Alternative Music News, Reviews & Latest Releases

Knife Bride Set the Tone with Precision and Presence Our quest for awesome music brings us to Rough Trade in the heart of Bristol to catch Calva Louise on their current tour, with support coming from heavy hitters Knife Bride. Knife Bride have been on my radar for a while, so seeing them on this lineup is a real bonus - two bands that complement each other perfectly. In the venue, the stage area is busy with anticipation, a constant buzz of chatter and movement as the crowd p

From photographing local gigs to managing standout bands across the UK, Marianne Harris shares the grit, growth, and connections behind a leading independent force in modern rock. “Working in music was never on my bingo card—but one video changed everything.” Hey Marianne, welcome to Review Zoo, thanks for taking the time to share your story with us Thanks so much for inviting me to talk about Down For Life Music. It’s always delighted and amazed me that people are interested

Ahead of the release of their new album You Got This Last night we had the rare opportunity to see Skindred perform a stripped-back acoustic set at Sound Knowledge, an independent record store in Marlborough, ahead of the release of their new album You Got This . Thanks to the band and the store, a small group of lucky fans were able to experience Skindred in an intimate, organic setting—far removed from the chaos of their usual festival stages. This wasn’t a curated or selec

Photo: Stagebound Photography An inside look at how High Parasite formed, their rapid rise through the metal scene, and the creative force behind their evolving gothic “Death Pop” sound. “Tombs is loud, confident and ready to give 100% every show.” How did High Parasite form? I had written a few songs which I thought needed some death metal vocals on ( something I can’t do ) so I got in touch with Aaron ( we have been friends for years and I used to be the guitar tech for My

A deep dive into touring workflows, mix techniques, and the gear behind a modern metal show. “It’s not about being louder — it’s about feeling louder.” Hey Francis, welcome to Review Zoo Do most bands tour with their own sound engineer, or does that vary? It’s definitely genre dependent, but in the past five years I feel like there’s been a massive increase in bands bringing their own sound engineer. More niche genres are more likely to have their own person to avoid relying

"I’m gunna take a wild guess and say they probably have posters of me at the Build-A-Bears up and down the country". Review Zoo had the opportunity to catch up with Millie “Beryl” of Basement Torture Killings, exploring the band’s obsession with horror, true crime, and the grimy, slasher-inspired world they bring to the stage. From blood-soaked performances to confronting a male-dominated scene, Beryl explains the mindset behind the madness. What first pulled you toward the e

The Hertfordshire alt-metal outfit return with a cinematic new single about growth, reinvention and burning down the old self — just as they prepare to hit the road across the UK. UK alternative metal band Defences have never shied away from emotional introspection, but their latest single “Metamorphosis” pushes that theme further than ever. Arriving alongside a new video, the track captures the band at a moment of evolution — musically and thematically — as they prepare to

Click pic for more For someone who’s never heard Dead Flesh before, which song would you recommend they start with — and why? Chris - Our new song, Chewing Glass . It's an all-encompassing Dead Flesh song with a bit of everything we do. Blastbeats, chunky breakdowns, violent riffs, eerie leads and super aggressive vocals How did Dead Flesh first form, and what was the spark or vision that brought you together as a band? Nelly - We formed during the lockdown period during Covi