Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes Countries Explained.

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#20. Machine Head Machine Head: Unatoned Release Date: 4/25 Machine Head’s eleventh album is the first to feature drummer Matt Alston and lead guitarist Reece Scruggs. A band press release says the album “drips with melancholy melodies, and yet hammers with bludgeoning riffs, soars with anthemic sing-alongs of love lost and sadness, to bellowing power and undeniable confidence.” #19. Thundermother Thundermother: Dirty & Divine Release Date: 2/7 The band’s sixth studio set introduces new members; vocalist Linnea Vikström Egg and drummer Joan Massing. It also marks the return of bassist Majsan Lindberg. “There’s that genuine Thundermother feeling. with my guitar playing and all of that,”” stated founding member/guitarist Filippa Nässil. “It’s still got a ’70s vibe, but the melodies are catchier and the vocals are obviously different.” #18. Architects: The Sky, The Earth & All Between Architects: The Sky, The Earth & All Between Release Date: 2/28 The band’s eleventh studio effort includes the tracks, “Whiplash” and “Curse,” both produced by former Bring Me Horizon keyboardist Jordan Fish. “‘Whiplash’ marks the beginning of a new era for Architects, stated vocalist Sam Carter. “It is a song that speaks of tribalism, of a deepening chasm that lies between human beings. It gave us the opportunity to explore these concepts in a way that we haven’t before.” #17. Jinger: Duél Jinger: Duél Release Date: 2/7 Three singles dropped from “Duél” prior to the set’s release. The last was “Kafka.” “Being an artist is sometimes beautiful but most of the time it’s brutal… as our art is dissected word for word and ripped apart note by note,” said vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk talking about the song. “Most of the time it feels like a Kafka novel for a lifetime. It’s exciting but surreal and absurd at the same time.” #16. Memphis May Fire: Shapeshifter Memphis May Fire: Shapeshifter Release Date: 3/28 The band’s eighth album features the title track. “This track, and the entire album, is about exposing those parts of ourselves we often keep hidden,” offers vocalist Matty Mullins. “It’s a journey through the layers of deception, self-reflection, and the struggle to find what’s genuine in a world full of pretense.” #15. The Darkness: Dreams On Toast The Darkness: Dreams On Toast Release Date: 3/28 “So we knuckled down and thought really hard about the best of the best, the elite songs, the life-changing music of the ages,” frontman Justin Hawkins said of “Dreams On Toast.” “Then we popped out a dozen bangers before lunch. And these bangers we present to you here.” #14. Volbeat: God Of Angels Trust Volbeat: God Of Angels Trust Release Date: 6/6 “In the past, I’ve taken a long time to write and obsessed over so many elements of the songs before finishing them,” said guitarist/vocalist Michael Poulsen. “This time, I wanted to make a Volbeat record without thinking too much about it. Instead of following any kind of structure I said, ‘Okay, there are no rules. I can do anything I want’. That was freeing for me and made it exciting to write this album.” #13. Killswitch Engage: This Consequence Killswitch Engage: This Consequence Release Date: 2/21 Killswitch Engage’s sixth album with singer Jesse Leach, who left in ’02, and was replaced by Howard Jones for three albums. Leach returned in ’12. “”This Consequence’ to me, is the combination of everything the past five years has thrown at us as a band, as humans, and society as a whole,” explained Leach. #12. Garbage: Let All That We Imagine Be The Light Garbage: Let All That We Imagine Be The Light Release Date: 5/30 The band’s eighth album follows the ’21 release “No Gods No Masters.” “The title of the album is the perfect descriptor for this new record as a whole,” noted singer Shirley Manson (pictured above with the band). “When things feel dark it feels imperative to seek out forces that are light, positive and beautiful in the world.” #11. Arch Enemy: Blood Dynasty Arch Enemy: Blood Dynasty Release Date: 3/28 It’s Arch Enemy twelfth full-length studio effort. “(The title track) shifts gears from the fast and furious energy of our two recent singles, diving deeper into melody and atmosphere,” shared guitarist Michael Amott. “Immerse yourself in this dystopian soundscape!” #10. Pop Evil: What Remains Pop Evil: What Remains Release Date: 3/21 “A lot of writing on this record has been about listening to what my soul is saying and letting the songs find their own path, rather than chasing a sound that might fit in on the radio,” frontman Leigh Kakaty explained about the band’s eighth album. “I think you can really hear the mood and emotion of the album’s themes in the music.” #9. Turnstile: Never Enough 6/6 Turnstile: Never Enough Release Date: 6/6 Their fourth album was produced by Turnstile’s Brendan Yates. The group’s first full-length release in four years is their first album to not feature guitarist Brady Ebert following his ’22 departure. Meg Mills makes her debut as an official member (replacing Ebert), after touring with the band from ’23 to ’25. #8. Lacuna Coil:Sleepless Empire Lacuna Coil: Sleepless Empire Release Date: 2/14 “(The album) captures the