what's happening with Breaking Benjamin
Breaking Benjamin 2024

Breaking Benjamin Return With New Single ‘Awaken’

It has been a hot minute since we last heard new music from Breaking Benjamin—four years, to be exact! Two years ago, the band was featured on Starset’s single WAITING FOR THE SKY TO FALL, but other than that, it has been very quiet on the new music front for Breaking Benjamin‘s fans.

Luckily, the lengthy wait has come to an end, as last night, the band finally returned with a brand new single. The new single carries the title Awaken and is available for streaming on all platforms.

Breaking Benjamin are currently on the road with Daughtry and Lakeview with a few dates left. Tickets for these shows can be found on the band’s website right here.

what's happening with Parkway Drive
Parkway Drive @ Jera On Air 2023

Parkway Drive Announce 20-Year Anniversary EU Tour With Thy Art Is Murder & The Amity Affliction

After a very successful tour in the homeland of Australia, Parkway Drive will be celebrating its 20-year anniversary in Europe next year!

For these shows, Parkway Drive are not coming alone. They will be bringing along two other colossal artists from Australia: Thy Art Is Murder & The Amity Affliction. On the announcement of these massive shows, frontman Winston McCall shares “This is going to be next level. We’ve always prided ourselves on delivering the best show possible, but our 20 Year Anniversary Tour will take everything to a new extreme. We’re bringing more fire, more energy, and a production that’s bigger than anything we’ve done before.”

Check out the many tour dates on the poster below and let us know if you are as excited as we are to attend any of the upcoming shows!

Tickets for these shows will go on sale Presale for these shows have gone online at wednesday, October 16th at 11am CET / 10am UK time. The general ticket sale will start this Friday October 18th at 11am CET / 10am UK time. Grab your tickets on the band’s official website before they run out!

what's happening with Lindsey Stirling
Lindsey Stirling @ AFAS Live, Amsterdam

CONCERT REVIEW: Lindsey Stirling’s Extraordinary Blend Of Music, Dance & Storytelling

Lindsey Stirling’s Duality Tour recently made its mark in Amsterdam, captivating audiences at AFAS Live, a larger venue than her previous performance in the Netherlands at TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht. Unfortunately, the show didn’t sell out entirely, but the expansive stage put the great use and was transformed into a stunning visual experience, perfectly matched to Stirling’s vibrant new album, Duality.

Having attended many concerts in the last decade, we can confidently say that Lindsey Stirling’s performance stands in a league of its own. Unlike most artists, Stirling doesn’t rely on the usual lineup of musicians and vocalists. Instead, she brings a blend of music, powered by her violin, dance, storytelling, and acrobatics that few in the industry can match. It’s this rare combination that elevates her performances to an entirely different level.

The concert began with Stirling entering the stage in front of a massive curtain. Behind it, five dancers appeared as silhouettes, performing intricate routines within colourful, glowing circles. The visual effects set the tone for what was to come, giving the audience a tantalizing preview of the dynamic performance that would unfold.

When the curtain finally dropped, it revealed a two-level scaffold that served as the centerpiece of the stage. Stirling’s band members were positioned in the corners, while she and her dancers moved between the different levels, ensuring that the entire audience had an uninterrupted view of the breathtaking spectacle.

For those unfamiliar with Lindsey Stirling, it’s important to note that she is far more than just a world-class violinist. Stirling is also a skilled ballet dancer, and her performances reflect a level of physicality and grace rarely seen in live music. Throughout the show, she incorporated aerial hoop dances, twirling high above the stage, while her troupe of dancers matched her energy with flawless choreography.

The entire concert was a continuous display of stunning visual and musical artistry. From classical ballet movements to contemporary dance, Stirling’s performance seamlessly blended genres, all while wrapped in elaborate costumes that added to the immersive experience. Between songs, Stirling’s warmth and engaging personality shone through, as she shared personal stories and inspirational messages that connected deeply with the audience as well as with the theme of her latest album Duality.

