The very awesome Thoughtcrimes have released a brand new song and it’s the perfect way to start your week! “The Violent Garden” is a blisteringly heavy song, that will rattle your brain and cause you to want to start a mosh pit. Personally, I’m very excited about new Thoughtcrimes. Their previous album, 2022’s Altered Pasts, is still an album that is in my rotation. I highly recommend that album! Thoughtcrimes will be in Europe this February supporting Igorr. Let’s hope that a US tour is in the cards for later this year! Enjoy this new Thoughtcrimes track!
There must be something about today because, the new music is pouring in today! The mighty Converge have released “We Were Never The Same” the closing song from their upcoming album, Love Is Not Enough, which is out February 13 via Epitaph Records. The title track was already a punch to the face and now the closing song is one of those gut punches that is full of pure raw emotion. Converge are one of those bands that are not one to be complacent about their music and art. This album definitely has all the makings of it being another classic for Converge! Can’t wait to hear these songs live and for this album!
Hi! I’m very excited to bring you episode three of The Audioeclectica Interview Series. On this episode we are joined by Andy Knapp the new singer of Snot as well as the singer of the band Stronger Than Machines. This is Andy’s first interview since becoming the singer for Snot and I couldn’t be happier to present this to you all. Listen to the interview below and be sure to check out Snot and Stronger Than Machines!
I will be at the Snot show at the Glass House on December 5th! Hope You Are Too!
The Audioeclectica Interviews Episode 003: Andy Knapp (Snot/Stronger Than Machines):
I know I’m beyond excited about New Converge! How about you?! That’s right, on February 13, 2026, via Epitaph Records, Converge will be releasing their eleventh (that’s correct 11) studio album, Love Is Not Enough. The first single is the title track, “Love Is Not Enough” and it’s a barnburner right out of the gate. With 35 years under their belts, Converge are set to release an album that according to Jacob Bannon, “Love Is Not Enough is all about momentum. “It does a thing that no other Converge record does—it keeps ramping up,” Bannon says. “And that’s definitely by design. Internally, we passed around dozens of ideas for sequencing because everyone interprets music differently and there’s no right way of doing it. When we do that, we always joke that we all have to be equally unhappy. But this is the one that works.” Personally, I really can’t wait for this record. If you’ve never seen Converge live, you should change that as well. They are one of the most intense live bands you’ll ever see.
If you’ve been reading Audioeclectica for a while now, you know that I’m quite fond of the band Better Lovers. Their debut EP, God Made Me An Animal as well as debut album, Highly Irresponsible, are in constant rotation still. The excitement from listening to them and then the exhilaration of their live show is untamable. The infectiousness of the ferocity has only gotten better now as Better Lovers have released the Deluxe Edition of Highly Irresponsible. On this edition there are 2 new songs added to the record. “Don’t Forget To Say Please” came out a couple months back and now “The Impossible End” has been delivered. I really dig on the twists and turns this song inhabits. If you get a chance to see Better Lovers on this November through Mid December tour they are doing (dates below), GO!!!! If you don’t, you must be allergic to having fun! Really looking forward to what 2026 holds for these gents!
The Impossible End:
Don’t Forget To Say Please:
Better Lovers Tour Dates:
11/13 Greensboro, NC – Hangar 1819 11/14 Athens, GA – 40 Watt (feat. Atomic Rule) 11/15 Jacksonville, FL – Albatross (feat. Atomic Rule) 11/16 Orlando, FL – Vans Warped Tour (Better Lovers only) 11/18 Pensacola, FL – Vinyl Music Hall 11/19 New Orleans, LA – Tipitina’s 11/21 Austin, TX – Come & Take It Live 11/22 Houston, TX – Bad Astronaut 11/23 Oklahoma City, OK – Beer City 11/25 Colorado Springs, CO – The Black Sheep 11/26 Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theatre 11/28 Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s 11/29 Madison, WI – Majestic 11/30 Joliet, IL – The Forge 12/01 Grand Rapids, MI – Pyramid Scheme 12/03 Columbus, OH – A&R Bar 12/04 Harrisburg, PA – Capital City Music Hall 12/05 Long Island, NY – Amityville Music Hall 12/06 Hampton Beach, NH – Wally’s
Better Lovers:
12/13 Buffalo, NY – Riverworks (‘Blissmas‘) (feat. Glassjaw, Saves The Day, Terror, etc.)
