The Chicago-based group The Bellwether Syndicate continues to release music from their upcoming album Vestige & Vigil. The first release was the dark and powerful single, “Dystopian Mirror” which reached #11 in the German Alternative Charts (DAC). Now fans of The Bellwether Syndicate can enjoy the latest single, “Beacons.” Like the previous single, “Beacons” features a heavy combo of guitars, synth, and bass. The new track surpasses its predecessor and charts at #4 on DAC.

"'Beacons' is simply a love song to our family: our people — our fans,” said vocalist and guitarist William Faith. “We’d be truly lost at sea without them, and every time we get ready to play a live gig, they really are the beacons that guide us home, to that moment where we’re together in a safe harbor and everything is possible. That moment is everything to us, and it’s what we live for."

Shuffling through my middle school playlist always brings back a strong wave of nostalgia. The upcoming EP by Los Angeles based artist, L E A, took me back to hot July days of running from stage to stage in hopes of hearing my favorite artists play. 

While growing up in the small coastal town of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, L E A was exposed to a multitude of music genres that helped shape her own sound. Taking inspiration from Warped Tour royalty, the east-coast native has honed her craft by combining a mixture of pop punk beats and angsty lyrics worthy of a social media status. 

Fat Mike, punk rock legend and independent music mogul is at it again with an announcement of a new record label, Bottles to the Ground. Already the co-owner with Erin Kelly-Burkett of the highly influential record label Fat Wreck Chords, Fat Mike created Bottles to the Ground as an imprint that will focus on music projects from bands that don’t fit neatly into the typical sound of the main label.

Goosebumps from the epic synth and the guitar riffs give off a Blue Oyster Cult meets Muse vibes. Hailing from Finland, a hidden gem comes in the form of Pennies By The Pound.

A song that was written about something we can all relate to, hitting rock bottom and learning that it’s okay to be okay with it. Lyrics like ‘I’m right where I’m supposed to be with darkness rollin’ over me’ really can speak to the point that it’s okay to let yourself feel the wave of all of the negative emotions so the process of moving on can begin.

This year flew by so quickly, but with its urgency we were blessed with another great year for music releases. Many of us attended countless concerts we will never forget, many of which had also been completely sold out almost immediately as everyone finally became comfortable attending them again.

Here at Death Moth Press, we wanted to give you our staff’s top choices for Album of the Year for 2022.

After coming off their fall tour support for co-headliners Real Friends and With Confidence, the new stars of the pop-punk scene, The Home Team, announce a headlining tour with support from Broadside and Honey Revenge.

With the immediate hit of the guitar riff in the beginning and lead vocalist, Ian Fike’s impressive tone will have you hooked from the start.

Promise Game’s ‘Connecticut’ releases in the midst of the holiday chilliness but gives off the warmth of a summer soundtrack. In true pop-punk fashion, ‘Connecticut’ gives heavy riffs and a road trip story line.

TheFatRat has managed to successfully transition his online following as a gamer to a musical career. With over six million YouTube followers, TheFatRat has a built-in audience to expose his newest musical endeavors too. His 2021 debut album, PARALLAX was highly anticipated and didn’t disappoint fans who were mesmerized by the cohesive storytelling in not just the lyrical content of the songs, but in the album as well. In 2014, TheFatRat released the song “Xenogenesis” which gained 100 million views and led the Outro music trend. 

Far from the glitz and glamor of Bollywood, the metal scene in India has been providing much-needed grit and realism to the music scene in South Asia. Long neglected by the greater international metal movement, the current crop of bands in India has a commitment to hard rock that is so strong that the world has no choice but to take notice. One such band is Eternal Returns.

Godsmack has announced the release of their newest album to drop on February 24, 2023, via BMG. The new recordings, titled Lighting Up the Sky, will be the eighth studio album from the GRAMMY-nominated band. Lighting Up the Sky follows Godsmack’s gold-certified 2018 album When Legends Rise, whose success was marked by the release of four back-to-back No. 1 singles.

A band that is compared to the likes of A Day To Remember and influences from Sliverstein, Protect Your Heart, is making their own name in the scene.

Do you like your music to sound strange and ethereal and be heavily influenced by obscure cinema and occult teachings? If so, then the mysterious duo of Voodoo Black Exorcist may be what you are looking for. The band is made up of Johnny Alucard and High Priestess Faust. The pair originate from Darlington, England, a rural area that probably has its fair share of folk horror-type death cults performing dark rituals in the countryside. 

Dutch symphonic metal band Epica has been going strong for 20 years. To celebrate this milestone, the band has recruited some of their allies in metal to collaborate on a truly ear-shattering and headbanging album. Titled The Alchemy Project, the album consists of seven killer tracks, each co-written and performed by some of metal’s most innovative and engaging stars. 

Relentless Beats brings back one of its most popular music festivals with Decadence Arizona: Ancient Future. Taking place at Phoenix Raceway on December 30th and 31st, Decadence Arizona: Ancient Future is set to be one of the hottest New Year’s celebrations. Decadence Arizona: Ancient Future follows Relentless Beats’ successful event last October, Goldrush, which also took place at Phoenix Raceway. As killer as Goldrush was, Decadence Arizona: Ancient Future is set to be even bigger with much higher production and more music.

Emerging alternative Urbano artist Notagami recently dropped her latest video, “Telarañas.” Since Notagami’s previous videos have been live performances, “Telarañas” marks the first time she has done a video with a full production team behind it. The experience was a thrilling one for Notagami.

The Phoenix, Arizona-based band Don’t Panic has released the latest album, 42, via Auspicious Records. This latest release from Don’t Panic represents a new approach to the band’s music. The members of Don’t Panic have all expressed how continuing to evolve has been a unifying theme of the group.

In a short time, Venice Beach-based rock band Hot For Crime has received a great deal of positive attention from fans and critics. A recent show at the Viper Room was sold out. A first-hand account from Live Music New and Review praises Hot For Crime by saying, “the group has a memorable presence and easy camaraderie interplay onstage that draws the listener in. Hot For Crime seems destined for success….” 

Once again, Goldrush will be making its appearance in the desert for the annual western-themed EDM festival. This year, the 18+ event will take place on Friday, October 7th, through Sunday, October 9th, at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. The multi-stage festival will feature fan-favorite acts such as Excision, Rezz, and Seven Lions.