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Pisces Sun” began with a bass line. Written by KOYOT bassist Donavin Logan and originally inspired by the bass work of Kevin Parker, the riff became the foundation for a song that would continue to evolve over several years. Wade Lavallee began writing the opening verse around it, with a friend contributing to the latter half of the verse. It happened to be Pisces season at the time, and the name “Pisces Sun” stuck.

Years later, Lavallee returned to the song and found a deeper meaning within the words they had written. With a clearer sense of what the song had become, he completed the remaining lyrics and brought the story of “Pisces Sun” into focus.

From there, the song continued to take shape as a full-band effort. Bassist Donavin Logan, drummer Dex Yadlowski and guitarist Harin Joshi expanded on the original arrangement, eventually introducing a polyrhythmic bridge that changes the course of the song and builds toward its climactic final section. A soaring guitar solo carried by a powerful, dynamic drum performance.

The result reflects the way “Pisces Sun” came together: not all at once, but over time. What started with a bass line and an unfinished verse was allowed to grow naturally, taking on new meaning as the band itself evolved.

Midwest rock band Amenazar return with “Caroline”, an emotionally charged rock song about wanting someone to stay while recognising when it is finally time to let them go.

Following “Here For You”, a track rooted in the determination to hold on, “Caroline” explores the other side of that struggle — the moment when holding on gives way to letting go.

Built around a solid groove, dynamic guitars and raw vocals, the song captures the feeling of watching someone you love slowly slip away. There is a constant tension between what the heart wants and what the mind knows, as the instinct to hold on clashes with the growing realisation that things have changed.

Distance, isolation and the frustration of reaching for someone who continues to pull away run throughout the track. Eventually, the lyrics bring the conflict into sharp focus:

“If I can’t change your mind to stay / Go away Caroline.”

It isn’t simply about giving up. Instead, it reflects that difficult point when holding on begins to cause more pain than letting go.

Musically, “Caroline” stays true to what Amenazar do best, combining groove, weight and melody with guitars that serve the song rather than overwhelm it. It marks another chapter in a continuing run of new music from a band still driven by the same thing that brought them together in the first place: a lifelong love of sound.

Hailing from Missouri, Midwest rock band Amenazar are built on friendship, grit and a lifelong love of sound. The lineup features Scott Foulk (vocals), Bruce Condon (lead/rhythm guitar), Brandon Daniels (bass), Dennis Mendoza (guitar), Chad O’Callaghan (lead/rhythm guitar) and Everett Jonas (drums).

Their music balances raw energy with emotional depth, creating songs that carry the marks of life — raw, relevant and alive with purpose.

Madrid-based alternative rock duo The Atomic Café, who have been making music together for 15 years, have released their new single, “The Key Of Life”, available now on all major streaming platforms.

Written by Daniel Poza (vocals and keyboards) and Gabriela Castro (vocals), the track features Alex Morell on bass, Daniel del Val on drums and Nacho Ruiz on guitars. Musically, it sits in the world of melodic, guitar-driven rock, drawing inspiration from bands such as Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Weezer, Biffy Clyro and Nothing But Thieves.

Lyrically, “The Key Of Life” explores personal stagnation and the emotional paralysis that can creep into everyday life, captured in the line “nothing moves if you stay in bed”. The song ultimately points towards finding meaning through connection with others, balancing restrained verses with expansive, anthemic choruses.

The release is accompanied by an animated short film with an anime-inspired aesthetic, directed and written by the band themselves. Translating the song’s everyday struggles into an almost dreamlike visual narrative, the film provides a striking contrast to the music and forms an important part of the project’s identity.

Speaking about the single, Daniel Poza and Gabriela Castro explain:

“For us, ‘The Key Of Life’ is about the desperate search for meaning in our lives, how it can end up consuming you, and discovering what truly matters before it’s too late.”

A Cat Called Monty is the solo project of award-winning songwriter David Jennings, an Australian-born musician now living in south-west Germany. A displaced Aussie with band members spread across the globe, David has branched out on his own and finally found the time to get stuck into making music again.

For lovers of Blur, retro sounds, guitar riffs and Beatlesque tunes, there’s plenty to enjoy. Although he always intends to keep things acoustic, David can’t help plugging in the guitar, adding a tune on the synth or imitating an orchestra with his violin. It’s an obsession that keeps the music varied and full of character.

