HANABIE. Drops Official Music Video “Iconic” From Upcoming EP Hot Topic Out 1/28/26
First North American Headline Tour Starts 3/13/26 With Nekrogoblikon and Enterprise Earth Ticket Info HERE
Harajuku-core trailblazers HANABIE. is kicking off the new year with a futuristically ferocious official music video for their latest track “ICONIC“ (via Sony Music Japan). The track, as well as previously released “Spicy Queen“ and “GIRL’S TALK“ can be found on the band’s upcoming new EP ‘HOT TOPIC’ set for release later this month on Wednesday, January 28. Stream “ICONIC“here and watch the official video here or in the thumbnail below.
HANABIE. “Iconic”
Fans will soon have their chance to see the band’s inimitable live performance at their first Hawaii show on Saturday, January 10 in Honolulu, followed by their first North American headliner beginning Friday, March 13, in Boston, Massachusetts, with Nekrogoblikon and Enterprise Earth as support on the trek. Tickets are now on sale and are bound to sell out, so be sure to get yours before it’s too late at the link here.
HANABIE. 2026 North American Headliner with Nekrogoblikon + Enterprise Earth Fri Mar 13 – Boston, MA – Big Night Live Sat Mar 14 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl Sun Mar 15 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring Tue Mar 17 – Montreal, QC – Théâtre Beanfield Wed Mar 18 – Toronto, ON – The Danforth Music Hall Fri Mar 20 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre Presented by Citizens Sat Mar 21 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts Mon Mar 23 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz Tue Mar 24 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre Wed Mar 25 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues Orlando* Fri Mar 27 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues Cleveland Sun Mar 29 – Detroit, MI – Saint Andrew’s Hall Mon Mar 30 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues Chicago Wed Apr 01 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore Minneapolis Fri Apr 03 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues Dallas Sat Apr 04 – Houston, TX – House of Blues Houston Mon Apr 06 – Austin, TX – Emo’s Austin Tue Apr 07 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren Thu Apr 09 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues San Diego Fri Apr 10 – San Francisco, CA – August Hall Sat Apr 11 – Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco *No Nekrogoblikon
HEAVYS Weekly Breakdown looking at news in the world of heavy music, talking about BABYMETAL, Lords Of Acid, and more.
“Brace yourselves: kawaii-metal conquerors BABYMETAL are celebrating their 15th anniversary with a re-recorded, growl-intensified version of their early track, “Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!” The updated version of the 2012 single was surprise-released today (January 5th), with the band confirming on socials that this was done to “commemorate the 15th anniversary of its formation.” The re-recorded and “newly reborn” tune, here dubbed the “15th Night Ver.,” relives the melodic heft and thrash-blasted pace of the original, but it has also been re-upped with new death growls from the band’s MOMOMETAL. (Revolver)
HEAVYS Metal Picks | 1/9/26
Five new heavy songs to kick off the new year. What are you listening to?
Mayhem “Life Is A Corpse you Drag”
Sylosis “Erased”
Exhumed “Unsafe At Any Speed”
Tailgunner “Eulogy”
Lord Of The Lost X Wednesday 13 “I Hate People”
“Mayhem’s Attila comments on the new track, “‘Life Is a Corpse You Drag’ is not a slogan, but a ritual and a realization. It names an ancient law: Consciousness as burden, the body as vessel, faith as a seal on a grave already closed. There is no comfort in this recognition but there is release. If we have been dead all along, there is nothing left to lose. What remains is pure energy: Movement without fear, presence without compromise, a victorious march into the final destruction.” (Mayhem Press Release)
The Podcast That Rocked for 1/7/26. Discussion on metal musicians like Geezer Butler and Clown from Slipknot embracing AI, Knocked Loose, Bad Omens, more.
Metal Musicians Are Embracing AI?! | The Podcast That Rocked on YouTube on Spotify
Discussion Topics: -Shawn “Clown” Crahan from Slipknot embracing AI for creative purposes -Geezer Butler to use AI Vocals for upcoming solo album -Knocked Loose target of AI music scam on Spotify –Bad Omens new album not confirmed for 2026 -Godsmack is returning despite years of saying they were done –Bilmuri guitarist stepping down after accusations -40 years of sobriety for Rob Halford -Upcoming albums/tours/more
Why do you always hear profanity from hearses? Because the carcasses!
