The track settles comfortably into Cherry Bomb’s Sunset Strip-inspired world. The guitars are energetic without overwhelming the melody, while the production leans into the polished AOR sound that defined the era. It is nostalgic, certainly, but not shy about it.

Featuring Nici Foxx, the song marks Cherry Bomb’s first-ever duet with a female vocalist. Foxx does more than provide contrast; her presence changes the shape of the track. The two voices create a conversational quality that makes the song’s central sentiment feel more immediate; less like a solitary declaration and more like an exchange.

There is also a certain theatricality to the song’s emotional premise. Calling out your name already sounds like something meant to be sung at full volume, and Cherry Bomb lean into that feeling rather than underplay it. The result is dramatic in the best classic-rock sense: melodic, direct, and designed to stick.

The biggest question with any deliberately retro track is whether the music can hold its own once the nostalgia wears off. Here, the songwriting does much of the work. The hooks remain central, while the duet gives the familiar formula an additional layer of character.

As the first taste of Midnight Gasoline, “Calling Out Your Name” by Cherry Bomb featuring Nici Foxx does not attempt to reinvent 1980s rock. Instead, it reminds us why its vocabulary still works: just give us a melody, a guitar, two voices, and somewhere to drive!

For Miller, “More Than a Feeling” was personal long before he ever imagined recording it
himself. It was the sound of his dad coming home. When Miller was a child, his father, Russell Miller, spent long stretches working out of state on pipelines. When Russell finally came home late at night, the next morning carried a familiar ritual: his dad making breakfast, the smell of bacon and eggs filling the house, and BOSTON’s debut album coming through the speakers. When “More Than a Feeling” started playing, Brandon knew exactly what it meant: his family was together again.

Before he understood nostalgia, and long before he knew he would become a singer, Brad
Delp’s voice and Tom Scholz’s unmistakable sound had become attached to one of the
happiest memories of his childhood. “This song means so much to me because it’s a huge part of my childhood,” Miller says. “One of the reasons why I chose to be a singer is because of Brad Delp, and Tom Scholz’s brilliance as an engineer, producer, songwriter and
multi-instrumentalist.”

That history also made Miller acutely aware of what it meant to take on a song this iconic. “Brad Delp and Tom Scholz are two of my biggest heroes, and I wanted to honor them and their legacy,” Miller says. “I was born in 1991, so I’m from a completely different generation, but I understand how important this music is and how it became part of the soundtrack to millions of lives, including mine. If I was going to take on a song this legendary, I wanted to do it right and do it justice.”

The timing brought another unexpected layer to the recording. After AFJ2B had already begun working on the song, Miller realized 2026 marks 50 years since BOSTON’s landmark debut album arrived in 1976. The anniversary hadn’t influenced his decision to record it, but it gave the project an even greater sense of purpose.

AFJ2B also carries a unique connection to BOSTON through guitarist Kimberley Dahme, a former member of BOSTON, who toured internationally with Brad Delp and Tom Scholz and contributed to Corporate America and Life, Love & Hope. Today, Dahme brings that history and experience to A Foreigner’s Journey to Boston.

For Miller, the recording also closes a circle in his own career. An 18-year music veteran with a four-and-a-half-octave vocal range and former touring guitarist with Artimus Pyle of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Miller nearly walked away from music before a life-changing dream in late 2024 inspired what would become A Foreigner’s Journey to Boston.

Now, the journey has come full circle. Written by Tom Scholz, “More Than a Feeling” has
always been rooted in memory and longing; in the strange power of a familiar song to take
someone back to another person, another place and another time.

Half a century later, Miller has his own memory attached to it. Not Marianne walking away. A father coming home. For Brandon Miller, it will always begin in that kitchen: the music starts, breakfast is cooking, and his father is home. And 50 years after BOSTON first showed the world that a song could become inseparable from a memory, “More Than a Feeling” is still doing exactly that.