Having been part of the Melbourne indie scene in the late 90s and early 2000s, A Cat Called Monty returns in late 2026, as tuneful as ever.

Born in Melbourne, David now lives in south-west Germany with a dog, two kids and a black belt in karate. He writes mostly while strumming an acoustic guitar, although sometimes the piano takes over. His starting point might be a melody with a little magic, or occasionally just a title or phrase that sparks an idea.

Over the next year or two, the aim is simple: to release songs regularly and keep the music coming.

Welcome to Life

You think you’ve got it made. Everything is worked out, everything is going to plan, and life is running smoothly, orderly and step by step. Life is almost… well-behaved!

But then life has other ideas.

Ghost Rebel Club has grown like a quiet ghost story, building an impressive following with nearly a quarter of a million video views across Instagram and YouTube, more than 20,000 streams, and over 120 playlist placements. Early releases including The Earthquake’s Daughter, The Anomaly, Golden Heart and Moonflower helped establish the project’s growing international audience.

Their debut album, Moonflowers, was later expanded into a Deluxe Edition, combining stripped-down versions with remixes by Mike Schmid (Miley Cyrus, Chappell Roan) and Tom Monger (Florence + The Machine). The release attracted international attention, including a full interview in SPIN and support from Rolling Stone editors.

The next chapter began in April with Champions Of Wonders, the first single from the forthcoming project The Last Birds Of Paradise. Featuring an impressive line-up of musicians, including Jay Stapley (Roger Waters), Jon Cobert (John Lennon), Neil Fairclough (Queen) and Chris Whitten (Paul McCartney), the track was mixed by Nicolas Essig, whose credits include Coldplay, Lana Del Rey and Daft Punk. It marked the beginning of an exciting new direction for Ghost Rebel Club.

The single received a fantastic response, followed by That’s Just the Night Talking, which further confirmed the project’s growing momentum. Together, the two tracks opened the door to a cinematic and soulful new world, blending ambitious musical arrangements with a strong sense of atmosphere.

Their latest single, Lucy, reveals a more intimate and vulnerable side of the project, offering a personal contrast to the expansive sound of the earlier releases. With each new track adding another layer to the story, Ghost Rebel Club continues to develop its own distinctive musical identity.

Giant Head Collective is a guitar-led rock project built around melody, atmosphere and honest songwriting. Rooted in the tradition of artists such as Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen, the music is driven by real instruments, clear intent and songs that reveal more with each listen.

There is no obvious attempt to chase trends here. Instead, the focus is on observation and storytelling, with songs that look at where we are, how we got here and the things we sometimes choose to ignore along the way.

Recent releases including Wasted on the Young and Those Shoes Don’t Fit move between personal reflection and wider themes, building a growing catalogue that balances accessible rock songs with more thoughtful material.

The project is now building towards the full release of Hear Us Out, bringing these ideas together into a broader body of work.

It is music made to last, rather than simply music designed to make an immediate impact.

In a world craving a return to the human art of storytelling and melodic escape, Chicago modern rock quartet Emitterdeliver with their powerful new album, Extra Pale.

Blending guitar-heavy grooves, driving rhythms and a bright, kaleidoscopic sound, the album provides the perfect backdrop for Jason Chappell’s distinctive powerhouse vocals. Soulful and occasionally sombre, but ultimately resilient, Extra Pale is rock ’n’ roll that feels both classic and immediate. Fans of Counting Crows and Foo Fighters should find plenty to enjoy.

The album, released April 17, brings together Chappell (vocals/guitar), Steven Van Der Griend (guitar), David Schoon(bass) and Edd Merkel (drums).

“Extra Pale is unfinished business for us. We made this record ourselves, writing it, producing it and playing everything except the drums. It sat on a hard drive for almost 20 years, and we realized we owed it to each other to let it breathe.”

Originally recorded at The Pop Machine in Indianapolis with Marc and Eric Johnson, the album features drummer Kenny Aronoff and was ultimately completed with producer Marc Daniel Nelson.

“This record is about brotherhood and grit. Life happened, and the album never came out. Twenty years later, we realized we weren’t done with it.”

Now, Emitter aren’t chasing trends — they’re simply releasing an album they believe in. Extra Pale will also receive a limited vinyl release, marking the band’s first full-length album since their beginnings in the early 2000s.