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On Tyranny: Queer NYC Pop Musician Danny Blu on Art as a Vehicle for Empathizing With Trans Community

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags authoritarianism, Danny Blu, fascism, LGBTQ+, On Tyranny, trump, tyranny on 09/09/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

A day after the release of his new single “Faithless,” and with his album “Type Volume I” on the horizon for an October 13 release, dark pop and industrial noise aficionado Danny Blu joins The Bad Penny‘s On Tyranny series for a candid conversation about the inextricability of his work fighting for LGBTQ+ rights and his unique musical creations.

The theatrical, New York City-based artist – who also works in the nonprofit world to protect LGBTQ+ individuals from the nonstop assault by MAGA and other malevolent forces that have latched onto American society like Alien face-huggers – is quickly making a name for himself as a prominent defender of marginalized individuals.

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Best New Music Videos (August 2026): mr.phylzzz, Amon Amarth, Skyjoggers, Tipa Tipo con Pahua, Sorry, Deceits

Posted in Lists, Videos with tags Amon Amarth, Brother Bird, Current Joys, Deceits, mr.phylzzz, Satanic Planet, Skyjoggers, Sorry, Tipa Tipo con Pahua, Turmion Kätilöt on 09/08/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Always at least a day late. Never a dollar short.

1. mr.phylzzz’s “Rodeo Clown”

2. Amon Amarth’s “Gjallarhorn”

3. Skyjoggers’ “Ancient Steel”

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The 10 Best Chilean Bands, According to Guitarist for Santiago-Based Noisy Punk-Rock Squad Niño Nuclear (Exclusive)

Posted in Exclusives, Features, Interviews, Lists, The Visionaries, Videos with tags Adelaida, Cóclea, Fother Muckers, Las Olas (Noisepop), Mano de Obra, Niño Nuclear, Paracaidistas, Perrogato, Playa Gótica, Protistas on 08/26/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Well, try this one on for size: Five days ago, we published the Venezuela installment of The Bad Penny‘s new series in which we touch base with a seasoned musician from a non-U.S. country to get real-life recommendations (as opposed to artificially generated ones from Spotify) about the best bands in that artist’s homeland. Diego Ramirez, frontman of heavy garage-rock band Joudy, cultivated the list for that edition of the series, and one of the artists he deemed exceptional is another heavy garage-rock band Niño Nuclear. (If you don’t know about Ramirez’s harrowing escape from Venezuela due to rampant violence, be sure to read the story and watch the accompanying video interview in this edition of The Bad Penny’s On Tyranny series.)

While Niño Nuclear relocated to Santiago, Chile, in 2019, the band left an indelible mark on the country where they were born – but are thriving even more so now. After hearing Ramirez talk glowingly about the members of the group – including guitarist/bassist Frank Pereira; Mechu and Julio, who both provide vocals and play guitar; bassist Fernando and drummer Leo – we thought what better musician to enlighten us about the top 10 best bands in Chile for the latest edition in our series.

Here are los seleciónes de Señor Frank:

1. Paracaidistas

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On Tyranny: Calculus Was ‘Scared’ to Cover Politics; Now He’s Liberated With New LP (Exclusive)

Posted in Exclusives, Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags authoritarianism, economic injustice, equality, fascism, On Tyranny, The Calculus, trump, tyranny, Vivek Jayaram on 08/25/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

After many periods of reflection and deliberation, The Calculus went through a transformation resulting in him wanting to focus more on the world around him – and political matters in particular, as they now infiltrate every aspect of our lives.

“I came to realize that anything is right or left,” he continued. “It’s all division and distraction from looking at people that are hoarding money while everyone’s suffering. We have a guillotine, it’s time to start chopping heads. Things need to be changed from up top in order for things to start getting better.”

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Exclusive Video Premiere: Be Decent’s ‘Come Sweetly’

Posted in Exclusives, Interviews, Videos with tags Be Decent, exclusive on 08/25/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Last month, we had the distinct pleasure to exclusively premiere a new video by Be Decent, an instructively named neo-ska quartet from Brooklyn, in anticipation of the September 18 release date for their debut record, Now’s the Time. That video was for another instructively titled song, “You Better Work.”

