Friday Night Fever: Inside the Cult of Half Man Half Biscuit by Steve Hill Route Publishing Out Now Buy Here Half Man Half Biscuit occupy a unique place in British culture. Existing largely outside the music business, this idiosyncratic Birkenhead band has flown under the radar for over four decades. Without embarking on anything that […] The post Friday Night Fever: Inside the Cult of Half Man Half Biscuit by Steve Hill – Book Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

The Wonder Stuff and Inspiral Carpets breathe life into the old and new The post The Wonder Stuff/Inspiral Carpets : Manchester : Live Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Sat in the doldrums of self psychoanalysis, Jamie T turned to the sounds of a youthfully free speaking Paul Weller. Ghosts might not be real, but try and tell your mind that they don’t exist during times you’re supposed to be enjoying yourself. Did you ever hear that rumour when you was younger? Miniscule mumblings […] The post Jamie T – Ghosts (100 Days of Morning): Album Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Long Island-based hardcore metal brutalists Pain of Truth return with a righteously blistering new album, hot on the heels of their ongoing and permanently busy release schedule. Quantity has in no way replaced quality though, only given them a sufficient head of steam, writes MK Bennett. Hardcore is enjoying a glorious renaissance right now, thanks […] The post Pain of Truth: Pain of Truth – Album Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Mi von Ahn: Yet all drifts (Self Release) Out Now Mi von Ahn has announced her third album, Delta Veins, arriving November 6th, and released the hazey new single, Yet All Drifts. A silky dreampop offering as comparable to Mazzy Star as it is the likes of Portishead and Alison’s Halo, the track brings shogaze […] The post Mi von Ahn: Yet all drifts – Single Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

It’s been a noisy, chaotic summer in London for those who prefer small shows and are unable to budget for tickets months in advance to see established bands play inside huge arenas. New bands with short names and only one or two tracks available have been appearing, and some are so new we can only […] The post Things We Didn’t Know: Summer 2026 appeared first on Louder Than War.

Three albums in after this one and Meryl is not letting it lie down. He’s covered corrupt landlords, child death on 796, nightclub nightmares, dodgy deaths and suicides, you name it. He doesn’t stop here on his quest for justice through punk sound and lyrics in his own genuine way. Wayne AF Carey reviews yet […] The post Meryl Streek: Stories They Don’t Teach You At School – Review – ALBUM OF THE WEEK! appeared first on Louder Than War.

Johnny Marr ‘The Age Of Everything’ Album Review The post Johnny Marr ‘The Age Of Everything’ Album Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Adult DVD Fighting Cocks Kingston September 29th 2026 Big, bouncing, bleepy beats and slyly seductive lyrics make Adult DVD one of the live circuit’s most-compelling acts. Steve Morgan is a slave to the rhythm. “You can’t beat the old classics,” shouts an audience wag as Dogs In the Sun, the closer on Adult DVD’s 2024 […] The post Adult DVD: Fighting Cocks, Kingston – Live Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Johnny Depp lends his presence to the latest single by Glenn Richards and the Venus Lakes, out now on Depp’s own IN.2 Records. The track, entitled Cold Hands, Warm Heart, features the Hollywood actor on accompanying vocals and has been lifted from the band’s new album, The Great Behind, due for release on 9 October. […] The post Johnny Depp guests on new Glenn Richards single appeared first on Louder Than War.

How Does It Feel by Jim Lea Published By Omnibus – October 22nd 2026 (Pre-order) How Does It Feel is the fourth and final chapter in the Slade autobiography series. Noddy Holder, Don Powell and Dave Hill have all had their say over the years, and now it is Jim Lea’s turn. To say that […] The post How Does it Feel?: Slade and Beyond by Jim Lea – Book Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Ahead of two upcoming shows at London’s iconic Roundhouse and a US tour, the very affable and engaging Martin Rossiter caught up with Naomi Dryden-Smith to talk about Gene’s reunion, Ed Sheeran, Welsh independence and football banter with Elton John. Often cited as one of the most underrated bands of the so-called Britpop era are […] The post Martin Rossiter of Gene – Interview appeared first on Louder Than War.

