My Favourite Album with Smithy from The Fires Below What is the album? Queens of the Stone Age 'Songs For The Deaf' Why is it your favourite album? Not only are some of their best, well-known songs on this Album, it is a masterpiece that's over 20 years old and has stood the test of time.   The musicianship, writing and energy are at their peak, and the captivating radio concept that merges this saga together is unapologetic creative genius .  If you've not heard it, stick it on right now. How does it make you feel when you listen to it? As a whole, it feels like you go on a real journey, on a desert highway. The album is escapism, transporting your mind to some Americana road movie that you watch on repeat with pleasure. It has highs and lows, a lot of humour and creates a unique atmosphere that epitomises the band's origins that can't be replicated. How do you feel when you hear the songs from that album played live? Luckily, the band still play a lot of these songs Live simply because they are absolute bangers and their most well-known songs. If they didn't play 'No one Knows', 'Go with the Flow' or finish their set with 'Song for the Dead' at a gig then fans would feel a bit cheated. These days it takes a lot to get me in the moshpit, but I'll do it for QOTSA, I think last time I nearly lost a shoe, luckily I got it back at the end of the gig, otherwise the walk home would have been a soggy one. What is your favourite track and why? 'Go with the Flow' is not only my favourite track on this Album, it is also my favourite song ever. It is pure rock driving energy mixed with beauty and emotion. It has possibly the best ever music video of all time as well.

German metalcore mainstays Caliban deliver tried and true metalcore with latest release Back From Hell. For the band’s fourteenth studio album, Caliban are not pulling any punches although, for an act that has enjoyed such longevity, they still have the ability to throw in one or two surprises. Metalcore these days more often than not falls into the trap of same old, same old with so many bands sounding alike and trying their best to ride on the coattails of successful pace setters such as Killswitch Engage, Bleeding Through or Parkway Drive. It can indeed be argued that its metal’s most mundane and yet changeable sub-genre, with many a band embracing and adopting totally (and sometimes wholly unexpected) changes in their sonic output. But there are still some acts that retain their root sound, whilst still delivering a staggering blast that has you headbanging along and madly desiring to punch a wall. Caliban is one such band and, without seeming to seek so much of the limelight, are a band that fans of the genre really should be touting as one of the best out there by now. Back From Hell is the result of 2 and a half years of a creative honing and redesign of their sound, as the band have stated prior to its release. This absolutely doesn’t mean that Caliban have spent that time deciding what type of sound would propel them onto the radio charts or drag new swathes of fans that have so readily embraced Bring Me The Horizon or the aforementioned Parkway Drive- now selling out arenas on a regular basis. Instead the band have explored avenues that are still refreshing yet steadfastly sticking to what made the genre so satisfying in the first place. With proper opening track “Guilt Trip,” featuring Mental Cruelty, Caliban have set out exactly what they have in store for the listener with a riff and vocal approach that reminds one more of Behemoth than Architects and a blackened death sound that fits the band well as they clearly steer their sound in this direction throughout the album (more on this point later). The band embrace an aggression that perhaps many metalcore acts shy away from in recent times and this makes “Guilt Trip” and the rest of the record very pleasing to spend time with. None of this is to say that Caliban have suddenly left their more melodic side behind as each track features a catchy chorus that the band have expertly crafted to leave you humming along, long after the song is finished. The sudden shift from earth-shattering, pummelling beats could easily be too much of a jarring change if in the hands of a less capable band, but Caliban prove that they can easily show how it’s done by delivering punch after crunching punch with hardly a let up for air. And, as if to drive the point home, it’s the collaborations that really stand out. In particular, “Dear Suffering,” which features a guest spot from deathcore veterans Fit For An Autopsy, sets the pulse racing with a punishingly djenty riff that smacks right in the mouth. This collaboration is prescient as deathcore has experienced a bit of a revival of late, with a number of bands releasing praise worthy albums with Fit For An Autopsy being one of them. Caliban manage to steep their own sound in the waters of deathcore without it sounding naff or forced to exist where it does not fit. Title track “Back From Hell” featuring The Browning is another similar stand out as Caliban continue to wield the brutality of deathcore into something that lovers of all thing heavy can get behind. It is only toward the back end of the album that Caliban retain the more familiar sound of modern metalcore with the ballady “Solace In Suffer.” While providing for a perhaps well- earned respite from the belligerence of the previous ten tracks, the song has a well-crafted hooky vocal performance from singer Andreas Dörner overlaid with a crunching guitar riff that doesn’t seem to notice that the song is meant to be a more steady, emotional come down. This is where Caliban show that metalcore can competently be equal parts catchy and ferocious. For a band presenting us with their fourteenth album, there is no sign of a let up of intensity and Back From Hell can easily be a sleeper hit of the year with something for every fan of the genre.