When Emos and Punks Fought in the Streets: The Mexican Scene War Explained!
“In a new interview with gaming magazine The Escapist, the co-founder and percussionist for nu metal’s nine-man wrecking crew calls AI “a professor in my pocket who only wants to do what I ask it”. “I’m employing AI 190 percent,” he states. “I’ve been using AI my whole life,” viewing it as the latest in the series of tools which have been set up to help musicians over the years. He then claims to have “thousands and thousands” of poems that he’s written since he was young, adding that, through AI, he can transform them into something else without compromising his vision.” (Louder Sound)
ALTER BRIDGE Return With New Track “Scales Are Falling” Self-Titled Eighth Studio Album Coming 1/11/26
With their self-titled eighth studio album arriving worldwide in just two days, ALTER BRIDGE return with the final song to be released ahead of the album’s official launch. “Scales Are Falling” is another signature rocker from the acclaimed quartet—Myles Kennedy (vocals/guitars), Mark Tremonti (guitars/vocals), Brian Marshall (bass), and Scott Phillips (drums).
The track explores the moment of realization that comes with uncovering deception, and the emotional impact that truth can carry once it’s revealed.
Myles Kennedy explains: “It’s when you realize the reality of a situation where you’ve been deceived. You see the truth and how harsh it is.”
“Scales Are Falling” is available now across all digital service providers. The accompanying visualizer—created by Marcin Pospiech (Nine Inch Nails, Tool – @reinfected.me)—is also out today and can be seen below.
Mark Tremonti adds: “I was excited for this one. It has an atmospheric vibe with a lot of peaks, valleys, and moods. I solo over the bridge, and Myles plays the outro.”
With more than two decades as one of rock’s most consistently acclaimed bands, ALTER BRIDGE continue to push forward. Renowned for their towering riffs, infectious melodies, and masterful guitar interplay, the quartet will release their self-titled eighth studio album on January 9, 2026,via Napalm Records. As Blabbermouth.net recently noted, “More than 20 years in, ALTER BRIDGE keep showing they’re here to stay.” Physical formats are available for preorder now at https://www.lnk.to/AB-AlterBridge.
The forthcoming album features 12 brand-new tracks that rank among the band’s most compelling work to date. Songs such as “Rue the Day,”“Disregarded,” and “What Are You Waiting For” stand tall alongside staples from the ALTER BRIDGE catalog. “Trust in Me” highlights the powerful vocal chemistry between Kennedy and Tremonti, with Myles leading the verses and Mark commanding the chorus—an approach they reverse on the crushingly heavy “Tested and Able.”“Hang by a Thread” is primed for the live stage, channeling the energy of fan-favorite anthems, while album closer “Slave to Master” delivers an epic finale and marks the longest track the band has ever recorded.
The album’s first single, “Silent Divide,” continues its ascent at Active Rock radio and is approaching six million views on YouTube. Longtime producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette once again joined the band for the project, which was recorded over two months this spring at the legendary 5150 Studios in California and at Baskette’s studio in Florida.
Alter Bridge track listing: 1) Silent Divide (5:06) 2) Rue The Day (4:46) 3) Power Down (4:08) 4) Trust In Me (4:48) 5) Disregarded (3:55) 6) Tested And Able (4:36) 7) What Lies Within (5:07) 8) Hang By A Thread (4:11) 9) Scales Are Falling (5:54) 10) Playing Aces (4:05) 11) What Are You Waiting For (5:00) 12) Slave To Master (9:03)
To coincide with the new album, ALTER BRIDGE will hit the road in support of the release on the What Lies Within Tour. The 31-date European run kicks off January 15 in Germany and wraps March 5 in Nottingham, UK, with Daughtry and Sevendust joining as special guests. The band has also announced a headlining U.S. tour featuring Filter or Sevendust and Tim Montana on select dates. The trek begins April 25 in Orlando, FL and concludes May 24 in Tampa, FL. Full ticketing information and VIP package details can be found at www.alterbridge.com.
