Streamed on New Music Night and voted on by Rocked viewers, this is a playlist of songs allgiven the highest percentage of positive votes through February of 2023. Each song was played to a live audience and voted on with a thumbs up or thumbs down by each viewer on Twitch.
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Best New Music Of February 2023 | Spotify Playlist
Best New Music Of February 2023 | Video Playlist
Featuring: Ascension – “Defiance” BABYMETAL – Light And Darkness” Bayside ft. Ice Nine Kills – “How To Ruin Everything” Ben Folds – “Winslow Gardens” Colony House – “Would Ya Could Ya” Delain ft. Paolo Ribaldini – “Queen Of Shadow” Depeche Mode – “Ghosts Again” Dropkick Murphys ft. Nikki Lane – “Never Git Drunk No More” Enter Shikari – “It Hurts” Fencer – “Couch” Gorillaz ft. Adeleye Omotayo – “Silent Running” The HU ft. William DuVall – “This Is Mongol (Warrior Souls)” Imminence – “Jaded” In Flames – “End The Transmission” Inhaler – “If You’re Gonna Break My Heart” Insomnium – “The Unrest” Kamelot ft. Tina Guo – “Opus Of The Night (Ghost Requiem) Linkin Park – “Lost” LOVEBITES – “Stand And Deliver (Shoot ’em Down)” Nanna – “Crybaby” NanowaR of Steel – “Disco Metal” Nothing More ft. Taylor Acorn – “You Don’t Know What Love Means” The Ones You Forgot – “Stepping Stone” Periphery – “Atropos” Plain White T’s – “Spaghetti Tattoo” The Plot In You – “Left Behind” Powerwolf – “Poison” Punk Rock Factory – “You’ll Be Back” Screaming Females – “Mourning Dove” Unto Others – “Sailing In The Darkness” Voyager – “Promise”
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The advertised final album from Godsmack and if that is true then…thank God. Lighting Up The Sky is the boomer butt-rock album filled with lazy solos, stolen riffs, and generic oh oh oh ohs. The band did lean into their audience a bit more with the vague complaints about the state of America Today and how times keep changing. Whatever fire Sully Erna and company had in the early 2000’s is GONE. It’s old man whining in songs like “What About Me”, “Best Of Times” and “Growing Old”. Yep, those are all song titles. Over half the album is filler and recycled material. Little variation, little creativity, you can tell me that you tried, but it’s rough even by late-era Godsmack standards. Enjoy retirement in Florida guys and think about the good old times, not this album. 3/10.
Godsmack Lighting Up The Sky Album Review
Godsmack “Soul On Fire”
Godsmack is an American rock band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Sully Erna, bassist Robbie Merrill, lead guitarist Tony Rombola and drummer Shannon Larkin.
Lighting Up the Sky is the eighth studio album by American rock band Godsmack. It was released on February 24, 2023, five years after their last studio album When Legends Rise, making it the longest gap between two studio albums by Godsmack.
3x Grammy-nominated rock quartet NOTHING MORE have today (February 24) released a new version of the impassioned single “YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT LOVE MEANS,” taken from their 2022 critically acclaimed studio album SPIRITS via Better Noise Music. Front man Jonny Hawkins adds to the emotional lyrics and tone by lending his impressive piano skills and enlists rock singer/songwriter Taylor Acorn on guest vocals. Watch the music video for “YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT LOVE MEANS (Piano Version) Ft. Taylor Acorn” which showcases footage of the recording session below or directly via the band’s TikTok (@nothingmoremusic) HERE.
“When I had first heard the original version, I instantly fell in love, so when Nothing More asked me to be a part of the piano version it was truly a no brainer,” shares ACORN. “The song is so beautiful and touches on a very similar situation that I was going through in a previous relationship of mine, so it was super easy to connect with. I also love how much, at least to me, the song resembles early Evanescence, which is one of my favorite bands of all time. It’s beautiful, it’s powerful, and I hope people love it as much as I do.”
NOTHING MORE’s headlining North American “SPIRITS 2023” spring tour–with special guests Crown The Empire and Thousand Below–was announced last month and met with high demand. It stretches from March 31 – May 28, and an additional show in Sacramento, CA was added on May 2 at Ace of Spades after their May 1 show sold out within days of tickets going on sale. Additional shows in Philadelphia and NYC are also quickly selling. The full list of dates for the tour, presented by the mental health non-profit organization TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS, is below. Get your tickets while they still remain at https://nothingmore.net/tourdates.