Album Review - Heartwork - Medicine Head John Peel was taken from us too soon, why do the good die young. John knew a great artist when he heard them, and he championed quite a few who probably would not have made the grade of the Major labels of the late 60’s and 70’s. Forming his own label Dandelion he signed artists such as the duo,Medicine Head in 1968 and let them develop their sound and identity. And thanks to that, John Fiddler didn’t have to get a job as a plumber and has now released a fabulous new album - Heartwork. In 1973/4 they had three top thirty hits with, Rising Son number 11, Slip and Slide number 22, and One And One reaching a healthy number 3. At the time they were Peter Hope Evans and John Fiddler. Peter Hope Evans finally left in 1976, and with his blessing, John Fiddler carried on flying the Medicine Head freak flag high. This is the second album in three years for John Fiddlers Medicine head, which has expanded to to a five piece, but still carrying on his legacy of blues based music. The predecessor to this, his first for ten years was Warriors Of Love. I played the first track Making Up For Lost Love and I was in love as the Santana Esque groove washed over me. It was like a Jimmy Miller production with hot chocolate and mollassas dripping over it. Fiddler has recruited some excellent and experienced musicians, including Belinda Campbell on backing vocals with a beautifully mellifluous voice blending with Johns like milk and honey. Also we have Dave ‘Bucket’ Colwell on lead guitar who has played with Bad Company, Humble Pie and Buckets Rebel Heart. The rhythm section comprises Paul Edwards on drums who played for Paul Young and also Buckets Rebel Heart, and Andre Shapps on bass, who has Big Audio Dynamite to his credit. They are a great band and gel together well, producing some 70’s feeling music with a lush 2025 sound. There are ten tracks in all, and not a filler among them. Each one stands up with it’s own merit. If I had to choose a favourite, I would say Get Your Hand In The Air, followed closely by Making Up For Lost Love. The Bv’s on both these tracks remind me of Dr John’s Gris Gris era. An album to be proud of John Fiddler and may you write and record for a long time to come.

Gig Day With All For Jolly Answered by Shipwreck Steve (guitarist and vocalist) How do you get to the gig? Currently, we travel in Newbert. Newbert is third in the series of band vans. Let’s see how long he lasts.  Do you carpool? Is there someone who is the “driver” of the band? 3 of us drive in the band. We take it in turns.  How early do you need to get to the gig? Depends on the gig but at the very least an hour before.  When there is more than 1 band playing, how does everyone get set up and soundchecked? Is there a specific order to everything? Usually, the headliners soundcheck first, then support’s in reverse order of they're stage times, unless it's a festival, then usually each band has about 15 to 30 minutes to set up and go.  What do you do once you have done the soundcheck? If it's earlier, eat, drink, sleep if we need, or write a setlist. Do you have any rituals before going on stage? Each of us has our own routine for warm ups for our voices and our instruments. Making sure everything is ready as well as back up solutions if anything goes wrong. We usually have a band hug on stage in front of the audience before we play.  What are you mainly thinking about while you are on stage? How the crowd is reacting mainly and looking out for each other. What’s the first thing you do when you have finished your set? We usually have to pack down our gear pretty quickly, either for the next band or maybe they just need the stage cleared, then go by the merch table and meet fans.  What do you do next? Load Newbert back up and off to either home, or the accommodation.  How do you end the night? Sleep. Maybe we'll pop out somewhere but mainly sleep. Depends on what's happening the next day.

