Posts by Ryan Dillon

The winter weather is beginning to really kick in over here at the old Caustic factory, but it’s nothing our fine machinery and the Old Caustic factory can’t handle. As it feels like the world is entering a hibernation period, the music continues to turn on its axis, unearthing fresh releases from exhilarating acts. This […]

Perhaps one of the longest-lasting and most significant fixtures in U.K. punk, and a landmark for women in punk worldwide, Vice Squad is a band whose legacy speaks for itself. Centered around the charismatic and influential frontwoman, songwriter, and vocalist Beki Bondage, Vice Squad has risen to the top of the punk scene, disbanded, reunited, […]

When it comes to the formation of hardcore punk and the storied careers that we’ve explored since this vicious form of rock music was birthed during this column, most, if not all, of these bands have a select few forerunners to thank. Sure, some bands popularized the genre and went on to become its poster […]

It is hard to believe we are already a week away from the official start of the holiday season, but 2025 isn’t going out without squeezing every drop of new music from this storied year. We have another jam-packed list of imaginative releases from across music, including refreshing Hip-hop, big band jazz from veterans of […]

At this point in his storied career, Freddie Gibbs has very little left to prove. From Grammy nominations to overcoming controversies, to reaching an undeniable level of Hip-hop prowess through collaborations with some of the genre’s most sought-after producers. The Gary, Indiana, native has become one of the most consistently prolific artists Hip-hop has seen […]

We’ve spent plenty of time speaking about the punk rock scenes that emerge from places like California and Washington, D.C., but there is an East Coast city that deserves its own time in the Golden Age spotlight. No, it’s not New York City, as that area has been anything but ignored in the punk history […]

While most of the world has mentally checked out of work for the year, with the long holiday vacations creeping from around the corner, we continue to fire on all cylinders here at the Old Caustic Factory. We greased our machines in preparation for what turned out to be another thrilling edition of New Music […]

Coming across a discography like that of the Australian psych-rock outfit can be, in simple terms, overwhelming. Since their formation in 2010, the ever-evolving band has been switching sonic terrains and releasing albums at a prolific rate, fearlessly marching into uncharted territories with no map, just lofty visions. With every experimentation from this band, like […]

We are officially nearing the end of our year of punk rock Golden Age Thursdays series, and yet there is still so much history in this genre left to explore. While several underground scenes are brimming with colorful acts that have yet to be featured, it would be criminal for us to wrap up this […]

At this point, rock legends Cheap Trick have nothing left to prove. From fan-favorite rockers releasing acclaimed albums at breakneck speed, to becoming an overseas sensation, and landing themselves in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the band has achieved something most bands can only hope for. Not only did Cheap Trick emerge from […]

While we are still ramping up to the official start of the holiday season, November is kicking off with a bag of gifts. Just when it may seem like the music world is entering vacation mode, with almost every album announcement being attached to a date in 2026, this week proves that 2025 is far […]

2025 is becoming a significant chapter in the legacy of the Wu-Tang Clan, one of Hip-hop’s most long-standing, dominant forces. In March, the group finished their Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber tour, a massive worldwide tour meant to be the group’s final one, as they put a bow on their decades-long reign over the genre. […]

Drain, the hardcore punk trio from Northern California that is slowly making a case for being one of the most exhilarating acts the genre has seen in years, still has plenty left to prove. With two LPs that showcased how this band is fully capable of making thrashing, metal-tinted punk with raw passion, and a […]

Through lineup changes, band members’ deaths, the ever-shrinking attention span of the general public, and the many phases punk has seen since the ’80s, the name Poison Idea has withstood it all. Formed in Portland, Oregon, by vocalist Jerry A, bassist Chris Tense, and drummer Henry Bogdam, this ever-evolving band has enjoyed a longevity most […]

Some bands can be described as tireless artists who simply can’t help but create. Then, there are prolific bands containing the same restless energy, yet are also driven by the urge to share their creations with the world. Then, there is The Mommyheads, veterans of the New York City rock scene who relentlessly push themselves […]

Portugal. The Man, the genre-agnostic outfit led by the multi-faceted John Gourley, is changing before our very eyes. Not in the way this band has been since they emerged in the mid-2000s, consistently shifting sonic terrains throughout their wonderfully colorful discography, but on a more personal level. Gourley is now a father, fully independent after […]

Radiohead has not performed together since 2018, but all changed today (November 4), when the illustrious and innovative rock band took the stage at Movistar Arena in Madrid for the first stop of their 2025 European tour. The tour begins amid the 25th anniversary of the band’s seminal Kid A LP, and is promising to […]

By the year 2000, Outkast had very little left to prove to any but themselves. While their commercial peak would come with the 2003 release of their risky yet widely successful double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, the duo of Big Boi and André 3000 had already covered plenty of ground creatively. Outkast had transformed into […]

Midlake, the rock-fusion outfit that emerged from Texas in the late nineties, has proven and endured a lot over the years. From band members leaving to drastic sonic shifts that range from atmospheric psychedelia to twinkling experimental indie rock, the band has long proven that their range knows no bounds. Still, there is an underlying, […]

We here at the Caustic factory want to wish everyone a joyous Halloween, but if you’re too old for trick-or-treating, we have a grab bag of fresh releases to sink your teeth into. The factory takes no holidays for those who don’t either, and this week continues October’s hot streak of stunning LPs. With surprise […]