NOTHING MORE TOUR DATES
3/31 Richmond, VA – The National #
4/1 Myrtle Beach, SC – House of Blues #
4/2 St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live #
4/4 Harrisburg, PA – HMAC #
4/5 Toronto, ON – The Danforth Music Hall #
4/7 Philadelphia, PA – TLA #
4/8 Worcester, MA – The Palladium #
4/9 New York, NY – Irving Plaza #
4/11 Evansville, IN – Victory Theatre #
4/12 Dubuque, AL – Five Flags Civic Center #
4/13 Clive, IA – Horizons Event Center #
4/15 Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore #
4/16 Omaha, NE – The Admiral #
4/17 Denver, CO – Ogden Theater #
4/19 Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex #
4/21 Calgary, AB – The Palace Theater #
4/22 Edmonton, AB – Midway #
4/24 Vancouver, BC – The Commodore Ballroom #
4/25 Boise, ID – The Knitting Factory #
4/27 Seattle, WA – Neptune #
4/28 Portland, OR – The Roseland Theater #
4/29 Spokane, WA – The Knitting Factory #
5/1 Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades # **SOLD OUT**
5/2 Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades #
5/3 Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco #
5/5 San Diego, CA – Observatory Northpark #
5/6 Phoenix, AZ – UFEST 2023 @ AK Chin Pavillion (with Godsmack, I Prevail)
5/26 Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre
5/27 Moline, IL – The Rust Belt
5/28 Columbus, OH – Sonic Temple
6/10 Nickelsdorf, AT – Nova Rock 2023
6/15-18 Clisson, FR – Hellfest 2023
6/21 Wetzikon/Unter-wetzikon, CH – Heavy Load Festival Wetzikon 2023
6/25 Bologna, IT – KNOTFEST Italy 2023
6/30 Viveiro, ES – Resurrection Fest 2023
# with Crown The Empire & Thousand Below
On their new album SPIRITS, NOTHING MORE combine unapologetically massive anthems, catchy hooks, and progressive music with introspective, philosophical lyrics and thought-provoking emotionalism. Its eleven tracks were co-written by all band members–Hawkins [vocals], MarkVollelunga [guitar], Daniel Oliver [bass], and Ben Anderson[drums]–and their longtime manager and co-producer Will Hoffman. The album documents the tumultuous time the world experienced over the past two years capturing the desperation and isolation of lockdown, the spiral of substance abuse, the pain of broken relationships, and survival in self-reliance. These concepts were further explored with the development of their very own meta-personality test, SPIRITS TEST. The “SPIRITS TEST” results are correlated to unique “SPIRIT TYPES” which the band share more about in their upcoming graphic novel “SPIRITS VOL.1” due out this year via Z2 Comics.
Today, L.S. Dunes — guitarist Frank Iero, guitarist Travis Stever, vocalist Anthony Green, bassist Tim Payne, and drummer Tucker Rule — have announced two special Southern California club dates this spring: April 8 at Pappy + Harriet’s in Pioneertown, CA and April 9 at 1720 Club in downtown Los Angeles.
The celebrated hardcore punk band has also shared a brand-new video for “Past Lives,” the title track of their acclaimed debut album, Past Lives, released late last year via Fantasy. The blistering live video features footage captured during L.S. Dunes’ triumphant sold-out North American tour in November + December of 2022.
“We couldn’t be more excited to announce our upcoming California shows,” Iero states. “We’ve wanted to play at Pappy + Harriet’s since we started L.S. Dunes and we’re thrilled to finally make it a reality. Can’t wait to see all our lost souls out there.”
L.S. Dunes recently completed their first-ever run of European shows last month, playing to fervent crowds in London, Glasgow, Manchester, and Birmingham in the UK, before finishing up in Amsterdam, Paris, Cologne, Berlin, and Prague. In addition to the new dates, the band’s previously announced shows include the Adjacent Music Festival in Atlantic City, NJ on May 28, and five shows on the Sad Summer Festival tour: Jacksonville, and Clearwater FL, on July 6 and 7, Alpharetta, GA on July 8, Portsmouth, VA on July 11 and Baltimore, MD on July 12.
Find the complete tour itinerary here. More dates will be announced soon.