Album Review - Skeleta - Ghost One of the perhaps unsung talents in Tobias Forge’s arsenal is his prodigious business acumen. Over the course of Ghost’s previous five albums, Forge has proven that he is as adept at writing a catchy hook and chorus as the very best of them but he has also steered the group in directions that have seen the band enjoy an immense array of successes-none more so than selling out sizeable arenas on their current Skeletour extravaganza through Europe. It is with this in mind that one can begin to digest the newest effort by Ghost, Skeleta . It is impossible to overemphasizes how much of Ghost Forge oversees down to the most minute detail. Whether it’s creating the crowd-pleasing masterpieces such as Square Hammer or Mary on a Cross, or creating viral youtube webisodes featuring the ever-expanding lore behind the Papa persona, or even pushing Ghost into the literal limelight by releasing a hit and miss concert film- Forge knows what he is doing, knows what he wants and knows how to get it. This is why the decision to release “Satanised” and “Lachryma” as the first two singles off of the new record could be viewed as yet another Forge masterclass-giving us two songs that undoubtedly please the fans that have been with the band since day one, getting them salivating at the prospect of a follow up to the superb Impera. What Skeleta actually gives us is a collection of tunes that is equal parts an attempt to capitalise and build upon Impera and a very measured and crafted work to get large crowds singing along inside sold out arenas. While there is no use denying that Ghost have been on this trajectory for many a year now, it does leave the long-time listener feeling a bit pushed to the periphery of the juggernaut that is now Ghost with a capital G. Very fitting then, that Forge has debuted a new look Papa, one that is markedly different in the aesthetics department, that has been delivered to us to herald this new step for one of heavy music’s most on fire acts. For those wishing and hoping for a new album/new era, the album seems to prefer to stick with the tried and tested formula of Impera, replete with sing-along hooks and stadium-sized guitar licks, albeit decidedly not as memorable, genre-bending or, dare I say it, exciting. None of which is to say the album is no good. There is plenty to like and admire on Skeleta, not least the Nameless Ghouls who continue to make a convincing case that they are the very best musicians, live or otherwise, out there. But one does find themselves yearning for more, that the band as a whole is used more for laying down killer riffs, catchy-as-hell hooks and phenomenal sonic blasts that have raised the hairs on the back of necks. That is missing a bit here on this effort, in favour of the formula, the almost paint-by-numbers Ghost that will certainly win new fans, sell out massive venues and break Ghost into the mainstream like never before. And, more power to them for aiming this high but, taken as a whole, Skeleta falls more flat than on any previous effort. Arguably, this is what happens to any band when extraordinary album sales come beckoning and major music publications come calling and that, frankly, is fair enough. And it is not as if Ghost’s music was ever unobtainable for a larger audience anyway, but it is the song quality that will matter in the long run and, for a musician such as Forge-a veritable maestro of the metal genre, we might expect a more dynamic blend of genres, added to the soup of what has earned Ghost a name for themselves and that they now are clearly reaping the benefits of. The majority of the songs on Skeleta are competent, well-crafted pop-rock songs that are, largely forgettable with a notable absence of a real crowd rousing number that not even the aforementioned “Satanized” can really achieve. Penultimate track “Umbra” may come closest to providing the wave of elation that Impera or Meliora had in spades but only exactly that - almost. The ballady songs, “Guiding Lights” and “Missilia Amori,” that Forge could easily imagine (and will surely be a reality on future tours) being sung to the rafters by adoring fans lack the danger and dark brooding of masterpieces like “Cirice” or “He Is.” And of course, neither a band, nor fans can live in the past-everyone has to move forward but, for a group that have built their foundations on prominent ensembles that have come before them, and Forge’s preoccupation with music notably from the 60s through the 80s, we can be forgiven for pining for those songs that flew in the face of conventionality and demanded to be listened to by all audiences. Perhaps most oddly, Forge’s usually on-point tongue in cheek lyrics are inducing sarcastic eye rolls instead of appreciative chuckles (see, “The third rider looks cool, on a steed black” on four horsemen of the apocalypse inspired Marks of the Evil One or, “love rockets shot right in between your eyes”.) What may bothersome, is that it could be plausibly argued that Forge has lost himself in the spoofy, goofy narrative of his previous persona, Frater Imperator-the narrative plot of which drew most criticism with the Rite Here Rite Now film. It is a case of, it was funny the first time we heard it but, maybe, it would’ve been nice to hear something different. Forge and Ghost have always wanted to push the envelope both sonically and theatrically and while they have proved that most fans, both casual and long-time, are behind them for the long-run, it would be an absolute shame if Ghost wound up disappearing into a musical mire of their own creation, people losing interest just as fast as they embrace it, like 90% of the music dominating the airwaves today. Many will love this effort and declare it another momentous victory for a band undeniably on the up, and record sales seem to prove this in spades. At the same time, there will be some who will be eagerly awaiting where Ghost go from here and whether it will be for the good.