As the tour supports her latest album, Duality, it’s no surprise that much of the setlist focused on new material, which dominated more than half of the night’s performance. The songs, like the show itself, take listeners on an emotional journey, weaving together themes of personal growth, resilience, and imagination.

For long-time fans, the Duality Tour delivers everything they’ve come to expect from Stirling and more—showcasing her evolution as an artist while staying true to her unique creative vision. For newcomers, this concert was an unforgettable introduction to a world where music and movement are inseparable, and where fantasy and reality blend seamlessly.

The Duality Tour is not just a concert—it’s an adventure through Lindsey Stirling’s boundless artistic expression. Whether you’re a fan of her music or simply curious about what makes her performances so special, this show is an experience you won’t want to miss. If you get the chance, go see it for yourself—it’s an unforgettable journey into a truly magical realm.

what's happening with Ice Nine Kills
Ice Nine Kills Terrifier 3

Ice Nine Kills Release New Single ‘A Work Of Art’ As Official Song For Terrifier 3

Ice Nine Kills have released their new single, A Work of Art, which serves as the official track for the much-anticipated slasher sequel, Terrifier 3, now playing in theaters nationwide. Alongside the single, the band has also unveiled a 14-minute extended cut of the music video, packed with intense, blood-soaked visuals.

This extended version expands on the original video, which premiered during exclusive back-to-back screenings of Terrifier 2 and Terrifier 3 at select AMC and Marcus theaters last night. Fans can stream the new track and watch the full extended-cut video, which includes an additional seven minutes of never-before-seen footage.

On the epic collaborative effort between Ice Nine Kills and the team behind the Terrifier franchise, frontman Spencer Charnas shared the following: “Creating a track for “Terrifier 3” is like stepping into the ultimate horror playground. The film and our new single, “A Work of Art”, reflect the same twisted, unrelenting energy that fans of both Ice Nine Kills and the Terrifier franchise thrive on. And having our music video play in theaters after the movie at special screenings last night was the ultimate honor and the best way to pay homage to the cinematic terror that has inspired me and this band. The extended cut of the video marks a new era of INK related terror, but what that means shall remain in my nightmares...for now. Psychos, we present to you what may well be our most glorious and goresome offering yet, sure to leave you both tongue-tied and terrified  “A Work of Art”.

Check out the extended music video below and let us know your thoughts on the brand new Ice Nine Kills song!

what's happening with Stand Atlantic
Interview Stand Atlantic

INTERVIEW: All Things WAS HERE, Touring, Golden Gaytime & More With Stand Atlantic

Get ready to dive into a fun, candid conversation with Bonnie Fraser and Miki Rich, where we talk all things tour life, creative risks, and even their go-to ice cream flavours! From ferry rides to fearless songwriting, they give us a peek behind the scenes of their latest album and their current tour.

Strife Magazine: Let’s start with the most important question: how are you guys?
Bonnie: We’re good. We had a weird sleep last night, going through the tunnel and taking the ferry. Feeling good, though. It’s a beautiful day. We’ve been really lucky with the weather on this tour.
Miki: I actually had a better sleep last night, got up at 4 a.m. for the ferry, but afterwards, I passed out. Longest sleep I’ve had, woke up at 2 today, so I’m feeling good.

Strife Magazine: This is the first show on mainland Europe, right?
Miki: Yeah. The UK was great. Pretty much every show sold out. I’m not sure if tonight’s sold out, but it’s close. This is one of my favourite venues to play.
Bonnie: We played here last summer. It was one of my favourite shows ever. So I’m excited for tonight.

Strife Magazine: Your artwork is always very interesting. What’s the story behind this one?
Bonnie: The idea of the artwork wasn’t that interesting at first. I originally wanted it to be super white and minimal—no band name or anything. Then I found out The Beatles did that already, so good thing we didn’t! I would have ripped them off without even knowing. But as we got the title and songs together, the image of us lying dead on a white background came to mind. I’m very visual, and the contrast of red on white really struck me. We’d never done anything like that before, and I didn’t want our name on the front, just something different. Making it was fun too
Miki: Less messy than I expected. It’s funny because, just before that shot of us lying there, we were all laughing and goofing off. It turned out really cool.