50 years of Punk? – Tedious anniversary events at museums and cultural hubs featuring the same old ‘I Swear I Was There’ bunch flogging their books and reissues…. . Punk endured well after the 1970’s and it still does, underground and out of the media spotlight because of bands like Slow Faction (or Sloth Action […] The post Slow Faction: Return To The Windmill – Live 2026 – album review appeared first on Louder Than War.

The End : New Manchester band post video of the year! The post Watch This! The End post stunning retro looking video of the year appeared first on Louder Than War.

If the name Blokeacola summons an expectation of laddish but sugary-sweet pop somewhere between Oasis and ABBA, this would be some miles wide of the mark. While there is no shortage of pop sensibility complementing the well-targeted angst on display, musical subtlety and lyrical intelligence underlie each of these perfectly formed tracks, with added charm […] The post Blokeacola: Boastcard – Album Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Tender Youth return with their second album, Turning Torso. The Copenhagen-based four-piece have built a reputation for intense, evocative and energetic live performances, touring extensively across Europe while developing a physical, theatrical strain of art rock that thrives on tension and experimentation. On Turning Torso, the band push that sound into unfamiliar territory, abandoning the […] The post Tender Youth: Turning Torso – Album Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

After architect Mies van der Rohe popularised the phrase “less is more”, it became a crutch for a lot of lazy, sloppy architecture. And everything else, for that matter. People took “less is more” to mean “make the least possible effort”. Miles Davis famously said something similar: “It’s not the notes you play, it’s the […] The post Ayanna Witter-Johnson: New Roots – Album Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Beyond The Music returns for its third edition from October 6–9, moving to MediaCity in Salford The post Beyond The Music music showcase event heads to Salford with GANS, The Slow Readers Club and ALT BLK ERA appeared first on Louder Than War.

Nico Harmony prepares for breakthrough with tripped out Alt Pop The post Nico Harmony celebrates breakthrough year ahead of Manchester Make a Difference Awards appeared first on Louder Than War.

Cowboy Hunters: Punched In The Head Self-Released Listen – Stream Out now Glaswegian two-piece Cowboy Hunters go viral on social media and release the song that made them go viral in the now entirely meta way […] The post Cowboy Hunters: Punched In The Head – Single Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Grauzone Festival Announces bill The post Grauzone Festival adds Mareux, Marissa Nadler, Phase Fatale and more for 2027 Dutch post punk fest appeared first on Louder Than War.

Six albums in and Blossoms are now at the level where they’re filling arenas. The scrawny kids who burst on to the scene around a decade ago with Charlemagne and a series of hit singles from their self-titled first (of four) number one albums have now grown into one of the country’s biggest bands. With […] The post Blossoms: Songs From The Wedding Cake – Album Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Man/ Woman/ Chainsaw | Uncle Junior Brudenell Social Club, Leeds 23rd September 2026 Man/ Woman/ Chainsaw sound fresh and inspired at the Brudenell Social Club. Andy Brown jumps on the cannonball for Louder Than War. As well as having a rather brilliant band name, Man/ Woman/ Chainsaw also have a considerable buzz around them. This […] The post Man/ Woman/ Chainsaw: Brudenell Social Club – Live Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Some albums take a few plays to sink in, while others make you fall in love at first listen. The giddy pop rush of Amelia & The Housewives is definitely in the latter category. But that doesn’t make it a superficial experience: come for the catchy tunes, by all means, but stay for the wry […] The post Amelia & The Housewives – Review – ALBUM OF THE WEEK appeared first on Louder Than War.