My Favourite Album with Adam from Cober Mouth What is the album? A tough question that changes with the seasons of life – however right now, the top spot is held by: Exhibition of Prowess – Kublai Khan TX Why is it your favourite album? Kublai Khan TX are the modern masters of groove, one liners and live shows in the metalcore world of today.  Exhibition of Prowess  represents their core elements refined in a 20 minute throw down, featuring blistering riffs that give way to more one liners than an 80’s Arnie movie. Isaac Lamb is a testament to drummers that serve the song and not their ego, whilst Eric English and Nolan Ashley are so locked in you’d think it was one musician. On vocals, Matt Honeycutt and his husky Texan voice are the perfect vehicle to deliver Khan’s primitive brutality in linguistic form, particularly live. Plus,  Antpile 2 ?!?!?!   How does it make you feel when you listen to it? A bit like I want to karate-chop my hand through a very high stack of poppadoms. But mostly, I feel like I will do anything Matt barks at me: the only convincing I need has already been delivered in a barrage of disgusting, Southern mega-riffs. “the word Khan in the English language translates to KING” – thanks Matt, I’ll be able to answer you at the end of the song quiz now! “Mother fucker bang your fucking head” – sure Matt I’ll do that, this track slaps. “Push that skull through the wall” – you know what, this song is heavy enough. Sorry landlord. Matt has asked me nicely. This plasterboard is getting a new porthole…   …and that’s all before THE 2 MINUTE MARK. If you want to feel the adrenaline a neanderthal felt when clubbing its first meal to death, this is the audio equivalent. Did I mention the lyrics are introspective and contain social analysis of injustice?? WHERE IS THE ACHILLES HEEL OF THIS BAND? How do you feel when you hear the songs from that album played live? KKTX have an interesting way of framing their live sets, mainly guided by Mr. Honeycutt. The songs are practically as they appear on the record with a few modifications for crowd engagement. Their sets become what I can only describe as  Hardcore Drill Sergeant The Musical  combined with a stand up comedy set of metaphors and hyperbole. Imagine a frontman giving you mosh pit instructions, but in the form of a pitbull barking 80’s one liners at you like “Put your helmets on, your work boots, its time to clock in and get paid baby”. I’ve never heard such genuinely brutal music paired with such niche humour – for me it’s an ultimate pairing, and a masterclass of performing and entertainment. What is your favourite track and why? Supreme Ruler  – to me, an opening song is the most important. It starts with a genuinely meaningful sample of Matt reciting a question that carries a thematic link to the Mongol Empire, followed by disgusting breakdowns, crowd participation one liners, all in a run time of 54 seconds. I love short songs that leave you wanting more without overstaying their welcome. A perfect summary of what’s to come.

Interview With Blindness & Light What was the recording process like? Was it in a studio or do you do it all yourselves? A bit of both really. The lines are a bit greyed out these days. The house on Anglesey is pretty much taken over as a studio. All recording takes place here apart from some backing vocals in other peoples houses. Mixing and mastering is done by a commercial studio in Germany. How do you guys write the songs? It always starts with acoustic guitar. Then structure, then vocal melodies and lyrics. This is then built up into a full band arrangement. It takes months if not years. Song are purposely left unfinished before recording. The studio is an instrument in its own right and allows the creativity to finish off a track. What were your main influences while writing? A lot of reading and people watching. Digging into our past and seeing it from a different perspective. What is your favourite song on the new release and why? Every song is on “I Dreamt I Had Insomnia” is incredibly important to us. Every day a different one is in the spotlight. Butterfly though is super special, it’s about the eventual death of my mum after years of mental illness. How did you come up with the name of the release? I Dreamt I Had Insomnia of course came to me in a dream. What more can I say? ;-) How did the band get together? Redundancy led to us having a lot of time on our hands. Unfinished songs filled the gap and gave us new life and direction. How did you come up with the name for the band? Joy Division’s track Atmosphere was initially released on the French label Sordide Sentimental as an art package called Licht und Blindheit, which translates to Light and Blindness. We decided to swap it round. In fact