Steel Panther launched the opening night of their Twenty Twenty $ex Tour in Cedar Rapids, bringing their signature blend of Sunset Strip excess, parody, and musicianship to Club 5, a scaled-down, floor-only configuration inside the Alliant Energy PowerHouse. Despite a less-than-packed room, the band wasted no time turning the space into a full-scale glam-metal spectacle…. Read more »

Lily Löwe doesn’t mince words when it comes to their new album. “It’s all killer, no filler — every track hits different,” they say of Beautiful Disaster. The goal wasn’t just to make a collection of songs, but to create something that “captures the intensity and vulnerability” at the heart of who they are —… Read more »

PREYRS isn’t just a new band name—it’s a new chapter.  After years of building a name under Amy Montgomery’s solo project, the Belfast-based four-piece has reemerged with a darker, more collaborative identity.  PREYRS’ story begins with vocalist Amy Montgomery busking on Belfast’s streets at age 15.  She later teamed up with multi‑instrumentalist/producer Michael Mormecha (of Irish post‑hardcore band… Read more »

When two voices as distinct and dynamic as Jeff Keith of Tesla and Miljenko Matijević of Steelheart come together, the result isn’t subtle—and it’s not supposed to be. Their new duet, a cover of Foghat’s I Just Wanna Make Love to You, hit streaming platforms October 3, and it all started the way the best… Read more »

The Val Air Ballroom in Des Moines was braced for chaos as Cavalera Conspiracy brought their Return to Chaos Tour to town. More than three decades after Sepultura’s Chaos A.D., Max and Iggor Cavalera still make these songs hit hard live. The Return to Chaos Tour finds the brothers performing Chaos A.D. in full, bringing… Read more »

With war drums pounding, horsehead fiddles howling, and guttural chants that summon the past, The HU doesn’t just play music——they create something timeless—music that hits on a level beyond language. Since bursting onto the international scene with their self-styled Hunnu Rock, the Mongolian group has redefined what heavy music can sound like. Now, with the… Read more »

With Kiss the Machine, Puddle of Mudd returns once again, offering up a nine-track collection that frontman Wes Scantlin describes as “a moment of clarity.” According to the band’s press release, the album is a product of long nights in the studio and a desire to create something fresh while “pushing boundaries.”  Now, it must… Read more »

As one of the original Sunset Strip staples of the ’80s, L.A. Guns has seen it all—breakups, reunions, reinventions, and a catalog that spans nearly four decades of loud, unapologetic rock n’ roll. Fresh off the Monsters of Rock Cruise and days away from dropping their latest studio album, Leopard Skin, Tracii Guns was in… Read more »

If you were anywhere near Waukee, Iowa on March 28 and missed the show at Vibrant Music Hall, you missed a powerhouse night of metal. Let’s be honest—here in Iowa, we’re used to catching our favorite bands on a random Tuesday night, wedged between work and weekday routines, pretending we don’t have to be up… Read more »

Being in a rock band isn’t just about writing songs and playing gigs anymore—and Danny Rexon knows that better than most. Over the years, the Crazy Lixx frontman has added producer, mixer, video editor, and even web designer to his skillset, proving that a modern rock musician needs to be more than just a performer…. Read more »

Over the years since forming in 2002, Delain has carved out their place in symphonic metal. But as with any long-standing band, growth brings change, and Delain is no exception. The band has definitely seen their fair share of lineup changes throughout the years, most recently with the addition of Ludovico Cioffi and Diana Leah… Read more »

On Monday, October 21, The Val Air Ballroom in Des Moines, Iowa hosted a wild musical ride of emotional highs and primal intensity with the evening’s entertainment provided by The Funeral Portrait and The HU. At first glance, pairing The Funeral Portrait with The HU might seem like an odd choice. After all, one leans… Read more »