Strife Magazine: You mentioned wanting to do something different, and there are some tracks on the record that are a bit different from what you’re used to. How do you feel the music has progressed?
Bonnie: We’ve always pushed the envelope a little, with one or two weird songs on each album. Miki: We never go in thinking about genre, just making good songs. I think we’ve become less scared with each album. On earlier ones, we might have dialled things back a bit, but now, with the fourth album, we’re even more fearless.
Bonnie: We had a long time to write this one, in LA, Manchester, and Sydney, which was cool. We wanted to take risks we hadn’t taken before, but still keep some tracks that people are used to from us. It’s about blending genres and making something fresh and exciting, not following trends.
Miki: Our main fanbase understands that even if we release a pop song, it doesn’t mean it’s a pop album, and if we release a heavy song, it doesn’t mean the album will be all heavy.

Bonnie: We’re always aiming for the best song possible, with strong hooks and meaningful lyrics, no matter the style.

Strife Magazine: Do you ever worry about taking those risks?
Miki: Sometimes, yeah. For example, rockstar was a bit scary at first because it has a reggae-pop feel. It didn’t seem like us, but the chorus is one of the strongest and catchiest on the record. At the end of the day, a good melody is a good melody, no matter the genre.

Strife Magazine: You’ve been collaborating a lot. Does that help expand your sound?
Bonnie: Definitely, but it happens naturally. We write the song first and then think about if a certain artist would suit it. We’re never set on having someone specific; it’s more like, “That would be cool.” If they vibe with it, great, but we don’t write songs just for features.
Miki: A good example is the Polaris track. It wasn’t written for them, but when Jamie came on, we adjusted some parts, and Dan helped us write a heavier section. It wasn’t planned that way, but it turned out great.
Bonnie: We’ve known each other for years, but it never worked out before due to scheduling and other things. This time, it finally did. 

Strife Magazine: On the last record, all the collaborations were over Zoom, did you go into the studio this time? 
Miki: All the overseas artists did them themselves. Lyndsey flew over and we got to do the music video. Unfortunately, Bruses couldn’t make it because of a visa issue, but we made it work.
Bonnie: It was fun to collaborate with artists for the music videos as well, we’d never really done that before. 

Strife Magazine: You’ve been doing this for a while now, with four records. How do you think the industry has changed?
Bonnie: It’s proven more and more that you can do whatever you want, as long as you have people around you who believe in it as much as you do. We’ve been lucky to have the same team since the Sidewinder EP, and we really value that. Just because you’re growing doesn’t mean you’ve outgrown your team. You can all grow together, and that creates a different kind of camaraderie.
Miki: When we were making our second album, we had label pressure to try new producers, but we stuck with our team. We’ve had the same producer and mixer for all four albums. They understand our sound and don’t need much instruction anymore, which is great.

Strife Magazine: It sounds like you’re very loyal to your team.
Bonnie: Yeah, very much. There’s always the temptation to try new things, but the people who’ve been with you from the start get it. They know the story, they know the sound. It’s tempting when something new is presented, but the reality doesn’t always match. We’ve stuck with what works for us.

Lightning round:

Strife Magazine: Favorite European city to visit on tour?

Miki: I like the Netherlands—Amsterdam and Eindhoven. Prague is awesome too. It’s like walking through a dollhouse, so different from Australia. We always walk around for hours there.
Bonnie: I also love going to Italy. I think it’s because it’s the only place that gets sun during winter tours, and I’m like, “Oh, I can see God again!”

Strife Magazine: Favorite song to play live?

Bonnie: For me, Killer Cobra.
Miki: Sex on the Beach lately. Every time we play it, I’m reminded how great it is.

