Interrogating Devin Townsend Part 2: The Return Of Ziltoid

Part one of this interrogation found Devin Townsend spilling his guts about 'Sky Blue', the 'nice' side of his new double album, 'Z²'. In the second half of our glimpse inside the progmeister's brain, we scoop information from his skull on the return of Ziltoid for 'Dark Matters'.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Friday, 24 October 2014

Farewell To Firefest: The Bands To Carry The AOR Torch

It's set to be a bittersweet occasion at Nottingham's Rock City this weekend when cult melodic rock show Firefest bows out after almost a decade at the forefront of a forgotten genre.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 22 October 2014

PREMIERE: AvaGrace Shoot For The Stars With II Years

There’s nothing easy about forcing your way into a crowded scene, but that’s just what Kent quintet AvaGrace are backing themselves to do in the next few months.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Monday, 20 October 2014

PREMIERE: Joey Fourr Teams Up With Plastic Fish Records For Boyz II Girlz

Plastic Fish have been delivering the indie goods for a couple of years now and the label will return on October 27 with a new compilation, the aptly-titled ‘American Sole’.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Thursday, 16 October 2014

Green Day: Many Happy Returns To...'American Idiot'

When Californian punks Green Day released 'American Idiot' in 2004, their popularity was on the wane. The biggest success in their catalogue to date had been ‘Dookie’, released a decade earlier and a triumph in snotty-nosed, ‘new punks on the block’ angst. It sold over 10 million copies.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Friday, 26 September 2014

Joanne Shaw Taylor Gets Back To Basics On 'The Dirty Truth'

Photo: Rob Monk Since being discovered by Eurythmics man Dave Stewart at the tender age of 16, Joanne Shaw Taylor's cracking guitar skills, husky vocals and impressive songwriting have marked her out as one of the best blues artists of the current generation.  

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 26 September 2014

No Guilty Pleasures #1: Alice Cooper's 'Muscle Of Love'

In part one of No Guilty Pleasures, a new feature celebrating records maligned by the masses, Alec Chillingworth takes a look at Alice Cooper at their most Spinal Tap on ‘Muscle Of Love’.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Monday, 22 September 2014

Go Somewhere And Then Come Back: Adam Duritz On Counting Crows' 'Somewhere Under Wonderland'

They may have crafted a wonderful catalogue of material and been an exceptional touring outfit for over two decades, but Counting Crows have always struggled to match the critical acclaim afforded to their 1993 debut, 'August And Everything After'. Until now.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 19 September 2014

Sing With Me: Slash And His Frontmen

He may be a global icon and the leading guitar hero of his generation, but you have to feel a bit sorry for Slash. Why, you ask? Well, although he's able to unleash rock ‘n' roll gold from his fingertips, he hates singing. Hates it. Over the years, this has meant that collaborating with pesky vocalists has been an occupational necessity.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 17 September 2014

Fast And Heavy: Wrongstock Set To Take Over The Underworld

“Mostly it's death metal, grindcore, hardcore. Basically it's all fucking fast and fucking heavy.” - A charming quote from the Camden Underworld's Facebook page.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Tuesday, 16 September 2014

Noise Not Music #7: YOB, Earth, Lussuria And More

Photo: YOB/James Rexroad ​Welcome to the latest edition of Noise Not Music on Stereoboard, the finest repository for all your extreme musical needs. From black metal, to drone, to grindcore, to power electronics, this column welcomes music usually forced to survive far out in the musical wilderness. Listeners of a more circumspect nature are advised read on with caution…

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Friday, 12 September 2014

Winter Is Coming: The Metal Gigs Still Left To Savour In 2014

This year has been – no hyperbole intended – one of the healthiest for heavy metal this side of the millennium. A slew of bands have released career-bests and there are still more on the horizon as Bay Area heavyweights Machine Head and gods of the genre Slipknot are both due to unleash new creations in the next few months. October, meanwhile, will be dominated by the latest effort from renowned genius/puppet enthusiast Devin Townsend.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Monday, 08 September 2014

Portmeirion State Of Mind: The Stereoboard Festival No.6 Setlist

They don’t make ‘em like Festival No.6 anywhere else. It will again set up shop in the picturesque, delicately surreal surroundings of Portmeirion for a weekend of tunes, talks and art pop ups between September 5 and 7, helping to bring the curtain down on the festival season in typically idiosyncratic style.

Written by: Gavin Rees | Date: Thursday, 04 September 2014

Last Hurrah: The Stereoboard Bestival Setlist

Festival season is nearing its end, leaving behind it a few million crushed paper cups, a bit of rain, some sun and a boatload of memories. Think of Bestival as the play-offs; late in the day but packed with excitement.

Written by: Matt Williams | Date: Tuesday, 02 September 2014

Many Happy Returns To...'The Stooges'

In the early ‘70s, American critics latched onto a term that would later define one of the most divisive, viscerally exciting periods in popular music history. Credit the term to Creem magazine’s Dave Marsh, credit it to whoever you like; punk rock was new, ferocious and boasted a hard edge that stood at odds with the excesses of arena rock.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Friday, 29 August 2014

Ten Not Out: Brownstock Set To Hit Double Figures

Celebrating its 10th staging, Brownstock will return to Morris farm, Essex, this weekend. The event has continued to evolve and develop in the last decade, moving from a friends and family affair to cementing its place in an already congested festival calendar.

Written by: Adam Holden | Date: Thursday, 28 August 2014

Big Time: The Stereoboard Reading & Leeds Setlist

If Glastonbury is your serene mate who likes hemp shirts, then Reading and Leeds are the friends who drag you into a basement rock club and demand your co-operation in pitting to Rollin’ at 4am. Basically, there aren’t many weekends on the calendar that stand out quite like it.

Written by: Matt Williams | Date: Monday, 18 August 2014

Brutal Art: The Year Of Triptykon

In terms of end of year polls, most bands may as well give up and peddle out a Greatest Hits album – Triptykon have got this one in the bag. Since its release in April, the second effort from Tom G Warrior's blackened Swiss crew - 'Melana Chasmata' – has spread its misery through the ears of all who dared listen, revealing not a single weak point in the process.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Friday, 15 August 2014

Valley Life: Breathe In The Silence's Merthyr Rock Playlist

“It's an awesome event and to have such massive bands playing in the valleys of south Wales just shows what can be done,” Adam Williams, frontman of Breathe In The Silence, said. His band will take to the stage at Merthyr Rock on Sunday, helping to open proceedings prior to the arrival of Taking Back Sunday, Reel Big Fish, Anti-Flag and local favourites the Blackout.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Friday, 15 August 2014

VIDEO PREMIERE: The Limited Make Their Debut With Nightmare

The Limited have revisited some painful mistakes on Nightmare, their debut single.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Wednesday, 13 August 2014