German epic metal pioneers, Equilibrium, will set aflame a brand new bonfire this summer with their sixth studio album. Renegades (out today via Nuclear Blast) is heralding a watershed, the turn of an era for this genre. This is metal at its most epic and most monumental, bearing huge songs, resting firmly in the zeitgeist with a massive, modern production and sporting quite a number of eclectic influences. And before the bleating erupts: It’s working, it’s blending in - and above all, it’s still Equilibrium. Quite possibly more than ever.

The album's limited Digipac includes an exclusive bonus CD with 8-bit versions of all songs on the album. The band presents a small taster of this bonus CD in the form of a video for the 8-bit version of the song 'Renegades - A Lost Generation'. To me, it sounds more 16-bit than 8, but I’m not going to split hairs when it sounds this good.

The band states: "Most of us grew up with computer games in the ‘80s and ‘90s so every time we hear these 8-bit sounds it's kinda nostalgic. We always had this idea in mind to make 8-bit versions of our songs and this time we just did it! This clip will give you a little taste of how it sounds."

'Renegades Tour' - Europe 2020

14.02.  UK       London - O2 Academy Islington

15.02.  UK       Birmingham - HRH Metal IV

Alternative punk outfit Nervus have shared the second track from their brand-new album Tough Crowd, out September 27 on Big Scary Monsters; ‘They Don’t’ is a tirade on the UK government’s investment in policing, and lead vocalist Em Foster’s own experiences with the police. The band have also announced a string of UK and US dates, including a main support slot at Pup's Electric Ballroom show in London, and a stop at The Fest in Gainesville, USA.

Talking about the new track, Foster says: “It’s about the function of police as social control and protection of property and wealth rather than their purported function of actually keeping communities safe. This money could be going into community projects, youth work, adequate mental health services and education. It's clear our government values profit over people, and we reject that." The track is accompanied by a companion zine called They Don’t Keep You Safe which is being issued “to highlight injustice and directly rebuke the claims of Boris Johnson that increasing numbers of police keeps society safer.”

Nervus have never shied away from exploring complex issues within their unique breed of punk music. Themes of gender dysphoria, identity and queerness ran rife through first record, Permanent Rainbow, a record written in the bedroom of Foster and serving as a personal catharsis for her. Follow up, Everything Dies, touched on the human impact on the environment, a colossal subject that the band have since delved into even deeper on new album, Tough Crowd, with ‘They Don't’ tearing into Boris Johnson's pledge to invest in policing rather than in community services.

Foster continues: “They Don’t is written about my experiences with police and how individuals’ experience with police is generally defined by their identity rather than their actions. It also has a bit of The Bill theme tune in it and was inspired by that Bugsy Malone song “we could have been anything that we wanted to be” Since Everything Dies the Watford indie-punks have spent their time touring the UK and Europe with Worriers, Anti Flag, Koji, Fresh and labelmates Cultdreams.