Blindheit und Licht is etched on the run-off of our 2nd album “I Dreamt I Had Insomnia”. Have you got any gigs or a tour coming up where people can hear the songs live? We’re busy in the studio recording our 3 rd album at the moment. Hopefully we’ll have time for some acoustic stuff later in 2025. What are your plans for the next few months? We’re trying to get away from our reliance on Spotify . We were burnt by their heavy handed behaviour recently due to being added by some stranger to their bot ridden playlist….totally unknown to us. The playlist was rightfully taken down but also the artists were taken down too….. including us. This is hardly supporting emerging artists and of course it’s grossly unjust. There are better people out there running companies in the music business that actually like the fresh feel of new music. Music would be dead without this new blood and they realise that. All of our music is now on BandCamp and SoundCloud. The major platforms are now secondary to the more ethical outlets but I guess they’ll always need to be involved at some level. We’ll continue to connect with better companies that have a passion for music and not just money. We understand that these are businesses but some just get the balance totally wrong. Sorry for the rant but it’s amazing how heartless the industry can be. It may sound obvious but we just naively want to write songs we care about. Look after y’selves, B&L XoX

Interview With Victor Sierra What was the recording process like? Was it in a studio or do you do it all yourselves? Hello Susys Magical World readers. Victor Sierra ’s new single went very smoothly. We haven’t experienced any usual issues like: is the production accurate, what mistakes did we make in the recording process and such. We did it in our studio which more professional than ‘home’. I mean it’s at home in our basement but with some high-end features. How do you guys write the songs? At some point it comes like an urge and I rush to my guitar or my computer. I’ve got a bunch of melodies and words and ideas swirling in my mind. I can hear them playing like a music box without a stop button. It can even be painful sometimes if I’m driving or such. Some might think I’m a loonie of some kind when they hear me humming when I record on my cell phone. What were your main influences while writing? Victor Sierra is influenced by many artistic and non artistic trends from different horizons. Some out of the musical world : spy stories, retro-futurism, cinema, ephemeral painting, politics, computer science, literature, history, industrial poetry... What is your favourite song on the new release and why? Well it’s a single… But it’s our favourite song anyway! At least at the moment. How did you come up with the name of the release? It came up to my mind all of a sudden. This often happens to me. Certainly under the influence of the current state of the world. We’re dancing on quicksands these days. How did the band get together? It all started with Anouk (The Legendary Princess) and I (Commander Bob) coming from very different worlds. We met between two centuries and decided to join forces and form Victor Sierra. Other members cam and went and we finally decided to go on the two of us. It’s not quite true, because we have a jolly ghost fellow on stage, in charge of the computers. He’s the now famous Piløt X-Ray. How did you come up with the name for the band? Victor Sierra could have come from the cryptic aviators' code alphabet but some say it's something else but they won't tell because they enjoy being the happy few. Amongst them different solutions to this enigma coexist. I find this controversy enjoyable. Have you got any gigs or a tour coming up where people can hear the songs live? We have an important show coming next at a German festival close to Hamburg called Aethercircus. And we’ll have other shows this year. We can’t wait to hit the road. What are your plans for the next few months? We're now working with Deadfall Management. They will help us with the release of our new single. We'll hopefully hit the road and tour as soon as possible. Thank you for the interview and stay tuned to: https://linktr.ee/victorsierraband

