Epic Cover Album

-(16)-: FORGERIES Vol 1, 1972-1984

(Severely) hard rock veterans -(16)- put out a cover album last month, and as indicated by the title track, "I Can't Get Enough".  These covers are not intended to sound like the originals, but to sow the band's appreciation for them.  In their words: "We’ve always believed that a great cover is not mimicry but revelation.  It’s finding a song that's already lived inside you since youth and letting it crawl out, bruised and changed. "

Check out the variety of covers here:

Yes, the Bee Gees' Tragedy is smack dab in the middle. And what a choice of Scorpions tune!  Matthias let it rip on his first Scorpions album, especially on that tune.

Anyway, here are a couple for your perusal:

And how about the album art, by the legendary Marald Van Haastern?  Definitely in contention for album cover of the year.

-(16)- are from California, and have been putting out devastatingly heavy music since 1992.

They are:

Bobby Ferry: Guitar, Vocals

Barney Firks: Bass

Dion Thurman: Drums

Alex Shuster: Guitar

New Elder Out Now, And New Green Lung On The Way

ELDER: THROUGH ZERO

The legendary Elder has just released another album, and it may be their best one so far.  Any Elder release is automatically an instant contender for album of the year, but this one is extra special.  Start with this, and then you know what to do to next.

Elder are originally from Massachusetts, and currently reside in Berlin.

Pretty sure you know this, but they are:

Nick DiSalvo: Guitar, Vocals

Jack Donovan: Bass

Michael Risberg: Guitar, Keyboards

Georg Edert: Drums

GREEN LUNG: NECROPOLITAN

The only reason Green Lung's "This Heathen Land" didn't make my Best of 2023 list is that I didn't purchase it until 2024.  It is now one of my favorite albums of all time, and I can't wait to hear the rest of this when it's released in September.  Until then, we've got this sweet track to get permanently stuck in our heads:

Green Lung are from London.  They are:

Tom K. Templar: Vocals
Scott Black: Guitar
Joseph Ghast: Bass
J. G. Wright: Keyboard
Matt Wiseman: Drums

You can preorder on Bandcamp here.

One from today, and one from last Friday

 Released today....

Gozu are from Massachusetts.  They are:

Marc Gaffney: Guitar, Vocals

Doug Sherman: Guitar

Joe Grotto: Bass

Seth Botos: Drums

and released one week ago today...

I saw Restless Spirit open for the Truckfighters in Cambridge last August.  I had never heard them before but they were so good live, I bought two of their albums the next day.  This is their newest.

Restless Spirit are from New York.  They are:

Paul Aloisio: Guitar, Vocals

Marc Morello: Bass

John Gusman: Drums

And good news:  you can catch both of these bands together next month in Cambridge, at the Middle East.  Tickets are a most reasonable $27 here.  I have yet to see Gozu live, but can tell you Restless Spirit was born to play live; you won't be disappointed.  

Maybe I'll see you there!

-ULTRA

Turns Out It Wasn't The Final Countdown

 Call me ignorant, but I thought the band Europe went away after their big hit "The Final Countdown".

Apparently, they never stopped making music, and I found this on my YouTube feed this afternoon:

Pretty polished and very catchy, and makes me want to hear the rest of the album, which is due September 25.

What do you all think??

2026 Top Third

Best of January - April 2026

 

Over 90 minutes of excellent rock tunes released from January to April, 2026. These artists are from: Argentina, Australia, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United States

Out Today....

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY:

GOOD GOD / BAAD MAN 

By the way, these guys will be at the Palladium a week from today, along with Clutch and JD Pinkus.

Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

Album here, and concert tickets here.

You know what to do.

ON THE HORIZON...

Boston's own Gozu has got a new song, with the full album to be released on May 15

 

You can pre-order here if you are so inclined!

Out Today......

 

DEVIL ELECTRIC: TAHLIA

Australian band Devil Electric has released their fourth (third full-length) album today, and I'm really liking it.  I pre-ordered it based on the pre-released title track, and here's a new one I really dig:

Devil Electric are:

Pierina O’Brien (Vocals)
Christos Athanasias (Guitars)
Nicolas Dumont (Bass & Vocals)
Mark Van De Beek (Drums)

MONSTERNAUT: APPROACHING DOOM

I loved this Finnish band's prior three albums, so this was an instant pre-order for me.  I've been enjoying the pre-released track "Approaching Doom" and have been looking forward to the rest.  Today is the day, and here's another one that I like even better:

Monsternaut are:

Perttu Härkönen: Bass

Patrik Kuitunen: Drums

Tuomas Heiskanen: Guitar, Vocals