Produced by Will Yip (Turnstile, Circa Survive, Quicksand), Past Lives navigates themes of fearlessness, dependency, nonconformity, and impermanence in a boundary pushing synthesis of post-hardcore and punk that has established L.S. Dunes as one of the rock’s most compelling new arrivals. From the gripping, theatrical opener “2022” and the blazing “Bombsquad,” to the pummeling, expansive “Permanent Rebellion,” and the disarming album closer, “Sleep Cult,” Past Lives is an electrifying and emotional ride.
After the shock of the pandemic shutdown, the close friends and mutual admirers urgently realized that “tomorrow” is not promised. “We never knew if we would ever get to play these songs together; in fact, none of us lifelong musicians really knew if we’d ever be able to play music for a live audience ever again,” Iero recounts. “‘Permanent Rebellion’ is about taking back what is rightfully yours,” Rule added. “We wanted to do something where you can hear all our bands in it and yet, not have it sound like any one in particular. Our roots are punk rock and hardcore, and the vibe is hope for all the lost souls.”
Praise has come from all corners of the globe including year-end accolades from Guitar World, Revolver (Best New Bands of 2022), Loudwire, Kerrang, Alternative Press: (55 Best Albums of 2022) Brooklyn Vegan: (Best Punk Albums of 2022), Rock Sound (cover), Stereogum, Loudwire: (Best Rock + Metal Debut LPs 2022) New Noise (cover), Line of Best Fit, Heavy Consequence, AllMusic, Forbes, and many more.
Metal fans are becoming impatient. Metal fans don’t want clubs shows, arena shows, festivals, the same old format that has been done for years. Metal fans want a serious enlightenment.
Metal fans want their mass.
Powerwolf were taken back by just how much support the group had at Pallidum Times Square. Atilla Dorn even lost his train of thought half way through the set between songs as he was taken back by how supportive the sold out crowd was for the band. When Dorn tried to teach the crowd how to sing sections of the songs, the crowd already knew how. The messages of the mass had already spread overseas; what was missing was the mass itself.
One of the highlights was the band’s performance of “Demons Are A Girl’s Best Friend”. It was less of a concert and more of a choir at that point. Another highlight was when Atilla Dorn asked for the flashlights to be turned on from everyone’s phone, and one girl held up her light-up shoe. It was the thought and effort that counted.
This was my first time seeing Powerwolf live. I have been a fan for years but have never been able to travel overseas to see the group. I’m happy I was there to be in attendance for the first U.S. mass. It wasn’t a typical metal show, but rather a celebration. This was a sing-along for the crowd and a demonstration of how talented Powerwolf is live. The support for Powerwolf was so strong that inside Palladium Times Square was the longest merch line I have ever seen for a concert. Everyone wanted to support the band and be part of the wolfpack.
The photos below do not do justice to how lively and energetic the metal mass was. Click below to expand each photo from the show in NYC.
Powerwolf have planned a hectic 2023. Along with the band’s upcoming album Interludium (arriving April 7, 2023), Powerwolf have embarked on the group’s first North American tour. On the almost instant success of the New York City and Montreal, five more U.S. dates have been added for Spring 2023. Scroll below for more tour dates and to hear music from the new album Interludium.
The First Powerwolf U.S. Metal Mass
Interludium Tracklist: Wolves Of War Sainted by the Storm No Prayer At Midnight My Will Be Done Altars On Fire Wolfborn Stronger Than The Sacrament Living On A Nightmare Midnight Madonna Bête du Gévaudan
Today, SBS and production partner Blink TV are proud to announce the artist who will represent Australia at the 67th Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool (UK) is none other than Perth’s fearless, riff-laden, genre-bending band VOYAGER! The band will be entering their electrifying new single, “Promise,” which is now streaming along with a music video.
“As a long-time Eurovision fan, this is the pinnacle – Voyager gets to play the greatest show on earth!” exclaims Voyager frontman Danny Estrin. “Our song ‘Promise’ is made for the Eurovision stage and collectively we feel it’s one of our best yet. We filmed the music video in both the city of Perth and beautiful parts of Western Australia to showcase the majestic beauty of our home state. Eurovisionation, we are coming!!!”