All nine songs are performed by the exceptionally talented lead vocalist Maria Moon, whose voice anchors the album with both strength and nuance. Dr. M. wrote the music and the majority of the lyrics, programmed the drums and additional instruments, and handled the full mixing process himself. The final polish comes from Grammy-winning mastering engineer Svante Forsbäck, whose work elevates the project with professional clarity and impact.

Follow Me marks the arrival of a self-contained artistic vision: one artist writing, producing, and shaping an entire album that deliberately bridges two traditionally separate worlds. The result is music that aims for both emotional resonance and heavy sonic weight: Adult Metal in its purest form.

Several other highly skilled musicians also contribute to the recordings, adding further texture and energy to Dr. M.’s carefully crafted arrangements.

As a 39-year-old independent creator, Dr. M. has taken complete ownership of every stage of the process, from composition through production. Follow Me stands as both a personal statement and the opening chapter of a new musical direction.

About Dr. M.

Dr. M. is a self-employed songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. With Follow Me he introduces Adult Metal — a fusion of Adult Contemporary sensibility and Heavy Metal force and establishes himself as the primary architect of the genre’s first full-length statement.

For a solo project of this scope, the arrangements are genuinely incredible. There’s a real ambition to how melodic sensibility and metal’s dramatic weight get folded together here, and it rarely feels like two genres bolted onto each other; it feels like Dr. M. has actually built a coherent third thing out of them. The title track, which also opens the record, is the clearest statement of that intent, laying out exactly what this hybrid sound will be and doing so with enough confidence that it serves as both an introduction and a thesis statement.

“Welcome to Babylon” is the record’s most interesting swerve. Just as the album settles into the tone the opener established, this track pulls hard in a darker, heavier direction, and it plays like a deliberate homage to Rainbow’s “Gates of Babylon,” picking up that song’s sense of doom and grandeur and running it through Dr. M.‘s own production sensibility. It’s the kind of subversion that only works if the rest of the record has first earned the listener’s trust, and by that point in the tracklist, Follow Me has.

Maria Moon’s performance deserves real credit for holding all of this together. Metal vocals this theatrical can easily tip into camp, but she keeps the delivery grounded even as the instrumentation swings between contemporary polish and full metal weight underneath her. Given how much of Follow Me rests on one person’s vision, executed almost entirely in-house, it’s a remarkably assured debut, and “Adult Metal” as a genre concept feels less like a novelty and more like a real lane Dr. M. has carved out for himself.

And that chorus is where the track really earns its comparisons. It’s genuinely psychedelic and high-energy, carrying the hypnotic low-end weight of Queens of the Stone Age but with a looser, more modern swirl to it that leans closer to Tame Impala at points, like the band has taken that desert-rock heaviness and run it through a more contemporary filter. It’s heavy without ever losing its groove, which isn’t an easy balance to strike. The drum work deserves particular credit here, locking in with the riff so precisely that the two feel like a single instrument rather than a rhythm section and guitar operating separately. That tightness is what lets the song swing between claustrophobic and euphoric without ever feeling disjointed.

Lyrically, the record sits with the discomfort of things you can’t take back, of wondering whether you’ve become someone you don’t recognize, and it wisely doesn’t try to resolve that discomfort into anything tidy. Instead it just turns it into momentum. “Wicked Tongue” is a strong marker of where Jetlag are headed next, and if this is the sound of the band leaving their brass section behind, it’s hard to argue with the trade.

Driven by buoyant acoustic guitars, lively chord progressions, and an infectious hand-clap rhythm, the track balances warmth with momentum. Blending the melodic accessibility of indie pop with the textured character of art rock, it feels comforting without standing still. Hints of MGMT’s playful spirit and Bon Iver’s introspective touch may surface, but the song ultimately establishes an identity that is entirely its own.