Strife Magazine: Last one, favourite ice cream flavour?
Bonnie: Chocolate for me.
Miki: We have this ice cream in Australia called Golden Gaytime—it’s honeycomb with cookie crumbs. The slogan is, “It’s always good when you’re having a Gaytime.” It’s childhood ice cream for us.

Stand Atlantic‘s new album WAS HERE is out now!

what's happening with The Plot In You
Interview Landon

INTERVIEW: The ‘Volume’ EP Series, Triumphant Return To Europe & More With The Plot In You

Ahead of their sold-out show in Poppodium 013, we had the honour to chat with The Plot In You vocalist and frontman Landon Tewers to discuss all things TPIY, including their latest series of EPs, their triumphant return to Europe in a headliner capacity & more. Find our chat below and make sure to stream The Plot In You‘s brand-new single Pretend right at the bottom of this page!

Strife Magazine: Let’s start with the most important question: how are you doing?

Landon: Good. The tour’s been awesome. All the shows have been, I think all but one sold out. That’s cool because anytime we’ve been to the UK or Europe in the past, it’s been pretty hit or miss for us, especially last time. It was actually pretty bad for us. It didn’t seem like many people cared.

It’s been six years since we’ve been here, so it’s cool to come back to crowds that care. Yeah, we’re all stoked for sure. The last time was in 2018 or 19, right before COVID. It was with We Came As Romans and this band Alaska. Do you remember them? I think they were a German band. That was the last time. So, a long time ago.

Strife Magazine: I remember you skipped the Netherlands on that run.

Landon: Yeah, we were supposed to come. Maybe it was 2020, but it was a week or so before COVID happened. That immediately went away. We hadn’t figured out a good chunk of time to come since then, but we figured it out.

Strife Magazine: Originally, you were booked in the smaller room, and now the bigger room is sold out.

Landon: Dude, it blew my mind. I was in complete disbelief. The last time we were here, it felt like people wanted us off stage as quickly as possible.

Strife Magazine: That leads to my next question. Since COVID, has it been tougher for bands to come across the ocean?
Landon: It was for a while, with all the vaccination stuff. That made it rough years ago, but now everything’s back to normal. It’s not too hard to get over. Since our last record came out, we’ve just stayed busy in the States and hit Australia a couple of times. But we couldn’t find a chunk of time that made sense for everyone. Now we’re here, though.

Strife Magazine: Do live shows influence the way you write music? Do you think about how a song will sound live?
Landon: Maybe sometimes, but usually not. I don’t think about that much, but with some of the heavier parts or songs, I do think, “Oh, that’ll be fun live.” I try not to think about stuff like that too much because it could influence the writing in a corny way. It’s cool when it works out though.

Strife Magazine: Have you ever had a song that turned out differently live?
Landon: Yeah, 50 per cent of the time. I’ll think, “This will slay,” and then it’s just…nope, whatever. Lately, we’ve been getting more hits than misses, which is cool. In the past, it’s been a gamble, but our fans are pretty accepting of whatever we do, which is awesome. It lets me experiment and have fun.

Strife Magazine: You’ve mentioned before that you wanted to mix things up, especially when Dispose came out. Since then, with the two records and EPs, have you done something completely new?
Landon: I think so. The longer you do something, it evolves. With the EPs, especially, I’ve had the chance to take time in between, live life, and focus on other things. It’s not about making everything cohesive. Each EP kind of lives in its own world and none of them are tied together. Some people may not like that, but I find it more challenging and exciting to write songs focused on what that song is about, without needing to tie into a bigger story. It’s been fun. Writing when I feel like it, instead of under pressure, has helped my creative flow.

Strife Magazine: Is that why you’re producing all the songs on the EPs yourself?
Landon: Yeah, luckily. I have to give praise to our label. I had to fight for a minute to get them to trust me, but they finally did. We started with three songs—Divide, Left Behind, and Forgotten. I spaced them out, and it worked well. They let me continue, and I don’t know how long they’ll let me keep doing it, but I’m enjoying it.

Strife Magazine: The new songs are all at the top of your Spotify list. The label knew what they were doing, huh?
Landon: Yeah, fingers crossed they keep letting me do it.

