MILITARIE GUN
Live performance at Elevator Music – premiered in July 2026.
00:00 Intro
00:07 Kick
03:31 God Owes Me Money
06:56 B A D I D E A
08:51 Thought You Were Waving
11:55 Throw Me Away
GRIDIRON
RECORD: Poetry From Pain
RELEASED: 05|30|2025
LABEL: Blue Grape Music
COLOUR | EDITION: Magenta Canary Yellow/Black | Limited Edition (pressing quantity unknown)
FAVORITE TRACKS: Mascot / Best Served Cold / Tombstone / Poetry From Pain / Roses / Talk Real
PURCHASED: Underdog Recordstore
BAND DISCOVERED
Gridiron had crossed my radar a few times before – mostly through social media and occasional festival lineups. But I never really took the time to check them out. That changed almost by accident at Outbreak Festival in Manchester. During a break between other bands, we wandered over to catch Gridiron. Boom! The Pennsylvania outfit’s rap-infused hardcore hit like a freight train. The grooves were crushing, the rhythms pounded straight to the core, and it was an absolute blast from start to finish. The same goes for their latest full-length album, Poetry From Pain, released in 2025. It’s groovy from start to finish, packed with crushing riffs and infectious rhythms. Their most recent release, the single/EP Lights Out, is just as impressive – if anything, it’s even a touch more accessible without sacrificing any of the band’s trademark heaviness.
BESIDES THAT
Now I just need to track down their 2022 debut, No Good at Goodbyes. Right now, though, it looks like I’ll have to hope for a repress.
Where Is My Tape Deck? – Volume 2
–> Link for 90min Playlist – Mixtape Volume 2
This is the second playlist in an occasional series that pays tribute to the days when I used to sit in front of the stereo making mixtapes. Like the first one, it brings together a selection of artists and bands featured on this blog, compiled with a small nostalgic touch.
That is, after all, the story behind the name „WHERE IS MY TAPE DECK?“.
thistle.
RECORD: backflip
RELEASED: 05|29|2026
LABEL: REX RECS
COLOUR | EDITION: Transparent Cloudy White | Limited to 300
FAVORITE TRACKS: Pylon / Tied / Mean Eye / City, Name
PURCHASED: Merch table at Outbreak Fest 2026
BAND DISCOVERED
After discovering and falling in love with thistle.’s debut EP, I was even more excited when the band was announced for this year’s Outbreak Festival in Manchester. Perfectly timed for the festival in June, they released their new EP, backflip, packed with more immersive, grungy tracks. From start to finish, it’s an incredibly engaging record, striking a great balance between melodic songwriting and crushing riffs. That made buying the EP directly from the band’s merch table pretty much mandatory. I managed to grab a copy just in time – about five minutes before they packed everything up and headed off to their next show.
BESIDES THAT
Apparently, my wishes were heard. When I wrote about their debut EP it’s nice to see you, stranger, I hoped they’d eventually announce some tour dates outside the UK. Just kidding, of course. Either way, that wish has now come true: this November, they’ll be playing a string of shows across Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, and France as the opening act for Wilt. Sometimes, buying a concert ticket for the support band alone is absolutely worth it. So, thanks for the brief chat at the merch table, Cameron. See you in Cologne.
SEKO
BAND DISCOVERED
Most likely thanks to the whole Milly bubble, I stumbled upon the band Seko. A bittersweet consolation, considering that Milly recently called it quits. Milly singer Brendan Dyer plays drums in Seko, and the sound of the band around Justice Vaughn Ott treads similar ground to Milly. The trio is completed by bassist Marlon Mara LeNoble. The newly released EP Seko 1000 sounds absolutely spot-on to my ears. Extended riffs, a grunge attitude, and a shoegazing touch – the band’s style and the sound simply fit my listening habits perfectly.
CHARACTERISTICS THAT APPLY
fuzzy | raw | introspective
BESIDES THAT
The band has pressed an initial run of just 200 copies on vinyl. One of the best things about small bands is how easy and personal the communication is. Right now, I’m in touch with Justice to figure out how we can get a copy of the record over to Germany. Fingers crossed that we can make it happen.
WISH
More attention, more success, and even more records. And someday, a tour with a stop in Cologne – joking. But all wishful thinking aside: I simply hope the band gets seen.
MYVERONICA
BAND DISCOVERED
I’m part of Generation X, and growing up as a teenager in the early ’90s – right in the middle of the grunge and post-grunge explosion – left a lasting mark on me. So whenever I discover new bands like MyVeronica, thanks to Sunday Drive Records, I’m instantly hit with a warm sense of nostalgia. This is exactly the kind of music I want to sink into and lose myself in. Sick Sad World is the first taste of their upcoming album, I Hope There’s Music In Heaven, out on October 18, 2026.
KILLER SONG MOMENTS
The song’s tempo and dynamic shift around the 1:30 mark works beautifully.
FAVORITE LYRIC LINE
Search for something I know / I won’t ever find / I would like to believe / I will find a way / To keep you by my side
CHARACTERISTICS THAT APPLY
melancholic | cathartic | introspective
BESIDES THAT
I pre-ordered the album without hearing it first. Here’s the pre-order link: MyVeronica – I Hope There’s Music In Heaven
WISH
Of course, seeing them live.