“Kids Of The Tape Hiss” finds beauty in life’s quieter moments. Rather than dwelling on nostalgia, it reflects on the invisible ties between family, music, and place. The opening image of a mother who “listened to Bob Dylan like he wrote the Bible” immediately draws listeners into a deeply personal narrative, illustrating how the sounds that surround us often become part of who we are.

That sincerity is mirrored in the recording itself. Completed in just half a day, the song retains its original demo vocals and acoustic guitar after later attempts couldn’t recreate the same emotional spark. It’s a subtle reminder that authenticity often lies in preserving a moment rather than perfecting it.

“Kids Of The Tape Hiss” succeeds because They Owe Us never forces its emotions. Instead, the song unfolds naturally, inviting listeners to discover pieces of their own memories within its warm melodies and quietly evocative storytelling.

Blending emotional storytelling with arena-ready energy, “Fire & Stars” captures the tension between life’s struggles and the hope that keeps us moving forward. The track explores themes of love, sacrifice, and determination in the face of uncertainty, delivered through Dean RÖK’s signature sound: raw, visceral, and deeply cinematic.

“Fire & Stars” follows the release of his debut EP, The Electric Gospel, and previous singles including “Falling in the Dark,” “Bad Wedding Day,” and “Watch Me Waste My Love.” With this release, Dean RÖK continues to carve out a distinctive space in modern rock, one rooted in emotional honesty, powerful hooks, and a strong visual identity.

About the Song: Inspired by the battles we all face, “Fire & Stars” delivers strength without sacrificing depth. Its driving guitars and soaring chorus create a soundtrack for anyone pushing through darkness toward light, a declaration of resilience that hits both the heart and the soul.

About Dean RÖK Dean RÖK is the international rock project of Portuguese actor and musician Diogo Lima. After years of touring Europe under different artistic identities, he forged Dean RÖK as a bold new chapter, louder, dirtier, and more visceral. Drawing from decades of experience across music, theatre, television, and film, Lima channels a lifetime of scars, stages, and reinventions into music that feels personal yet larger-than-life.

With influences spanning classic heartland rock to contemporary cinematic rock, his sound mixes blues depth, modern grit, and dramatic storytelling. Dean RÖK creates songs for listeners who crave authentic music about desire, loss, rebellion, redemption, and the hunger for freedom.

“A sound made for big stages, hot lights, and hearts ready to be broken open.”

Previous Releases:

• The Electric Gospel (EP)
• “A Place Where I Burn”
• “Falling In the Dark” (including Stripped Version)
• “Bad Wedding Day”
• “Watch Me Waste My Love”

For fans of anthemic rock, cinematic storytelling, and powerful melodic rock.

Stream “Fire & Stars” now on all major platforms.

About Dean RÖK

Dean RÖK is the international rock project of Portuguese actor and musician Diogo Lima. Combining cinematic storytelling, powerful melodies, and decades of artistic experience, his music explores themes of love, loss, redemption, resilience, and the full spectrum of the human journey.

Right from the start, we’re introduced with ethereal vocal harmonies, a shimmering piano, and mellow synth textures establishing an expansive yet intimate atmosphere; and as the song progresses, we find jangly guitars, warm bass lines, and understated rhythms that gradually broaden its emotional scope. Each musical layer arrives with purpose, allowing the arrangement to breathe while subtly drawing the listener deeper into its world.

The song’s lyrical centerpiece, “Who will dance on the fruit that has fallen from the vine?”, lingers long after it is first heard. Serving as both a poetic refrain and a philosophical question, it reflects on inheritance, consequence, and the unseen impact our lives leave behind. In contrast, the recurring plea to “make it through” grounds these broader ideas in something deeply personal, reminding us that resilience often begins with simply enduring the present moment.

That emotional balance is echoed in the production itself. FLINN relies on gradual shifts in texture and dynamics, allowing every instrument to contribute to the song’s quiet intensity. Touches of dream pop and atmospheric electronica complement its alternative rock foundation, creating a cinematic sound that feels expansive without losing its intimacy, which is quite a difficult balance to strike.