European What Lies Within Tour 2026: Jan 15 – HAMBURG, GERMANY – Sporthalle Jan 17 – OSLO, NORWAY – Sentrum Scene Jan 18 – OSLO, NORWAY – Sentrum Scene Jan 20 – STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – Annexet Jan 22 – HELSINKI, FINLAND – Ice Hall Black Box Jan 24 – COPENHAGEN, DENMARK – KB Hallen Jan 25 – BERLIN, GERMANY – Columbiahalle Jan 27 – GLIWICE, POLAND – Prezero Arena Gliwice Jan 28 – BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – Barba Negra Jan 30 – VIENNA, AUSTRIA – Gasometer Jan 31 – ZAGREB, CROATIA – Bocarski Dom Feb 02 – ROME, ITALY – Atlantico Feb 03 – BERGAMO, ITALY – ChorusLive Arena Feb 05 – ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – The Hall Feb 06 – LYON, FRANCE – Halle Tony Garnier Feb 08 – BARCELONA, SPAIN – Razzmatazz 1 Feb 10 – LISBON, PORTUGAL – Sagres Campo Pequeno Feb 12 – MADRID, SPAIN – Palacio Vistalegre Feb 13 – BORDEAUX, FRANCE – Arkea Arena Feb 15 – LUXEMBOURG, LUXEMBOURG – Rockhal Feb 17 – OBERHAUSEN, GERMANY – Oberhausen Turbinenhalle Feb 18 – PARIS, FRANCE – Zenith Feb 20 – MUNICH, GERMANY – Zenith Feb 22 – AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – Ziggo Dome Feb 23 – BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – Ancienne Belgique Feb 25 – NEWCASTLE, UNITED KINGDOM – Utilita Arena Feb 26 – MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM – AO Arena Feb 28 – DUBLIN, IRELAND – 3Arena Mar 02 – GLASGOW, UNITED KINGDOM – OVO Hydro Mar 04 – LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – The O2 Mar 05 – NOTTINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM – Motorpoint Arena
Jun 27 – CARDIFF, WALES – Blackbird Festival @ Cardiff Castle
What Lies Within U.S. Tour Apr 25 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues – TM Apr 26 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy – 7D/TM Apr 28 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center – F/TM Apr 29 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom – F/TM May 1 – Tulsa, OK – Osage Casino Hotel, Skyline Event Center – F/TM May 2 – Omaha, NE – Steelhouse Omaha – F/TM May 5 – Green Bay, WI – EPIC Event Center – F/TM May 6 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed – F/TM May 9 – Atlantic City, NJ – Event Center at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa – F May 10 – Boston, MA – Citizen House of Blues Boston – F/TM May 12 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount – F/TM May 13 – Montclair, NJ – The Wellmont Theater – F/TM May 18 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Roxian Theatre – F/TM May 19 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit – F/TM May 21 – Nashville, TN – The Pinnacle – 7D/TM May 22 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company – F/TM May 24 – Tampa, FL – Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Event Center – F/TM
Southern California quintet SPITE unleashed their new album NEW WORLD KILLER last Halloween via Rise Records. Listen here.
Today, the band — Darius Tehrani, vocals; Alex Tehrani; guitar; Ben Bamford, bass; and Travis Regnier, drums — have announced their Spring and Summer 2026 headline tour featuring Emmure, Psycho-Frame, and Reverent.
The NEW WORLD KILLER TOUR kicks off on May 29 in Portland, Oregon and runs trough June 27 in Pomona, California.
All dates are below. Tickets go on sale on Friday, January 9 at 10am local time. Get tickets here.