Strange Fruit: Drips EP Tip Top Recordings 12” & Download Out now Jakarta four-piece Strange Fruit insulate and excavate with their latest 12” of sublime, melodious intent. Humane robot music for motorways and lazy A-roads alike. MK Bennett finds […] The post Strange Fruit: Drips – EP Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

The Cheap Thrills Rough Trade East, London 23rd September 2026 To coincide with the release of their debut album, The Cheap Thrills hit London to play an early evening show and to sign some vinyl and CDs for their London fanbase that has steadily expanded over the past few years. Another album (Keep Cheap) has […] The post The Cheap Thrills: Rough Trade East, London – Live Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Good Kid | Last Dinosaurs O2 Ritz, Manchester 22nd September 2026 Canadian indie band Good Kid have been on the radar for a while, but live they are amazing. “Blown away” is a phrase that gets very overused when talking about gigs, but here it is not only apt – it felt like this was […] The post Good Kid: O2 Ritz, Manchester – Live Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Death Cab for Cutie | Pool Kids Victoria Warehouse, Manchester 19th September 2026 Seattle’s stalwarts of indie rock make up for lost time at their first Manchester show in seven years Ben Gibbard opens tonight’s show with an apology. “It won’t be seven years before we come back here again.” Death Cab for Cutie last […] The post Death Cab for Cutie: Victoria Warehouse, Manchester – Live Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

The Crapsons: Sunshine On Keith (Crap Records) Released 2 October 2026, pre-orders live All Formats The worldview of Birkenhead’s The Crapsons is delivered with a dose of sarcasm and humour. Their sound borrows from the gamut of punk, from Half Man Half Biscuit to thrash and hardcore via Ramones and even Beastie Boys. Nathan Brown […] The post The Crapsons: Sunshine On Keith – Album Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Chat Pile: Who Loves The Sun Via The Flenser All Formats Out now Modern hardcore/sludge rock excellence is the stock in trade of unassuming noisemakers Chat Pile from Oklahoma City, who have […] The post Chat Pile: Who Loves The Sun – Album Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Black Bordello have always sounded like a band interested in what happens when the theatrical tips over into the unsettling. On Midheaven Tempest, the London five-piece push that instinct further, assembling a challenging, textural and richly creative EP that draws as much from gothic rock, prog and psychedelia as it does from trip-hop, industrial textures […] The post Black Bordello: Midheaven Tempest – EP Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

This is a cracking, old-school garage-rock, power-pop, power-trio rock’n’roll album. Packed full of great songs. Immediately likeable. Singer/guitarist Steve Lympany is an unsung hero -he makes singing and playing guitar to perfection seem effortless. His old band, the Mild Mannered Janitors were probably in retrospect every bit as good as the Prisoners, but because they […] The post Freestone: Do The Thing – album review appeared first on Louder Than War.

What does id id id mean? Is it a lost tribe? A Latin abbreviation? A stance against identity documents? Maybe the band themselves don’t know either, or they’re keeping their I.D. cards close to their collective chest. Having tickled us with their 10” EP a couple of years ago, id id id go full throttle with […] The post id id id: Sour – album review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Anaxia: Maska (Veyl) DL | LP Out now Anaxia is the new band from Rich Oddie of Orphx and Alex Pi of Pi Electronics. On Maska, a debut album distantly devised during the pandemic lockdown, a verisimilitude of liveness and physical contact pumps and pulsates throughout every inch of grit and groove of the album. […] The post Anaxia: Maska – Album Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Returning after last year’s Bored Animal album, garage-rock duo His Lordship announce a new Chuck Berry tribute album and dates at London’s 100 Club, with special guests. A lifelong fan of Chuck Berry – at just six years of age, His Lordship’s frontman and guitarist James Walbourne saw Berry perform at Hammersmith Odeon – last […] The post His Lordship Announce Chuck Berry Tribute Album and 100 Club Dates appeared first on Louder Than War.