FLINN’s “Ancient Light” reaches a luminous conclusion, and its impact comes not from grand gestures, but from quiet conviction. Richly layered, emotionally resonant, and beautifully restrained, the single offers a compelling glimpse into ARC, the artist’s upcoming album, while rewarding listeners with new details and emotional depth each time they return to it..

The poignant duet, co-written and performed by Paul R Johnson and DC Williams, weaves in the raw essence of Pete Ham’s suicide note from April 24, 1975, including the unfiltered word “bastard,” resulting in the band’s first Explicit-rated release. Staying true to their artistic integrity, the song honors Ham’s extraordinary legacy as the writer or co-writer of timeless classics such as “Without You,” “No Matter What,” “Baby Blue,” and “Day After Day,” with Williams incorporating clever lyrical references throughout.

Blending classic rock sensibilities with contemporary storytelling, “Song for Pete Ham” features Rick Skinner’s electrifying guitars (including a faithful emulation of the iconic slide guitar from “Day After Day”), Paul R Johnson’s atmospheric synthesizer on the expansive bridge, DC Williams’ melodic bass and rhythm guitar, and Ed Booth’s powerful, first-take drums and percussion that drive the track with raw energy. Venezuelan guest vocalist Kleidi Buroz delivers prominent backing vocals, adding further depth to this sonic bridge between past and present.

“Paul read Pete Ham’s suicide note, and it prompted him to create the chorus,” the band shares. “We debated changing the word ‘bastard’ but ultimately decided to stay true to Pete’s words. This song is our way of honoring his memory and incredible musical legacy.”

Formed by seasoned musicians who first played together in 1988 in Lynchburg, Virginia, LY@TT reunited in 2024 and is now based in Charlottesville. The quartet Paul R Johnson (vocals/keys), DC Williams (vocals/bass), Rick Skinner (guitars), and Ed Booth (drums/percussion) records at Studio 607 in Ivy, Virginia, with producer and engineer Tim Ryan. Known for their collaborative spirit and deeply meaningful rock music, the band draws creative inspiration from writing sessions on Edisto Island, South Carolina.

Stream “Song for Pete Ham” now on all major platforms.

About LY@TT

LY@TT (pronounced “Late”) is a quartet hailing from Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. With roots dating back to 1988, the band reunited in 2024 to create authentic, emotionally resonant rock music that honors the past while forging a distinctive modern voice.

Opening with the poignant line, “Now it must be over, it’s all fire and stars…”, the song immediately immerses listeners in a space where endings and new beginnings coexist. Fire becomes a symbol of hardship and transformation, while the stars represent hope waiting beyond the struggle, a contrast that gives the song both its emotional depth and cinematic appeal.

The arrangement mirrors that journey beautifully. Instead of erupting from the outset, the song unfolds with patience, allowing each musical layer to earn its place. Driving guitars, thunderous percussion, atmospheric textures, and subtle brass accents gradually expand the sonic landscape, creating a sense of momentum that feels both intimate and arena-ready. The electric guitar solo arrives as a natural climax, adding another dimension to the song’s uplifting energy while paying tribute to the grandeur of classic rock.

DEAN RÖK embraces the theatrical spirit of the composition without sacrificing authenticity. His delivery carries a palpable sense of urgency, particularly in lines such as, “If you can’t change my life, I know it’s over,” where vulnerability gives way to quiet determination. Layered harmonies further amplify the emotional weight, allowing each chorus to feel more expansive than the last.

The song leans into timeless themes of resilience, sacrifice, and hope with refreshing confidence. It understands that some of the most enduring rock anthems aren’t built on complexity, but on honest emotion delivered with conviction.

“Fire & Stars” by DEAN RÖK shapes a sound that bridges the spirit of classic rock with contemporary cinematic production. Through evocative lyricism, sweeping instrumentation, and an unwavering belief in perseverance, the track makes a statement: the journey from fire to the stars is rarely easy, but it is always worth taking!