest of you can hear this album! Really stoked on what’s to come from this band and I still have hope that there will be a Los Angeles show in the near future because I need to see this live!

Bloodrush:

The Poisoning:

Erase Your Fate:

Justified:

Final Fall:

Damage Me:

New Blood:

NEW RELEASE: BLACK MAGNET- BETTER THAN LOVE

A couple weeks back the very awesome Black Magnet released “Endless,” the first single from their upcoming new album, Megamantra (out July 25 via Federal Prisoner). “Endless” was just the beginning though as Black Magnet have released another song, “Better Than Love.” If you thought “Endless” was a kick to the teeth, “Better Than Love” expands upon their already punishing industrial sound and adds a great left turn to their style that immediately pulls you in and doesn’t let go. I’m quite stoked for this new album. 2025 looks to be a great year for Black Magnet!!

Black Magnet- Better Than Love:

Pre-Order Megamanta HERE