Knocked Loose It is the best of times and worst of times-this familiar phrase has been juxtaposed to fit just about any and every situation human kind tends to face, but it is a surprisingly and prescient sentiment about the music scene these days. Music is accessible like never before, often literally just a finger click away. We are bombarded by new music pretty much as soon as we wake to when we lay down to bed. The ability to find a song, album, or artist is as easy as setting an app on your phone to detect the title and composer and save it for your perusal whenever you see fit. This cornucopia, if you will, of melodic delights has also made it harder than ever for musical acts to get noticed and, dare we say it, make a viable living off of the tunes they create. Listening sources such as Spotify have come under increasingly passionate and urgent criticism-the amount paid to artists paling in comparison to just how many people are listening to their material. In the midst of what is now a dog-eat-dog world in the industry, one could easily imagine that certain forms, genres and subgenres would be left by the wayside-styles already on the fringes being pushed out to a limbo where only a few handfuls of loyal banner carriers remain to follow their favourite bands through the good times and bad. Metal and all its myriad sub-genres including hardcore are one such style. With the latter in particular, with its ties to the punk scene and DIY ethos and bands that, in the past, happily eschewed the mainstream, preferring to wear its underground badge proudly on its sleeve as opposed to cracking the radio airwave shuffle. But when album sales equals longevity and the ability to stay in the game at all, these previously “niche” bands have had to try (and try and try again) their hardest to just be noticed. This makes the meteoric upward trajectory of Kentucky’s unlikely success story Knocked Loose all the more astonishing and those of us who support those fringe styles could not be prouder or more excited. What hardcore band can you remember, or even name, boasts self-professed fans such as Demi Lovato or Billie Eilish? A quick Google search of the band yields results addressing the hype ensconcing the band, while asking seemingly legitimate questions like “is Knocked Loose bigger than Taylor Swift?” (one can dream). It is true that some bands affiliated with the scene have crossed that elusive threshold of popular, with acts such as Turnstile and Bring Me The Horizon garnering huge album sales, award nominations and massive sold out venues. But what makes Knocked Loose a perhaps unique case, is that the band has met with unprecedented success while absolutely refusing to compromise on their aggressive sound. Indeed, their latest release, You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To, retains the sound of their previous efforts-the same crunching, mercilessly battering sound with vocalist Brian Garris shrieking his lungs out, the likes of which have rarely been heard before, much less in the so-called mainstream. Following the bands blistering performance on Late Night with Kimmy Kimmel, featuring guest vocalist Poppy, the band could legitimately say they have in fact broken through that barrier that has kept many a band that sounds similar away and this in turn, inevitably leaves some moving to “gatekeep” the band, believing this type of music has no business with dalliances with the mainstream. There are too many reasons to support both sides to get into here but suffice to say that, wherever you may find yourself in the argument, it is confoundingly difficult to make a case against the Kentuckians exactly because no one can credibly say that the band has “sold-out”-on their sound, ideals or philosophy. Appearing at the top of most publications best of 2024 lists following You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To, Knocked Loose announced their biggest European headlining tour to date, with UK appearances seeing the band expand into the Brixton Academy in London-a much coveted venue for bands looking to break out. The tour was overwhelmingly successful for the band and they wasted little time following it up with an announcement of their participation at this summer’s Outbreak Festival in London and Manchester. Of course, the true measure of a band usually rests on how influential the music is-whether or not it inspires the next generation or even creates its own form or style. A quick glance at the current scene certainly satisfies this aspect, as bands fitting the mould of Knocked Loose continue to emerge, enjoy measures of success and seeking to build upon the foundations that Knocked Loose have set down. For the band themselves, they readily acknowledge their own influences and the bands that came before them, paving the way for Knocked Loose to make a name for themselves and the quintet are graciously and refreshingly happy to extend a hand to any band that they feel deserve similar exposure. The future is uncommonly bright for the Kentucky hardcore outfit and they are rightly being celebrated as the standard-bearers for a style that rarely rubs shoulders with the giants of the industry. If Knocked Loose are the future of heavy music and it is, by now, an increasingly inarguable fact, it is in very good hands indeed.

