The Rockstar Reviewer (Rambling Man's Reviews)

  Words by Anselm Anderson Release Date: May 1st, 2026                                                Label: Eclipse Records Munich-based alternative metal band Antirope is set to drop their second album, "Bring Me to Zero," next month through Eclipse Records The quartet delivers a melancholic and unsettling set of tracks, recorded live at Patrick Fleischer 's home studio, LungFull Studios . The music feels brooding yet comforting, with crushing riffs merging into monotonous vocals, sludge-like instrumentals, and lyrics brimming with emotion. There is obvious influences by Black Sabbath , A Perfect Circle and Tool , which is conveyed through each outpouring of emotion throughout this release. Formed in Munich, Germany in 2015,  Antirope  of Slaven Stokic on vocals and guitar, Patrick Fleischer on guitar and backing vocals, Julie Fleischer on bass, and...

Photo courtesy of Memphia Music Management Interview conducted by Anselm Anderson Hello, how are you? Spin Class released their second EP, titled ‘Dinner at Derek’s,’ on July 18th. Could you tell us more about this release? This EP is a new era of Spin Class. We’ve spent a year crafting our tone, writing together in the same city and playing live. Dinner at Derek’s promises a menu of short, yet full tunes, chock-full of chops and changes, riffs to make your belly rumble, and melodies you’ll find yourself singing to yourself, even when you don’t want to. How would you compare this album to your first EP, 'Wednesday'? We’ve approached this batch of tunes with feeling rather than thinking, which we feel comes across, especially in the performance, compared to ‘Wednesday’. We recorded the whole EP live! It was a joyous event for us, but one we loved and will likely make our process moving forward. ‘Wednesday’ was us finding our feet as a band, ‘Dinner at Derek’s’ is us letting yo...

Photo Credit: Eclipse Records   Words written by Anselm Anderson Last week, Stereophobia released their highly anticipated sophomore album, Choke on This , through Eclipse Records. This album follows their 2023 debut, No One Cares, and features a straightforward blend of alt-rock and grunge influences. Stereophobia is a power trio based in Lisbon, Portugal, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Mike Rocha, drummer Daniel Antunes, and bassist Bruno Santos. Produced by Miguel Camillo and mixed, mastered and recorded alongside Stereophobia at MC Studios. Choke on This consists of thirteen tracks filled with musically unsettling tones, angst-driven lyrics, and sonically enriching riffs that cut deep. Photo Credit: Rodrigo Vargas The album opens with an unsettling monologue that transitions into the intense cries of 'Maggots', which combines frenetic riffs and frenzied harsh vocals, propelling this album into a dramatic surge of grunge. The album maintains a grunge essence, echoing ...

Words by Anselm Anderson In We Fall  is a new act on Eclipse Records. Most recently, they released their debut, "Inner Self." The ten-tracker is a deeply personal and philosophical take on a band that has reached a pivotal moment in its career. The quartet, from Portugal, combines grunge stylings with progressive elements and alternative rock signatures to help create a sound reminiscent of bands like Alice in Chains and Alter Bridge. Formed in 2022, In We Fall was formed by guitarist Carlos Carniero and drummer Federico Lopes with a childhood dream of creating a band. Vocalist Daniel Moreira soon offered his gruff vocal lines and productive values into the mix providing a retro sound of dark melodies, hook-laden choruses and intricate guitar lines for fans of grunge-era bands. Moreira recorded, mixed and produced the album at Evolui Som Studios and the results are a polished and refined edge to the music. In We Fall challenge themselves through lyrics about war, betrayal and...

Album Review by Anselm Anderson French-born multi-instrumentalist Tarah.G.Carpenter has seemed to be around for a while with her punk project Tarah Who?.  I first covered her for this blog shortly after the then duo's inception in 2016. The band's bold lyricism and in-your-face punk attitude were enough to shake up the rock scene.  After a slew of EPs and full-lengths, Tarah Who? has released the ambitious The Collaboration Project,  an album designed to bring together some of the brightest talents from the Independent Music circuit. Produced by Tarah, Alanis Morissette  guitarist  Jason Orme  and L7 produce r Norm Block , Tarah Who? is now a solo project following the departure of drummer Coralie Herve . Tarah.G.Carpenter takes on the role of drummer, guitarist, singer and producer as she teams up with an array of talent to sing songs based on social and political issues of the day. The song opens with the firebrand punk anthem 'Asian Blood', taking...