Welcome back to This Week on Wax, your weekly excuse to ignore your bank account and clear some serious space on your record shelves.
This week’s batch of new arrivals is an absolute knockout. We have got an alt-rock powerhouse returning with a dark, cinematic concept album, a legendary acoustic live performance getting a special anniversary pressing, and a ferocious debut from Ireland’s most exciting punk outfit.
Grab a coffee, settle in, and let us dive into the records you need to be taking home this weekend.
Nothing But Thieves - Stray Dogs
If you love rock music that balances massive stadium hooks with dark, dystopian themes, Nothing But Thieves are back to deliver in a big way. Following up their chart-topping success, the Southend quintet returns with their fifth studio album, Stray Dogs, and it is easily their most atmospheric and conceptually ambitious work to date.
Conceived around stories of urban isolation, late-night restlessness, and survival, the record blends Conor Mason's soaring, unmistakable falsetto with razor-sharp guitars and heavy electronic grooves. Standout singles like 'Nightcrawler' and 'Cold Blood' showcase a band at the absolute peak of their powers. Spun on a heavyweight vinyl setup, the dynamics hit with incredible power, moving from delicate, whispered verses to wall-of-sound choruses in a heartbeat. You can also meet Nothing But Thieves at our exclusive album signing - further info here!
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Gurriers - Nobody’s Coming to Save You
If your turntable is begging for raw, unfiltered energy, Dublin’s Gurriers are here to blow the dust off your needle with their explosive album, Nobody’s Coming to Save You. Having built a fierce reputation across the UK and European festival circuits, the band has successfully translated their chaotic, adrenaline-filled stage show straight onto vinyl.
Tracks like the title track 'Nobody’s Coming to Save You' and 'Party Lines' hit with relentless momentum, while other tracks showcase a tense, brooding atmosphere layered behind razor-sharp guitar noise. It is a bold, uncompromising spin that comes alive when you drop it on a turntable with the volume cranked up. It is loud, urgent, and fiercely vital - the ideal spin for the darker autumnal nights approaching.
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Alice in Chains - MTV Unplugged
An absolute landmark in 90s rock history gets a stunning, essential reissue. Alice in Chains' legendary 1996 performance for MTV Unplugged remains one of the most haunting, intimate, and celebrated live recordings ever captured on tape, and having it back on high-fidelity wax is a dream for collectors.
Performing their iconic catalog acoustically, Layne Staley’s soulful, heartbreaking harmonies with Jerry Cantrell take center stage. From the chilling opening chords of 'Nutshell' to timeless renditions of 'Would?' and 'Down in a Hole', the acoustic arrangements breathe incredible warmth and vulnerability into their heavy catalog. The vinyl pressing captures every room echo, string squeak, and audience breath, making you feel like you are sitting front row at Brooklyn's Majestic Theater.
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From dark alt-rock cinematic journeys and iconic unplugged history to Dublin punk fury, this week’s shelves are packed with essential music. Pop down to your local store or secure your copies online today, which record are you dropping the needle on first?