MUVA What was the recording process like? Was it in a studio or do you do it all yourselves? I typically create initial models outlining ideas, lines, and intentions that are crucial for the character I aim for in each piece. Afterwards, we usually workshop these ideas in my home studio, where the band offers their input to make them truly our own and organic. How do you guys write the songs? MUVA began as a solo project led by me (Chatrán González), and the band members joined over time specifically because they had heard about the project and enjoyed my music. Consequently, our composition dynamic has remained the same: I compose and propose ideas, and the band then complements them. How do I compose? Many of my compositions arise from topics I feel deserve attention, though at least for me, there's no set method. Usually, ideas about colors and intentions simply come to me without me actively seeking them. What were your main influences while writing? I wouldn't say I have direct influences, but rather my compositions are an accumulation of experiences and elements that have been present throughout different phases of my life. I have a strong appreciation for epic cinema and poetry, I enjoy classical music, and I'm deeply connected to and proud of my pre-Hispanic heritage and the tribal folklore of diverse Latin American regions. Yet, my musical upbringing was rooted in metal, so my music is essentially a fusion of all of these aspects. What is your favourite song on the new release and why? It's something I almost never do, but on this album, there are two compositions connected to two people I love deeply: one is for my wife, and the other is for a little one who is no longer with us, but who will always be in my heart. I guess it will be a surprise when the next album comes out. How did you come up with the name of the release? Well, to be honest, I haven't even decided on the name of the next album yet. It's a surprise, even to myself. How did the band get together? Miller Aguilar (our new singer) came on board after an audition with many talented individuals, and I selected the one who made me smile the most. The other members are friends I've met along the way who have chosen to be part of this ship's crew and have empowered me to believe in myself as their captain. How did you come up with the name for the band? The name MUVA comes from an Anglo-Saxon root meaning movement, which I felt was entirely fitting given our aesthetic focus on cadence and rhythm. Additionally, MUVA was originally a pseudonym I used to identify myself as the sole composer and performer of my own music. Have you got any gigs or a tour coming up where people can hear the songs live? Well, right now we have some festivals lined up in Mexico throughout the year, as well as collaborations with other bands where we have some performances in venues across the country. But we're also working hard with Deadfall Management to get our music heard and broaden our reach to different parts of the world. What are your plans for the next few months? This week marks the release of our new video and a collaboration with the incredibly talented and acclaimed Mexican singer Iraida Noriega. Next up, we'll be releasing a new single featuring the Armenian musician Arsen Petrosyan. And finally, we're hoping to put out our third album around the middle of this year.

Album Review - Papillon - Lazerus Heights His voice hits you like a spoon of honey – he being Dick Grisdale, songwriter, vocalist and songwriter for Lazerus Heights,an Anglo French band from Dordogne. A great baritone voice, which brings on comparisons to Kevin Ayers, that very British chanteuse from Canterbury. The overall thing I like about this album is that it feels like you have heard it before, it’s not hard to get into. The arrangements , the melodies all sounding deliciously familiar, but completely original which is how I like my music. Besides Kevin Ayers, I detect some John Cale era Velvet Underground, and some sublime Dave Gilmour type guitar work, with some very complimentary keyboard work from Paul Mouradian.including some arabesque swirls reminiscent of Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti era. The rhythm section is Simon Pearson on bass and Jeff Gautier on drums, which work together like hand and glove. Yes this is band all working together for good of the song. There is not a bad moment on this album, and the more I listen the more I hear. Overall favourite tracks so far are Dry Martini, The Living Room and Lazerus Heights. Also popping up is a cover of the Jaques Brel song Next, which was also covered by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band and of course Scott Walker, a massive Brel fan. Anyone wanting to spread the word of Jaques Brel is welcome at my house anyday. I am so grateful that I was hipped to this band. As soon as the last track finishes I want to hear it all again.Its special when you form a bond like that with an album, it doesn’t happen too many times in a lifetime. The album is available on Bandcamp and on CD.

Tell us about your latest release, “Light at the end of the tunnel” Release April 4, 2025 ·What was the recording process like? Was it in a studio or do you do it all yourselves? A: A little bit of both, I sent things remotely over to my team in Sweden, so I had to learn the computer programs and things like that ha ha, but I've also had the opportunity to go to Sweden, and record there as well. How do you write your songs? A: I have an idea, I write it down, I often come up with a poem for it, and that's when I start to use my team, because I'm not so good at putting it in song format ha ha but they are so they help me with that. What were your main influences while writing? A: I take a lot of my influences from my personal experiences and feelings. What is your favourite song you have done and why? A: So far my favourite song is Greensleeves How did you come up with the name of the current release? A: I suppose that there's many songs with the similar name, but I wanted it to be this way because I wanted it to point out that you know there is light at the end of the tunnel in life, and there's hope. Why did you became a musician? A: I became a musician because I've always had a love of music, and I love making people smile and, I find it just very healing overall for both your soul and your mind. How did you come up with your stage name? A: I used to read a lot of fantasy books so that name actually was inspired by a series I was reading at the time, I was pretty young so I actually don't remember the series name ha ha, but yeah that's where this came from. Have you got any gigs or a tour coming up where people can hear the songs live? A: No not currently, but hopefully in the near future. What are your plans for the next few months? A: Lots of new music on the way, I am excited to see where that goes and really excited to keep producing and making the music!!