SBS Head of Entertainment Emily Griggs adds, “Voyager bring together my love for the 80’s and catchy lyrics that you can’t stop singing. I can’t wait to see Eurovision fans the world over embrace them as much as Aussie crowds have. Voyager have been determined to get centre stage for the biggest song contest in the world and SBS know they will bring that grit with them along with a whole lot of fun. Look out Europe, the Aussies are coming!”
Director of Blink TV Paul Clarke comments, “‘Promise’ is a song that delivers in spades, from a band that never fails to impress. From the very first listen I knew it was something special – an epic, cinematic track that will take listeners on an anthemic rock voyage all the way to the Eurovision stage. This year, Australia’s hopes are in the masterful hands of a band for the first time ever, and I can’t wait for Voyager to rock your socks off in Liverpool.”
Stay tuned to the SBS Eurovision website for updates HERE.
The opening line of Voyager’s 2023 Eurovision song “Promise” is somewhat prophetic. As vocalist Danny Estrin belts out the lyric, “Have you ever done anything like this before?” audiences across the globe will realize they haven’t. For the first time ever, a band will represent the country – and not just any band – a band with soaring melodies, masterful riffs, keytar solos, powerhouse rhythms, and enough charisma to take on the world.
Shattering expectations, their resilience and determination has finally paid off. Theirs is a story of passion, perseverance, and patience. The band has been throwing their hat in the ring for the Eurovision Song Contest since Australia announced its participation back in 2015. Eight years later, they have prospered, overcome, and are now victorious. Voyager are a band who take everything in their stride, over the years garnering a strong fanbase near and far, continuing to vie for their Eurovision dream. At last year’s Eurovision – Australia Decides, they took out second place in a nail-biting finish, leading the public vote with their song “Dreamer.”
Now, Voyager are about to set sail Merseyside with their song “Promise;” an epic, progressive pop metal track that transports the listener on an emotive story of adventure and redemption. Its stunning music video was captured in the region of Western Australia’s mid-west Kalbarri that boasts the pink ethereal Hutt Lagoon, and Kalbarri National Park, where there are epic gorges and rock formations including Nature’s Window.
Blending New Romantic, ‘80s infused vocals with technical, melodic framework, groovy basslines, bombastic drums, and what is fast becoming the band’s signature instrument, the keytar, it’s sure to lift the roof off Pier Head, Liverpool. They have toured the world many times over, with an influx of fans on their latest European tour won over by their electric live performances.
Voyager will soon embark on their eighth album cycle, but before they can begin their next chapter, they must first take on the epic battle they have long been fighting for.
Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy, with their song Stefania. This year, the United Kingdom will host the competition on Ukraine’s behalf with the theme United by Music. This is the ninth time the United Kingdom will host Eurovision and the fifth time it’s hosted for other countries due to financial or capacity issues.
SBS’s exclusive coverage will once again be in the capable hands of music buff Myf Warhurst and comedian Joel Creasey. This year marks 40 years of SBS broadcasting the Eurovision Song Contest to all Australians, and the eighth year Australia has participated in the event.
The Mars Volta is an American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 2001. The band’s only constant members are Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, producer, direction) and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals, lyrics), whose partnership forms the core of the band. The band’s current line-up also includes founding member Eva Gardner (bass), Omar’s brother Marcel Rodríguez-López (keyboards, synths, percussion), Linda-Philomène Tsoungui (drums) and Leo Genovese (keyboards, saxophone).
The Mars Volta is the seventh studio album by American progressive rock band the Mars Volta, released through Clouds Hill on September 16, 2022. Produced by guitarist, songwriter and musical director Omar Rodríguez-López, the album was preceded by the singles “Blacklight Shine”, “Graveyard Love” and “Vigil”.
From Britney Spears to Social Distortion to Bryan Adams, Kid Cudi and Kanye West to Hanson, Bowling For Soup have applied their trademark sound to unique cover versions of huge hits by these artists and many more over the years. For their latest adventure in putting the BFS spin on the work of another artist however, they’ve chosen one of 2023’s biggest hits so far.