chaos of a generation trapped in a digital world that never stops,” writes the band. “Throughout every song, the journey is an undercurrent of rebellion, to reclaim oneself in an era that seems to have lost its sense of time and reality #7. Tremonti: The End Will Show Us How Tremonti: The End Will Show Us How Release Date: 1/10 Guitarist/songwriter Mark Tremonti (Creed/Alter Bridge) issues “The End Will Show Us How,” the sixth album from his solo career. The set includes “One More Time.” “It started with the pre-chorus and chorus idea,” explains Tremonti. “When I came up with the opening riff, it really solidified the song. Now, it’s one of the heaviest tracks on the record. #6. Epica: Aspiral Epica: Aspiral Release Date: 4/11 The title of the band’s ninth studio album, referencing renewal and inspiration, is derived from the eponymous sculpture created in ’65 by Polish sculptor and painter Stanisław Szukalski. Singles from the album include “Arcana,” “Cross The Divide” and “T.I.M.E.” (an acronym for “Transformation, Integration, Metamorphosis and Evolution”).  #5. Dream Theater: Parasomnia Dream Theater: Parasomnia Release Date: 2/7 Dream Theater’s sixteenth studio album was produced by guitarist John Petrucci, the LP marks the band’s first release with drummer Mike Portnoy since ’09’s “Black Clouds & Silver Linings.” “He (Portnoy) was gone for a long time,” noted keyboardist Jordan Rudess. “When I listen back to the music that we’ve been creating, it’s got his stamp on it.” #4. Spiritbox: Tsunami Sea Spiritbox: Tsunami Sea Release Date: 3/7 Singer Courtney LaPlante confirmed that “Tsunami Sea,” the band’s sophomore full-length effort, is a concept album. “Every record we make is a concept album, but we don’t market it like that normally. I like to show not tell,” The set contains lead single “Soft Spine“ and the follow-up “Perfect Soul.” #3. Sleep Token: Even In Arcadia Sleep Token: Even In Arcadia Sleep Token’s fourth album features the single “Emergence.” Release Date: 5/9 Only two of Sleep Token’s pseudonymous members — singer Vessel and drummer II — are credited as having played on or composed music for the band’s three previous albums. #2. Dorothy: The Way Dorothy: The Way Release Date: 3/14 Dorothy, fronted by vocalist Dorothy Martin, have released “The Way,” the band’s fourth studio set.“This album is a love letter to the fans,” offered the singer. “I’m letting them know everything is going to be okay, and we’ll help each other find the way — even if we get lost at times.” It features the single “Tombstone Town,” with Slash (Guns N; Roses) on guitar. #1. Ghost: Skeletá Ghost: Skeletá Release Date: 4/11 The band’s sixth full-length effort contains “Satanized” which was described in a press release as “an avalanche of infectious hooks and harmonies is buoyed by a hypnotic shuffle, as the narrator succumbs to dark forces within and without, helplessly acknowledging their own blasphemy and heresy as it inexorably consumes them.” Honorable Mention: Coheed And Cambria: Vaxis – Act III: The Father Of Make Believe Release Date: 3/14 Coheed And Cambria’s tenth full-length studio effort, continues “The Amory Wars”/”Vaxis” narrative and follows their ’22 album “Vaxis Act II: A Window Of The Waking Mind.” The lead track was “Searching For Tomorrow.” “This song is a reminder that always looking for something better in your life robs you of being able to appreciate the good things you already have,” noted vocalist/guitarist Caludio Sanchez. Smith/Kotzen: Black Light/White Noise Release Date: 4/4 The album by guitarists Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) and Richie Kotzen (The Winery Dogs) features the lead single “White Noise.”“The song is about the rise of social media, how people get addicted to it,” explained Smith.For “Black Light” Smith wanted a song “inspired by some of my old Hard Rock or Blues (and then) go into a more progressive feel. 1/10 The Halo Effect: March Of The Unheard Release Date: 1/10 The Halo Effect features five former In Flames members. “I knew there would be a lot of comparisons and there would be talks about rivalry (with In Flames) and stuff like that,” offered bassist Peter Iwers. “And if you know me and you know people around me, you know that there’s no such thing as rivalry. L.A. Guns: Leopard Skin Release Date: 4/4 “The work ethic is yielding what it’s supposed to,” founder/guitarist Tracii Guns noted. “Fans stay excited, we stay excited, and we keep making records. “ The Wildhearts: Satanic Rites Of The Wildhearts Release Dates: 3/7  “The songs on ‘Satanic Rites…’ were written during a period of transition, from extremely negative to positive,” reflected Ginger (David Walls). “I realized how much control I have over my mental health, and the songs came from that understanding.” ### The post Top 20 Rock Albums of 2025 (So Far) appeared first on RockinTown.

by Chris Menahan, Information Liberation: Iran on Monday said that newly obtained intelligence will allow them to “immediately counter” any Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear sites with an attack on the Jewish state’s “hidden nuclear facilities.” From The Straits Times, “Iran says has intel to strike Israel in response to ‘any’ attack on nuclear sites”: An […]

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