ĠENN: Jaguar Sun (Rock Action Records) Vinyl | Streaming Stream out now, 12″ single released 6 November 2026 STREAM HERE Brighton-via-Malta quartet ĠENN team up with Aidan Moffat from Arab Strap for new single Jaguar Sun, their first release of 2026. It’s a striking song that fully embraces their penchant for theatrical styling, brooding atmospherics […] The post ĠENN: Jaguar Sun (feat. Aidan Moffat) – Single Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Her Country: How Women Reclaimed Country Music by Marissa R. Moss Published by: Omnibus Release date: 24th September 2026 Nashville-based music journalist Marissa R. Moss examines the sexist culture of the American country music industry and profiles the women who successfully challenged the “good ol’ boys club”. This is a history of 21st-century country music […] The post Her Country: How Women Reclaimed Country Music by Marissa R. Moss – Book Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Danny and the Dressmakers Meanwhile Gardens – London 19th September 2026 Keith Goldhanger doesn’t only encourage us to listen to new bands that no one has ever heard of yet. He also welcomes the return of rare, older acts that some people may not be familiar with. ‘I don’t remember it looking like this’ is […] The post Danny and the Dressmakers : Meanwhile Gardens, London – Live Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Dogviolet: Wilting (Self Released) CD | DL | Stream Out now BUY HERE London post-punk and ethereal grunge quartet Dogviolet once again take some bold steps across the fertile ground where beauty and brutality contrast and coexist as they release their new EP, Wilting. As a collection of songs about not losing faith in the […] The post Dogviolet: Wilting – EP Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

RUTS DC Present: Fifty years of Ruts music – 1977-2027 – The RuTs 50th Anniversary Tour 2027 Hot on the heels of the just released Bound In Blood EP, Ruts DC have today announced details of their bands forthcoming 50th anniversary as both The Ruts and Ruts DC. From August 1977 and the bands formation […] The post RUTS DC Present: Fifty years of Ruts music – 1977-2027 appeared first on Louder Than War.

Our Louder Than Words festival comes to Belfast The post Louder Than Words announces new Belfast festival for January 2027 appeared first on Louder Than War.

Clint Boon memoirs The post Clint Boon ‘ The Manchester Chronicles’ Book Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

The Molotovs Manchester Academy 2 Saturday 19th September 2026 Passion, intensity, sharp clothes and great tunes – that was The Molotovs live. Paul Clarke watched an energetic band who left it all on stage as they began their inevitable rise towards arena shows. There had been some accusations of being nepo babies aimed at The Molotovs, […] The post The Molotovs: Manchester Academy 2 – Live Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Stewart Lee ‘Pea Green Boat’ review ‘dark comic genius’ The post Stewart Lee ‘Pea Green Boat’ Book Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Rum Lad: Cocknocker (Self release) Released 25 September Various formats available here DIY street punk Rum Lad hits us with another album full of his trademark sarcasm and no nonsense digs at the establishment. This time he kindly talks Wayne AF Carey through the tracks with no bullshit involved… “I find it difficult to […] The post Rum Lad: Cocknocker – Review – ALBUM OF THE WEEK! appeared first on Louder Than War.

Louder Than Words Festival announces packed 2026 Manchester programme The post Louder Than Words Festival announces packed 2026 Manchester programme appeared first on Louder Than War.

album review Zombie’ites Artificial Idiot Zombie’ites Recordings DL only Out now Psychedelic Rock’n’Roll Party bands follow-up album to 2024 debut Brains. More of the same but even better, says Ged Babey, as Zombie’ites put their hometown on the map in psychedelic technicolour and draft in a producer who makes their sound even more cosmic. If […] The post Zombie’ites: Artificial Idiot – album review appeared first on Louder Than War.

recommended gig : The Sly The post Recommended gig : The Sly bring their baggy krautrock to Manchester appeared first on Louder Than War.

The Go-Betweens: Liberty Belle And The Black Diamond Express; Tallulah; 16 Lovers Lane; Fountains Of Youth (Live At The Town And Country Club) (Beggars Banquet) Released 25 September 2026 CD | Vinyl | DL | Streaming The Go-Betweens’ subtle, haunting indie-rock reached its apogee on their three late 80s studio albums for Beggars Banquet, now […] The post The Go-Betweens: Beggars Banquet Catalogue – Reissues Review appeared first on Louder Than War.

Cross Wires: Under The Watchful Eye Of Another Man’s God (Self-released) Vinyl | Download | Streaming Out now For those who make it that far, the third album is often considered a defining milestone. With Under The Watchful Eye Of Another Man’s God, east London’s Cross Wires prove they have the maturity, intelligence and drive […] The post Cross Wires: Under The Watchful Eye Of Another Man’s God – Album Review appeared first on Louder Than War.