Well, lightning does indeed strike twice, as we’re getting double the pleasure and double the fun with a second exclusive video premiere, this time for another prized selection from Now’s the Time: “Come Sweetly.”

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On Tyranny: Think Your Band Has It Rough? Meet Ukraine’s Season of Melancholy, Staying United Amid Russia’s Bombardment of Kiev

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags authoritarianism, fascism, goth, Kiev, On Tyranny, Russian invasion, Season of Melancholy, tyranny, Ukraine, war on 08/24/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Some bands break up after it’s discovered that the bassist slept with the guitarist’s girlfriend. Some bands break up because the drummer wants to go in more of a doom director, whereas the lead guitarist is intransigent over the group staying true to its thrash roots.

Season of Melancholy – who hail from Kyiv, Ukraine – aren’t breaking up anytime soon, even though when The Bad Penny caught up with them on Saturday, Russia had rained hellfire on their environs with bombs. The smoke was still clearing when three members of the group, which refers to themselves as “romantic metal,” caught up with us to talk about music, war, brotherhood, unity, strength, courage and survival. We’re not talking any of that Pete Hegseth bullshit about “real men” and “high-T”: The musicians who comprise Season of Melancholy are braver than everyone watching this video put together.

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The Visionaries: Norway’s Heave Blood & Die Will Choke You Into Submission With ‘Burnout & Codes’

Posted in Interviews, Videos with tags Heave Blood and Die on 08/23/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

The goal of this interview was to ask as many factually incorrect questions, and yours truly succeeded. But Norway post-punk shoegazers Heave Blood & Die took it all in stride, probably due to the adrenaline rush they were still feeling after the recent deluxe release of their first album “Burnout Codes.” Enjoy this charming, low-key conversation with Heave Blood & Die guitarist/vocalist Karl Løftingsmo Pedersen and kayboadist Marie Sofie Langeland Mikkelsen.

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Best New Music Videos (July 2026): Cor de Lux, Insomnium, Body Stuff, Elephant Stone, Thao, Smirk, hijss

Posted in Lists, Videos with tags Body Stuff, Brendan Angelides, Cor de Lux, Elephant Stone, Emma Ruth Rundle, hijss, Insomnium, Serj Tankian, Smirk, Thao on 08/19/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Is it August already? Wait … it’s almost September, you say? Someone’s been sleeping under a rock – and I’ve got moss growing on me to prove it:

Anyway, I’m not gonna make you good people suffer the consequences of my hibernation and misdeeds. Will leave that type of sick, immortal behavior to Trump.

With that said, here are the best videos that came out last month:

1. Cor de Lux’s “The Deli”

2. Insomnium – “Gleam in the Black”

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On Tyranny: Dumb Waiter, the Next Big Thing in Noise Rock, Say ‘It’s Hard Not to Be Political’ Now

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags authoritarianism, Dumb Waiter, fascism, On Tyranny, Tristan Brenni, trump, tyranny on 07/29/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Dumb Waiter’s saxophone player and vocalist, Tristan Brennis, is wise to the fact that many musicians are speaking out in resistance to MAGA and fascism because the war being wages is between right and wrong, not right and left.

“In this day and age, you know, in 2026, it’s kind of hard not to be political,” he says. “I don’t think, when writing [our new] album … any of us intended to make it political. I think it’s just we’re a reflection of our surroundings. You close your eyes, you blink, and all of a sudden, you’re like, ‘Wait a second, we’re actually pretty pissed off.'”

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Meet Stunt Drummer, Jesus Lizard Superfans Who Are Bringing the Noise-Rock in Portland

Posted in Interviews, Videos with tags Jesus Lizard, Stunt Drummer on 07/28/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Portland, Oregon’s Stunt Drummer didn’t have one for the longest time – an inside joke that the band eventually decided should be its moniker. They eventually found one to play on their 2023 self-titled debut – only for the band to swap drummers again for their recently released second album, Warm Up, Tiger.

Join The Bad Penny as we talk with guitarist/vocalist Marty Buckenmeyer and bassist Ethan Schee about the challenges of getting a band off the ground, our mutual love for the Jesus Lizard and why Stunt Drummer decided to record live in a small room with minimal overdubs.

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