White Reaper are back and louder than ever. The Kentucky rockers have announced their forthcoming album, Only Slightly Empty, due out 26 September via their new label, Blue Grape Music. Alongside the announcement, the band has unleashed a blistering new single, ‘Blue 42’ - a track that marks one of the heaviest and most intense moments in their catalog to date.

Award-nominated independent rock and metal weekender Takedown Festival has today revealed the headline acts for its highly anticipated 2026 edition. Returning to Portsmouth Guildhall on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th April 2026, the festival will once again deliver a packed weekend of heavy music on the south coast - bringing together rising stars, cult favourites, and legends of the genre.

Bryan Adams has added three new UK arena dates to his 2025 tour, set for this December. The rock icon will perform at Hull’s Connexin Live on December 8th, Cardiff’s Utilita Arena on December 9th, and Brighton Centre on December 10th.

Tom Grennan lit up the O2 Arena with an unforgettable performance that blended heartfelt warmth with undeniable star power. From the moment the Bedford-born singer-songwriter stepped on stage, the atmosphere was electric, charged with a raw, infectious confidence balanced by his trademark humility. Grennan managed to strike the perfect balance between spectacle and sincerity, transforming one of London’s largest venues into something that felt remarkably intimate, like a room full of friends.

Big Thief have released their new album Double Infinity, recorded live over three immersive winter weeks at the iconic Power Station in New York City. With minimal overdubs and a focus on live interplay, Double Infinity captures the spirit of collaboration in its rawest, most human form. Longtime Big Thief collaborator Dom Monks produced, engineered, and mixed the album, further grounding it in the band’s signature warmth and intimacy.

This week’s New Noise (05/09) roundup is packed with genre-defying releases and bold comebacks. Poppy pushes further into industrial-pop chaos with her latest track featuring metal goddesses Amy Lee and Courtney Laplante, while aespa deliver an electrifying statement of self-worth on Rich Man. Lady Gaga makes waves with a long-awaited surprise drop that has Little Monsters buzzing, and rising act PRESIDENT turns heads with a slick blend of alt-pop swagger and political edge. From high-octane anthems to introspective curveballs, this week’s releases remind us that pop is anything but predictable.

French heavy-hitters ten56. have unleashed their brand new album IO - a sonic wrecking ball of a record, built on raw emotion, personal trauma, and relentless aggression. The highly anticipated follow-up to their pulverising debut Downer sees the band push even further into darker, more calculated territory, evolving their sound into something more refined, more volatile, and undeniably more dangerous. With IO, ten56. cement their status as a rising juggernaut in modern metal.

Renowned pagan folk band FAUN have unveiled their latest album, Hex, out now via Pagan Folk Records. With this release, FAUN return to their musical origins — weaving mystical, archaic folk sounds with enchanting ballads that guide listeners on a captivating journey through the ancient realms of female magic and pagan mythology.

Atmosphere has always been central to DIIV’s appeal - not just in sound, but in presence. At London’s HERE at Outernet, the Brooklyn-based band transformed the space into something immersive and introspective from the moment the house lights dimmed. The ultra-modern, subterranean venue made for a perfect setting for the quartet’s hypnotic blend of shoegaze, post-punk, and dream pop.

Multi-million streaming artist PRESIDENT has unveiled his powerful and emotionally charged new single, ‘Destroy Me’. Already a standout moment from his live shows, the track offers a raw glimpse into the world of his upcoming debut EP, King of Terrors, set for release on 26 September 2025.

Irish alt-rock trio NewDad made their return last night with the release of ‘Everything I Wanted’, which premiered on Huw Stephens’ BBC 6Music show. The track serves as the final preview of their eagerly awaited sophomore album, Altar, set for release on 19 September via Atlantic Records.

Diamond-certified global superstar The Weeknd has announced new dates for his historic After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour, expanding into Mexico, Brazil, Europe, and the UK in 2026. Produced by Live Nation and sponsored by Nespresso, the next leg kicks off April 20 in Mexico City at Estadio GNP Seguro, with stops in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paris, Amsterdam, Milan, London, Madrid, and more.