Bound South Unleashes New Single “Murder River”

Hailing from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Bound South is a five-piece that explores the many facets of southern rock. The band formed in 2024, and now, after releasing their debut self-titled album and a couple of lineup changes, they are back with their introduction to this new era, “Murder River.”

The song is a dark one, telling the tale of a location with a bloodcurdling past. The band’s Southern roots are heavily prevalent in the style of the music, a mix of country, blues, and an eerie folksy vibe. Vocalist/bassist Eri carries the atmosphere a step higher with the strength of her voice, the grit and the hint of twang putting the cherry on top.

Check out “Murder River” below, and/or on your chosen streaming service, and make sure you follow Bound South so you can keep up-to-date on all they have going on! More new music is coming soon, so keep your eyes open!

Bound South’s Links:

The Hu and Apocalyptica Announce 2026 Co-Headlining Dates

Mongolian folk metal band The Hu is teaming up with Finnish symphonic metal trio Apocalyptica for a North American tour this May/June. The brief run boasts Finnish rockers The Rasmus as support. Tickets are available at thehuofficial.com!

Five Songs I’m Obsessed With [2/9 – 2/15]

Ventana: Rust and Revelations Tour 2026

Industrial metal band Ventana, founded and currently fronted by Richard “Stitch” Thomas of Mushroomhead fame, is hitting the road this spring. The 20-date run features special guest Aeternum and kicks off March 1st in Columbus, Ohio. Tickets and VIP are on sale at ventanaband.com!

  • 3/1 – Columbus, OH – The King of Clubs
  • 3/2 – New Kensington, PA – Preserving Underground
  • 3/3 – Philadelphia, PA – Nikki Lopez Philly
  • 3/4 – Clifton, NJ – Dingbatz
  • 3/5 – Thomasville, PA – Racehorse Tavern
  • 3/6 – Chesapeake, VA – Riffhouse Pub
  • 3/7 – Spartanburg, SC – Ground Zero
  • 3/8 – Atlanta, GA – 529
  • 3/11 – Sanford, FL – West End Trading Company
  • 3/12 – Tampa, FL – Brass Mug
  • 3/13 – Jacksonville, FL – Jack Rabbits Live
  • 3/14 – Mobile, AL – Alabama Music Box
  • 3/15 – Houston, TX – Scout Bar
  • 3/16 – San Antonio, TX – The Starlighter
  • 3/18 – Lubbock, TX – Jake’s Sports Cafe & Backroom
  • 3/19 – Dallas, TX – TX Tea Room
  • 3/20 – Oklahoma City, OK – 89th Street Live
  • 3/21 – Kansas City, MO – Westport Bowery
  • 3/22 – Omaha, NE – Reverb Lounge
  • 3/24 – Iowa City, IA – Wildwood

I See Stars: Spin the Wheel Tour 2026

Metalcore/electronicore outfit I See Stars has shared dates spanning from late February to early April. Their “Spin the Wheel” tour features special guests Mothica, Until I Wake, and Diamante. Tickets on sale at iseestarsmusic.com!

  • 2/26 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave/Eagles Club
  • 2/27 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge
  • 2/28 – Columbus, OH – King of Clubs
  • 3/1 – Cleveland, OH – Globe Iron
  • 3/2 – Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl
  • 3/4 – New York City, NY – Gramercy Theater
  • 3/5 – Hartford, CT – The Webster
  • 3/6 – Worcester, MA – Palladium
  • 3/7 – Baltimore, MD – Recher Theatre
  • 3/8 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground
  • 3/9 – Atlanta, GA – The Loft
  • 3/12 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room
  • 3/13 – Orlando, FL – The Beacham
  • 3/14 – Destin, FL – Club LA
  • 3/16 – Houston, TX – Scout Bar
  • 3/17 – Austin, TX – Come and Take It Live
  • 3/18 – Dallas, TX – Trees
  • 3/20 – Phoenix, AZ – Nile Theater
  • 3/21 – Las Vegas, NV – 24 Oxford
  • 3/22 – Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre
  • 3/23 – Roseville, CA – Goldfield’s Roseville
  • 3/25 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre
  • 3/26 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
  • 3/28 – Billings, MT – The Pub Station
  • 3/29 – Denver, CO – Oriental Theater
  • 3/30 – Colorado Springs, CO – Black Sheep
  • 4/1 – Kansas City, MO – Warehouse on Broadway
  • 4/2 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall
  • 4/3 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room at Old National Centre
  • 4/4 – Detroit, MI – Saint Andrew’s Hall

Five Songs I’m Obsessed With [2/2 – 2/8]

I have a couple of honorable mentions this week…

Katatonia: Waking State of North America 2026

Swedish heavy metal band Katatonia has announced an early 2026 North American run. These will be headlining shows separate from their tour with Opeth. Tickets to all dates are available at katatonia.com!

February 2026

  • 2/9 – Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird Café & Music Hall
  • 2/27 – San Francisco, CA – August Hall
  • 2/28 – Los Angeles, CA – Regent Theater

March 2026

  • 3/1 – Mesa, AZ – Nile Theater
  • 3/3 – Austin, TX – Come and Take It Live
  • 3/5 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade (Hell)
  • 3/6 – Orlando, FL – The Beacham
  • 3/7 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground
  • 3/8 – Towson, MD – The Recher
  • 3/10 – Toronto, ON – Mod Club
  • 3/11 – Montreal, QC – Le Studio TD
  • 3/12 – Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere (The Hall)

Five Songs I’m Obsessed With [1/26 – 2/1]

Be sure to check out the full January playlist. And get ready – February is sure to bring a ton of great music!

Goodreads Reading Challenge 2026 [January]

It’s the first reading challenge post of 2026! I’m so excited: this is one of my favorite things to do for the blog.

My goal this year is 80 books, and I think I’m off to a good start. Below are the books I read in January, along with my rating of each.

1. Slashing Through the Snow (Jacqueline Frost)

Rating: 4/5

2. The Very Naughty List (Michael D.A. Clarke)

Rating: 3/5

3. Beautiful Ugly (Alice Feeney)

Rating: 3.5/5

4. Daisy Jones & the Six (Taylor Jenkins Reid)

Rating: 3/5

5. I Know You Saw Her (Ann Girdharry)

Rating: 3.5/5

6. Candy Cane Murder (Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine, and Leslie Meier)

Rating: 3/5

This was actually a compilation of three short stories, and the second one by Laura Levine is what earned the book 3 stars. The other works weren’t terrible, but hers was the best.

7. Sally’s Lament (Mari Mancusi)

Rating: 4/5

***

I am currently reading Neverwhere (Neil Gaiman) and Society of Lies (Lauren Ling Brown).

Progress: 7/80

Bad Omens: Do You Feel Love North America 2026

Bad Omens has announced North American dates for their Do You Feel Love Tour. Kicking off February 22nd in Salt Lake City, this leg boasts support from Beartooth and President. Tickets and VIP can be found at badomensofficial.com!

  • 2/22 – Salt Lake City, UT – Delta Center
  • 2/24 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
  • 2/26 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center
  • 2/28 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
  • 3/2 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
  • 3/4 – Rosemont, IL – Allstate Arena
  • 3/6 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
  • 3/8 – Laval, QC – Place Bell
  • 3/10 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
  • 3/11 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
  • 3/13 – Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena
  • 3/14 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
  • 3/16 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center
  • 3/17 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
  • 3/19 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
  • 3/20 – San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center
  • 3/22 – Oklahoma City, OK – Paycom Center
  • 3/24 – Phoenix, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena
  • 3/26 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
  • 3/27 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena