THE SPOTLIGHT: WEEKLY MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS (03/10)
POP, ELECTRO, R&B AND SOUL
EMPRESS OF - ‘BLASTING THROUGH THE SPEAKERS’
TAYLOR SWIFT - THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL
ROCK, METAL, PUNK
AVATAR - ‘DEATH & GLITZ’
The heavy metal visionaries collectively known as AVATAR - vocalist Johannes Eckerström, guitarists Jonas Jarlsby and Tim Öhrström, bassist Henrik Sandelin, and drummer John Alfredsson - previously announced the thoroughly fitting October 31st release of their latest masterwork Don't Go In The Forest. The band have also shared the video for the new single ‘Death And Glitz’.
CASKETS - ‘SACRIFICE’
COMASTATIC - ‘PRIMITIVE’ (FEAT. POINT NORTH)
Swiss rock breakout Comastatic, newly signed to Hopeless Records, have unleashed their scorching new single, ‘PRIMITIVE’, featuring Point North.
DEAF HAVANA - WE’RE NEVER GETTING OUT
DEFENCE - ‘LITHIUM KISS’
HANDS LIKE HOUSES - ‘LOVE & AFFECTION’
LEAP - ENTROPY
LEAP have unveiled their debut album, Entropy - a whirlwind of rock ’n’ roll extremes and raw emotion. It’s a high-octane dance through the chaotic brilliance of frontman Jacky’s mind. Fusing heavy riffs and pounding rhythms with flashes of electronica and soaring pop hooks, the record is driven by Jacky’s distinctive vocals, which guide listeners through London’s gritty underbelly and his own battles with mental health. It’s the story of chasing, gaining, and ultimately losing the glittering Hollywood major-label dream - only to emerge with something far more powerful.
MAYDAY PARADE - SAD
Beloved emo trailblazers Mayday Parade return with Sad, the highly anticipated second chapter of their three-part album trilogy celebrating the band’s 20th anniversary. Following this spring’s Sweet, and ahead of the final installment due in 2026, Sad marks a milestone moment: the band’s first self-released project since their 2006 debut EP Tales Told By Dead Friends.
MELROSE AVENUE - ‘INSIDE YOUR MIND’
Sydney alt-rock outfit Melrose Avenue make a powerful return with their new single, ‘Inside Your Mind’, out now via Hopeless Records.
STORY UNTOLD - ‘AUTOPILOT’
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA - ‘EYES’
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA have dropped their new single and video, ‘Eyes,’ the latest preview of their upcoming ninth studio album, Flowers, set for release on 14 November 2025, via Solid State Records.
THRICE - HORIZONS/WEST
After decades of redefining modern rock, Thrice return with their twelfth studio album, Horizons/West, out now via Epitaph Records.
INDIE, ALTERNATIVE AND FOLK
AFI - SILVER BLEEDS THE BLACK SUN…
AFI return today with their twelfth studio album, Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…, out now via Run For Cover Records. The record features the previously released singles ‘Behind the Clock’, ‘Holy Visions’, and ‘Ash Speck in a Green Eye’, the latter arriving just days before the full release.
DODIE - NOT FOR LACK OF TRYING
GOOD NEIGHBOURS - BLUE SKY MENTALITY
Fresh off a whirlwind 18 months that has seen them explode from a viral debut to festival main stages across the globe, Good Neighbours have released their highly-anticipated debut album Blue Sky Mentality via Polydor Records, alongside focus track ‘Walk Walk Walk’. The 14-track record distills the meteoric rise of the duo into a bold statement of intent - weaving together the euphoric indie-pop anthems that defined their ascent, alongside a set of brand new songs that showcase the duo’s widescreen sound in full for the first time.
THE LAST DINNER PARTY - ‘SECOND BEST’
Lifted from forthcoming album 'From The Pyre', out 17th October 2025, Second Best was written by The Last Dinner Party guitarist Emily Roberts and informed by the angular pop riffs of Sparks. The track is about the push and pull of being obsessed with someone but knowing that they will ultimately betray you again, and allowing it to happen because you still love them.