SPITE ON TOUR: WITH EMMURE, PSYCHO-FRAME, + REVERENT: 5/29 — Portland, OR — Hawthorne Theatre 5/30 — Seattle, WA — The Crocodile 6/1 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Complex 6/2 — Denver, CO — Summit 6/3 — Lawrence, KS — Granada Theater 6/5 — Minneapolis, MN — Varsity Theater 6/6 — Chicago, IL — Bottom Lounge 6/7 — Detroit, MI — St. Andrews Hall 6/9 — Toronto, ON — Phoenix 6/10 — Montreal, QC — Beanfield Theatre 6/12 — Worcester, MA — Palladium 6/13 — New York, NY — Gramercy Theatre 6/14 — Philadelphia, PA — TLA 6/15 — Pittsburgh, PA — Roxian Theatre 6/17 — Baltimore, MD — Soundstage 6/18 — Charlotte, NC — The Underground 6/19 — Nashville, TN — Eastside Bowl 6/20 — Atlanta, GA — Masquerade 6/21 — Tampa, FL — Orpheum 6/23 — Houston, TX — Warehouse Live 6/24 — Dallas, TX — South Side Music Hall 6/26 — Mesa, AZ — Nile 6/27 — Pomona, CA — Glasshouse
HEAVYS Weekly Breakdown talking about Knocked Loose getting targeted by AI music, Geezer Butler going AI(?!), Deftones posting unlisted music video, and more.
HEAVYS Weekly Breakdown – Deftones, AI Nonsense, more | 1/4/26
“So apparently there’s a metalcore band out there called Broken Avenue. And by “band” we mean: an AI-generated Frankenstein monster that sounds like Knocked Loose, Counterparts and The Devil Wears Prada had their riffs shoved through a blender full of bot farms. Broken Avenue is currently pulling in 129,000+ monthly listeners on Spotify, has landed itself on a stack of playlists, and has even copped the Spotify-generated “This Is Broken Avenue” collection – the kind of badge that usually means you’ve, y’know, actually done something.” (Yahoo Entertainment)
Deftones “Infinite Source”
HEAVYS Best Of 2025 Awards | Winners and Results
HEAVYS Metal Picks will return next week and we’ll get back to regularly scheduled content on the HEAVYS YouTube channel. If there is anything you would like to see on the channel, let us know in a comment on one of the videos or on the community post.
A compilation of the best and worst dad jokes given on The Podcast That Rocked through 2025. We are proud to provide you and your families with enough facepalming to last a full year.
The Best and Worst DAD JOKES of 2025 | The Podcast That Rocked on YouTube
The Best and Worst DAD JOKES of 2025 | The Podcast That Rocked on Spotify
The Podcast That Rocked is a podcast discussing news in the world including rock, metal, alternative, punk, indie, etc., including: -Breaking news -Band and artist statements -Upcoming music -Concert/festival coverage -New album releases -Industry stories
“Yes, it is true that I have left Veil of Maya. First thing’s first, what an incredible decade long journey it has been. I am forever grateful for the opportunity and experience. In many ways, the last ten years have reshaped my life. There were several factors that led to me ultimately stepping away from VoM, and I had to make a decision that would allow me to move forward, both personally and creatively.
Over the last year, I’ve been focused on SIFYN, releasing music and rediscovering that spark in the studio. It’s been a real turning point for me, allowing me to reconnect with what drives me creatively and to approach music with a fresh perspective. Working on SIFYN has truly brought back a sense of excitement that I’d been missing.
I’m also thrilled to be a part of a new collaboration with Joey Sturgis that’s coming soon. It’s been an honor to work alongside industry veterans who helped shape so many influential artists within the Metal and Rock world. There’s a lot more on the way for 2026 that I’m excited to share with all of you.
I have nothing but love and respect for everyone who I’ve met and worked with along the way. I want to say thank you to the fans for their continued support, and to Veil of Maya and Sumerian Records for everything over the years.”
There have been some amazing releases this year, and it’s time to take a look at what was great. This video looks at the Top 10 BEST Albums Of 2025.
I do feel that 2025 was an amazing year music-wise (even if rough in mostly every other aspect of life) and I want a video like this to help others find something they’ll enjoy. Hopefully, I explained why each album belongs on the list and you are able to look up something you find that interests you. Not all types of music are for everyone, but I do think this list has SOMETHING for any music fan.