Having racked up over 500 million streams on Spotify and over 230 million views of the video on YouTube in a matter of weeks, Miley Cyrus song “Flowers” is going to be one of the biggest songs of the year. It caught the ear of Bowling For Soup main man Jaret Reddick straight away, as Jaret himself explains:
“It’s not often we want to record a current hit, but “Flowers” is a freakin BOP! The first time I heard this song, I could already hear what it would sound like as a BFS song. Excited for everyone else to hear it now”
Jaret was spot on, as the Bowling For Soup version of Flowers sounds easily like the song could have been meant for them all along! Please check out the video for the Bowling For Soup cover of Flowers below:
Bowling For Soup will be returning to the UK part of the bumper line up for Slam Dunk Festival 2023, taking place in Leeds and Hatfield in May 2023. They will join headliners Enter Shikari, The Offspring, Creeper, Yellowcard, The Hunna and Malevolence as well as Less Than Jake, Billy Talent, Holding Absence, The Menzingers, Pvris, Four Year Strong, Underoath, and many more across six stages at Slam Dunk 2023. Tickets for the festival are on sale now at www.slamdunkfestival.com and are expected to sell out – so don’t miss out!
Bowling For Soup’s 11th and latest studio album, Pop Drunk Snot Bread, is out now on Brando / Que-So Records. The album can be streamed, downloaded or purchased on the following link. Merch for the album is also available on this link. The album has been heralded as Bowling For Soup’s best work in the last fifteen years, with equal acclaim from fans and the UK music press. The album was also in the Top 10 UK album charts for Spotify over release weekend, with tracks from the album having already racked up over 6 million streams so far just on Spotify.
1) Greatest Of All Time 2) I Wanna Be Brad Pitt 3) Hello Anxiety 4) Getting Old Sucks (But Everybody’s Doing It) 5) Pee Break 6) The Best We Can 7) Alexa Bliss 8) Burn Out 9) June Carter Cash (Lost and Found) 10) Public Service Announcement 11) Killin’ ‘Em With Kindness 12) Wouldn’t Change A Thing 13) The Letter 3 (Sitcom Song) 14) After All These Beers 15) Greatest Of All Time (Reprise)
After announcing their upcoming tenth studio album Toxic Positivity earlier this week, rock icons The Used are keeping fans on their toes and have released a surprise new single “People Are Vomit”. The track is a straightforward, in-your-face explosion of Bert McCracken’s iconic angst-ridden vexation and snarling pop energy that doesn’t let up. It is everything fans have come to expect from The Used over the last 20+ years at the forefront of the scene, solidifying their enduring legacy.
Yesterday, The Used announced that their newest album Toxic Positivity will be out on May 19 via Big Noise. Toxic Positivity includes “People Are Vomit” as well as the previously-released, no-holds-barred “Fuck You” released in 2022.
Established in 2000, The Used was brought to life and have since released a collection of albums that pioneered the scene of emo rock. High energy live shows, gut wrenching relatable lyrics, and melodies that blended pop sensibility and hard rock was the perfect combination to make an everlasting impression on fans globally.
The Used released their ninth studio album, Heartwork (Deluxe), in 2021 via Big Noise. The extended album features 11 never-before-heard tracks that were all written during the original Heartwork (2020) sessions. A variety of collaborators including producer John Feldmann, co-writer Mark Hoppus (Blink-182), guest artists Travis Barker, Jason Aalon Butler (Fever 333), Caleb Shomo (Beartooth) and more helped deliver this now 27-track album that simultaneously showcases what made The Used emerge as one of the most prolific bands of the early 2000s as well as what has kept them at the forefront of the genre ever since. The band locked in #4 spots on both the Top Alternative and Top Hard Rock Album charts, #11 on Top Rock Album charts as well as landing in the Billboard Top 200 at the #87 spot.
The Used is Bert McCracken (Vocals), Jepha (Bass), Dan Whitesides (Drums) and Joey Bradford (Guitar).
For a band that describes itself as a metal circus, Dance Devil Dance shows that off as the FUN type of circus, not the creepy one. More so than past Avatar albums, Dance Devil Dance has infectious movement and energy that you want to dance around with. Songs like the title track and The Dirt I’m Buried In have that groove you want to move with. It’s heavy without going overboard and some of the guitar riffs are amazing throughout the runtime. There is some tonal whiplash between tracks that break up the party, but Johannes storytelling and voice is so lively that you want to keep listening. Don’t be fooled by the scary metal jester. This is quite fun. 8/10.
Avatar Dance Devil Dance Album Review
Avatar is a Swedish heavy metal band, formed in Gothenburg in 2001
What did you think of Dance Devil Dance? What do you think of Avatar? We play many of these songs live on New Music Night when they drop so be sure to join us on Twitch every Sunday evening at 7PM EST.