Back in 2017 when Converge released their album, The Dusk In Us. It’s quite the album for Converge. It’s one of those albums that really spans their catalog and has become a renowned record. Before the record itself was released, the first single “I Can Tell You About Pain” came out with a b-side. That b-side wound up being the very epic and captivating song “Eve.” Why this wasn’t on the album is beyond me. This actually might be my all time favorite Converge song at this point. When you listen to the seven and a half minute opus, it definitely takes you places. The way the guitars shift from doom/sludge into etherial/atmospheric sounds, to the synths creating waves, while the rhythm drives and then pummels into a colossal explosion. While “Eve” has been in the setlist for a short period of time, and performed thrity-three times, it’s one that should be in rotation a lot more. There’s really something powerful about this song in particular that more people need to experience live. I’ve never seen it performed live and it’s “the one” Converge song I’d probably go absolutely apeshit for if I saw it live. So, let’s put it out into the universe to get “Eve” added more often!!!
This is fun AND exciting!!! One of my favorite new bands of the last few years, Better Lovers have swooped in and released a new song, “Don’t Forget To Say Please.” This new track packs quite the cocked back punch to the face. There’s also a more “raw and unprocessed” feel to the production of the song. I can already tell that this will ignite a frenzy in the pit. The riffs are there courtesy of Jordan and Will, that rhythm section of Steve and Goose is just oh so sweet, then you have the tenacious vocals of Greg and it just feels right! On a personal note, I’m very much looking forward to more new music from Better Lovers! Enjoy!
Every so often, a band will release an album that changes everything for the band and genre. 25 years ago, Poison The Well released their debut full length, The Opposite Of December and it set forth a path that would go on to help pioneer a genre and inspire a new bunch of bands. Their distinctive “metalcore” sound has become often imitated but, there’s nothing like hearing the real thing! Joining Poison The Well on this celebratory tour are 2 of my favorites new and old in Better Lovers and Glassjaw as well as Teenage Wrist. When this show pulled into the Hollywood Palladium on a beautiful Friday night, the wake of destruction that was upon all those in attendance would not be for the faint of heart. This show was designed to go off the instant it starts and oh boy did it! NOTE- Continued on next page (look below).
Back in August of 2022, Thoughtcrimes released their full length debut, Altered Pasts. That album quickly became a favorite of mine and it’s still been in rotation. Now, a new song has been unleashed upon us and it’s a banger! Speaking about “Natural Imprudence,” Billy Rymer said “The initial inspiration came about with a conversation Russ and I had about HM-2 distortion. He then brought his Evil Ned pedal to my place and we made a demo. This is probably the fastest we have written and released a track. We are all excited to share something that is still fresh even to us.” That being said, it’s pretty awesome to get a surprise new track from Thoughtcrimes. Now all that is needed is a proper Los Angeles show date!
I love when bands combine genres and the end result is something that kicks ass. Not a lot of bands are able to pull it off especially when mixing progressive music with extreme metal but, Italy’s Destrage have become masters at it. The band formed in 2002 and have been making a name for themselves in the underground since their 2007 debut album Urban Being. The follow up The King Is Fat n Old further cemented Destrage as a force within the metal community. Their 2014 album Are You Kidding Me No was my first introduction to the band and from that point I’ve been hooked. This album saw the band really define their sound and take the heavy up a few notches while at the same time adding a bit of melody to separate themselves from the pack. The most recent album A Means To No End builds on what their previous album started. Destrage are bold and pummeling without losing their focus on the music. Do yourself a favor and delve into this great band.
