What Do German Krautrockers and Norwegian Sleaze Kings Have in Common?
New music, old magic, and the podcast episode that rewrites Bush’s legacy
Latest Podcast
Breathe In, Breathe Out: How Sixteen Stone Turned Bush Into Grunge Royalty (And Made Everyone Forget They Were British)
Joining us this episode is Naomi Carmack, host and creator of Dope Nostalgia, the 90s music podcast taking you back to the era of Hammerpants, plaid, and the grunge that defined a generation. From intimate chats with hitmakers to laugh-out-loud conversations with fellow ‘90s enthusiasts, Dope Nostalgia brings you closer to the music and musicians you lo…
Upcoming Heavy 70s Episode
Agitation Free’s Malesch - When Berlin Krautrock Met the Middle East
Four heavy 70s albums went head-to-head, each with its own compelling narrative. Zior brought English occult rock with Black Sabbath’s cover designer Keith MacMillan creating their darkly atmospheric artwork. Joseph’s Stoned Age Man represented Memphis blues-psych chaos—recorded with The Memphis Boys (Elvis’s session band) by three sleep-deprived producers working from nothing but song titles. Humble Pie’s self-titled 1970 album captured the moment when Peter Frampton and Steve Marriott’s supergroup stopped being precious and started getting dangerous.
But it was the Berlin krautrock odyssey that captured listeners’ imaginations. Malesch stands apart because of its remarkable genesis. In 1972, Agitation Free—one of Germany’s most innovative krautrock bands—embarked on a Goethe Institute-sponsored tour through Egypt, Lebanon, Cyprus, and Greece. What they brought back wasn’t just memories, but an entirely new sonic vocabulary that would become their debut album.
The upcoming episode will excavate this forgotten album. But here’s where you come in—before the episode drops, fire up Malesch and let those Middle Eastern-infused krautrock grooves transport you. What hits you? Is it the hypnotic “Khan El Khalili” that locks in, or does the experimental sprawl lose you somewhere between Cairo and Berlin? Take notes on what works and what doesn’t, because the best conversations happen when we dig into the details together.
And start thinking ahead: what album should we feature next? Drop your suggestions—whether it’s a forgotten gem gathering dust in your collection or a classic that deserves a deeper dive. Make your voice heard.
New Releases
They Might Be Giants – Eyeball EP
Brooklyn’s favorite accordion-wielding oddballs haven’t released new studio material since 2021’s BOOK. Five years for a band that once churned out albums like game show episodes. Their move? A four-track “warm up” EP before their 24th full-length drops this spring, per TMBW and the band’s site.
The twist: Eyeball (out January 15) is half quirky guitar pop, half full-blown horn showcase. The standout? “Peggy Guggenheim”—a wordless instrumental that ComicsXF calls a modern James Bond theme, all noirish brass and propulsive bass. “The Glamour of Rock” started as Instagram laundry-spinning footage, then became Flansburgh’s bluesy lament about unglam band life. The closer—”Eyeball (Elegant Too Remix)”—is their first Elegant Too collab in 15 years.
What works
ComicsXF calls it “playful, eclectic, clever and idiosyncratic,” asking what it means to be a rock band four decades in. Reddit’s r/tmbg is losing it over the remix—one fan calls it “the finest TMBG remix the band has ever produced.” “Peggy Guggenheim” proves letting the horn section cook without words was overdue.
What doesn’t
At four tracks, you can’t please everyone. One Redditor admits they “liked both the Eyeball and Peggy versions, but not Glamour.” Some long-timers still think the band’s tighter sound since Join Us feels too controlled.
Kreator – Krushers Of The World
Sixteen studio albums. Four decades of German thrash. Krushers Of The World is their first since 2022’s divisive Hate Über Alles. Did they fix it? According to GBHBL and The Headbanging Moose, yes.