10. Whitechapel Lonely People With Power
The ability to create something truly guttural and core-shaking has become a staple of Whitechapel and there appears to be no slowing down over the years and albums. If anything, they feel as invigorated and strong as ever.
Whitechapel “A Visceral Retch”
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9. End It Wrong Side Of Heaven
This is the quintessential hard of hardcore done right. Loud, full of energy, at breakneck speed. End It is a blast, and the wrong side of heaven is a place I’d now like to visit.
End It “Pale Horse”
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8. The Callous Daoboys “I Don’t Want To See You In Heaven”
Now that I see how deep and twistedly involved something like I Don’t Want TO See You In Heaven can be, it’s made me more than a curious fan of The Callous Daoboys. I want to see this band excel with this hallucination style of writing AND bring it to the stage because it’s great.
The Callous Daoboys “Idiot Temptation Force”
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7. Chat Pile & Hayden Pedigo In The Earth Again
The noise rock and avant garde combination was an amazing idea that I don’t think many would have ever put together, but deep in Oklahoma came something in the earth…again…I tried my best to shoehorn the title in. Best I got.
Chat Pile & Hayden Pedigo “Radioactive Dreams”
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6. Turnstile Never Enough
It was a banner year for Turnstile who I think are starting to become clearly a focus in the music world, outside of heavy music. THE NPR performance, being praised by Elton John of all people, I think Turnstile stepped up when all eyes were on them this summer, and in turn they made one of the best summer-vibe albums in years.
Turnstile “Seein’ Stars / Birds”
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5. Sleep Token Even In Arcadia
We saw the continued climb of Sleep Token to huge levels through Even In Arcadia, I doubt that climb will be over any time soon. I’m hopeful that Vessel can go back to lore and stop having to sing about h ow he’s stalked by his own fans.
Sleep Token “Emergence”
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4. Scowl Are We All Angels
Hardcore, Alternative, Grunge, 90’s throwbacks, tons of speed changes, and a lot of personality from Kat Moss. Scowl has evolved fairly quickly in only a couple years but in doing so they are soaring. Scowl has made their own identifiable sound through SEVERAL styles and that is not easy.
Scowl “Tonight (I’m Afraid)”
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3. Deftones Private Music
It’s a good feeling knowing that the band I grew up and that helped get me into music is the same band doing that same thing, for kids and teenagers in THEIR youth. Deftones cross-generational appeal is rare, but so are Deftones in general.
Deftones “Infinite Source”
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2.) Spiritbox Tsunami Sea
This is now my favorite Spiritbox album, even more than Eternal Blue, and Spiritbox’s doubling down on heaviness while still structuring different low riffs to the growl of Courtney LaPlante, all proves that at heart this band is more metal than metalcore.
Spiritbox “Soft Spine”
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1.) Deafheaven Lonely People With Power
Lonely People With Power is the best Deafheaven album since Sunbather, and in my view, it matches Sunbather in quality and what it offers. I recommend Lonely People With Power to ANYONE who is into heavy music of any type or sub-genre. It’s that special album that can prove metal isn’t dead through many different reasons.
The Podcast That Rocked for 12/17/25. Discussion on the best and worst events of the year through heavy music. 2025 was a lot.
The BEST and WORST of 2025 | The Podcast That Rocked on YouTube
The BEST and WORST of 2025 | The Podcast That Rocked on Spotify
Discussion Topics: -The Legend of Ozzy Osbourne and Back To The Beginning -Amazing year for Sleep Token -Terrible year for Disturbed and David Draiman -Festivals are fun but too expensive -LiveNation and Ticketmaster are insane -AI in Music must be regulated -Venue security needs to chill -Asking Alexandria needs to anser a few questions -Warped Tour building off of 2025 success -Late Night gave rock and metal love -LOTS MORE
Thanks to everyone who listened, watched, and tuned in live to The Podcast That Rocked this year. We grew a bit in numbers and new listeners, and we want to improve in 2026. Please continue to like, leave comments, and tell your friends about what we do on Wednesday nights. We hope you all have a great holiday break, and we’ll see you in January.