Strife Magazine: Are the EPs going to come together as an album?
Landon: We’re still figuring that out. The music videos intertwine, but we’re working on how to package it together while still letting each EP stand on its own. At least a package for anyone who wants to have all those songs in one place. Hopefully, we’ll have it figured out by sometime next year. It’s just so people can have one physical thing to play all the way through. Some might complain, “I’ve already heard all these,” but that was the point, to space things out over years and not make people wait to hear new stuff. Also, it shows the gradual evolution of my songwriting process too, which is kind of fun for me.

Strife Magazine: You’ve been working on the EPs for two and a half years. Have you thought about what’s next?
Landon: There are still two more songs for Volume 3, and there will be a Volume 4. I’ve started a couple of songs for it, but I was supposed to finish them before this tour, and I didn’t. So now I have to figure that out when I get home. There’s at least one more volume coming.

Strife Magazine: Do you ever write on tour?
Landon: I tried once. I wrote Forgotten on tour when we were in a van for the first time in a long time. I was so bored and depressed, that I had to do something productive. It worked out really well, but I haven’t done it again since. It’s hard with people always coming in and out. I like to be alone when I write. But I also think I’m just making excuses. When I’m home, writing is all I do, so when I’m on tour, I treat it more as a vacation. I’ll play video games and eat crappy food all day. 

Strife Magazine: What games do you play?
Landon: We’ve been playing a lot of Mario Golf, Mario Kart, and Mario Tennis. Sometimes Fortnite, but we’re obsessed with Mario games and online poker. We’re just travelling children, but it keeps us occupied.

Strife Magazine: You’ve been around for a while now, 14 or 15 years, right?
Landon: Yeah, it’s crazy. I was in a band before this one, so I’ve been doing this for about 16 years now. The first tour I did was in 2008, which is wild to think about.

Strife Magazine: What advice would you give to new artists starting now?
Landon: It’s hard because things are so different now. When I came up, it was about winning over your hometown scene and playing shows. Now you don’t even have to play shows to be established, which is crazy. But the fundamentals are the same. You need to master your craft and have a social media presence. Labels want artists that already have some worth on their own because it’s less of a gamble. There’s just so much competition out there and the only way to get discovered is to just be great. So, you have to put in the work and show you can attract people. It sucks for advice, but that’s the reality of it. Then again, a lot of people are getting discovered through TikTok and YouTube and stuff, those weren’t available to me whenever I was coming up. The whole landscape is different now.

Lightning round:

Strife Magazine: Favorite European city to visit?
Landon: Probably Prague, Berlin, or Bordeaux. One of those three.

Strife Magazine: Favorite gift from a fan?
Landon: A fan got me two cases of tech decks and painted artwork from Plot and my solo stuff on the bottom. It was meticulous and probably took hundreds of hours. Super cool.

Strife Magazine: Favorite song to play live?
Landon: Probably Don’t Look Away or Closure.

Strife Magazine: What bands do you listen to in your spare time?
Landon: I really liked the new Bring Me The Horizon record. I haven’t been listening to a lot of bands lately, though. I’ve been into Noga Erez, a pop singer from Israel. Her stuff is experimental, weird pop. People should check it out.

Strife Magazine: What comes first, the music or the lyrics?
Landon: Music, always. 100%.

Strife Magazine: If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be?
Landon: I’d love to work with Bring Me The Horizon. I know a few people who’ve written with them, and I like being around ambitious, hard-working people when I’m doing creative stuff. That’d be cool. Noga Erez would be tight too.

Strife Magazine: If not music, what would your occupation be?
Landon: Probably something culinary, something with food.

Strife Magazine: Favorite ice cream flavour?
Landon: Rocky Road or Reese’s Cup Flurries.

Not too long after their show in Tilburg, the band released the second single from ‘Vol. 3’ Pretend. Stream the brand-new single below and get excited for the rest of Volume 3, as well as the Volume 4 which is still in the pipeline!