This is faster, more straightforward thrashing, produced by Jens Bogren. The curveball? “Tränenpalast,” a horror-movie homage to Suspiria featuring Hiraes’ Britta Görtz—half thrash anthem, half Goth-tinged melodeath duet. “Psychotic Imperator” deploys choirs and epic structures, while closer “Loyal To The Grave” channels their Violent Revolution-era finales.
What works
GBHBL calls it a “statement of intent” proving Kreator are “untouchable.” The Headbanging Moose says they’ve “lost none of their bite.” Angry Metal Guy awards 3.5/5, calling it “considerably better than Hate Über Alles.”
What doesn’t
BangerTV goes contrarian, calling it “easy listening” thrash—fast but simple, with every chorus just the song title on repeat. Even GBHBL’s positive review admits “if you’re looking for ground-breaking modern metal, you’re in the wrong place.” This is refined, festival-ready Kreator, not Pleasure To Kill chaos.
Gluecifer – Same Drug New High
Twenty-two years since Norway’s sleazy kings of rock released a studio album. After vanishing in 2005, reuniting in 2017, Biff Malibu and Captain Poon finally deliver album six.
The twist? Zero rust. Markus’ Heavy Music Blog says listening “makes it feel like 2005 was just yesterday.” Louder calls it “sleazy, slinky and snotty, with blood-guzzling scorchers like the title track.” The record runs the full playbook: punk rippers, hard-rock stompers, glam swagger, heavy-psych closer.
What works
RPM Online calls it “pure fire,” praising how they’ve “lost none of their fire, coolness or earworm goodness.” Defenders of the Faith loves the sequencing—high-speed Motörhead jams and swaggering rockers landing harder than most bands’ bangers. Vampster says the first ten minutes alone reclaim the “rock throne.”
What doesn’t
Even raves admit this is refinement, not reinvention. Rocking.gr loves the energy but asks what new thing this brings—conceding they “haven’t reinvented the wheel.” Same drug, marginally new high.
Alter Bridge – Alter Bridge
The Creed guys who escaped and built something better. After two decades and seven albums, they finally drop a self-titled record—their most stripped-down, guitar-driven distillation, per Myles Kennedy.
Released January 9 on Napalm Records, it contains their longest song ever: “Slave To Master,” just over nine minutes, with piano intro, stacked solos, full-band blowout. Producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette returns with his familiar wall-of-sound mix.
What works
Metal Insider praises goosebump-inducing opener “Silent Divide” and juggernaut closer “Slave To Master.” Brutal Planet Magazine calls it “probably one of my favorites in their discography.” The Moshville Times argues this is their most cohesive since Fortress. Ethereal Metalzine calls it a “hard rock masterpiece.”
What doesn’t
Sputnikmusic complains the “brickwalled production masks dynamics” and causes ear fatigue. Metal Robot says it’s “bigger than it needs to be”—”Slave To Master” didn’t need nine minutes. Some r/alterbridge fans call it “solid, but not memorable,” citing SiriusXM-style hard-rock clichés.
Six Going On Seven – Human Tears
Boston indie rock stalwarts who helped define ‘90s post-hardcore alongside The Get Up Kids and Hot Water Music—then vanished after 2001. Twenty-plus years later, they’re back with Human Tears (January 9, Spartan Records).
The twist? Not nostalgia. Lollipop Magazine calls it a “stunning continuation” bridging raw early urgency with “refined, hard-won maturity.” Amplify The Noise stresses they return “without nostalgia or apology,” favoring lived-in performances over airbrushed perfection. Subtle new colors—occasional keyboards, an “’80s-inspired evolution”—but this still feels like them.
What works
Lollipop and Nyrdcast call it a “heartfelt evolution” steeped in “reflection, resilience, and melody.” Amplify The Noise praises “unpolished textures” and melodies that arrive “bruised and unresolved,” giving it “quiet power.”
What doesn’t
The record favors restraint over grand gestures, with more polished production than their scrappy ‘90s work. If you loved the youthful volatility of Self-Made Mess, the measured pacing may feel less cathartic. Listeners hoping for radical reinvention may find it conservative—this continues their story rather than rewriting it.
