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Megan Jenkins

Music Journalist & Photographer, based in Cardiff, UK. 

Currently writing for Distorted Sound Magazine, Hive Magazine & Out Jamz.

HIVE •

Lady Gaga — ‘Mayhem’ — HIVE

Artists grow and change. They find new influences that shape and guide their own creative processes, expanding their reach into new genres and audiences. Breaking into other styles is a hard feat for many artists, but not for seasoned pop powerhouse Lady Gaga. With an already impressive discography and resume, Gaga can do nothing but build on her already extensive legacy and the next release to aid her in cultivating her audience further is Mayhem. It feels that with every release in her reperto...
Distorted Sound Magazine •

Heavy Music History: 'Infest' - Papa Roach - Distorted Sound Magazine

There’s not many tracks that almost anyone will recognise from an opening line. But, somehow, “Cut my life into pieces, this is my last resort” is able to draw a reaction from any crowd. It was the debut single from PAPA ROACH, a band that was pretty much unknown at the time of the track’s release despite having been active for nearly ten years, but that opening line helped catapult them into stardom and success.
Distorted Sound Magazine •

Polar: Embracing Change. Promoting Positivity.

Change is something we must all face, whether we like it or not. On the topic, psychologist Abraham Maslow once said: “in any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or step back into safety”. For metalcore veterans POLAR, the former was the only option. Over the last year the band has faced a massive shift, not just sonically but within their lineup, and have had to face it head on and embrace the complications to make the best of a bad situation for themselves.
HIVE •

While She Sleeps - Live @ Marble Factory, Bristol

While She Sleeps feeds heavily off the sense of belonging that is so synonymous with their gigs and the community they have fostered and it creates a real feeling of acceptance throughout the entire room from the moment the lights dim and signal their arrival onto stage. It's a sold out gig and the energy throughout the venue is palpable as soon as drummer Adam Savage takes his place behind his spotlit kit. Coming off a headline run in Europe means that the crowd has no choice but to prove thems...
HIVE •

Becky Hill - Live @ Utilita Arena, Cardiff

What should have been a relatively quiet Tuesday night has turned into a Saturday clubnight thanks to pop sensation Becky Hill. The evening is kicked off by a DJ set by Charlie Boon, who knows exactly how to get the crowd going. He provides us with a non-stop half-hour party that features everything from classics like the Vengaboys to some more recent dance hits. Whatever he plays manages to elicit a reaction from the crowd who, honestly, just seem incredibly happy to be there.
Distorted Sound Magazine •

Graywave: Relinquishing Full Creative Control

STRAPPING YOUNG LAD. FOO FIGHTERS. NINE INCH NAILS. All bands that began as solo projects started by disillusioned musicians who were tired of the failings brought to them by previous bandmates and an industry that doesn’t particularly like to support up-and-comers. They’ve evolved to include some of the most notable names in the industry, as well as create them. The latest name to add to this list is GRAYWAVE, a musical project by Jess Webberley.
HIVE •

Kublai Khan TX — ‘Exhibition Of Prowess’ album review

In a year when hardcore has hit the mainstream and found a new level of popularity, it only  seems right that Texas heavyweights of the genre and fan-favourites Kublai Khan TX release their new album ‘Exhibition of Prowess’.The album itself begins with a roaring start in the form of the opening track ‘Supreme Ruler’. At just under a minute in length and with minimal lyrics, the entire song is essentially a breakdown, but it shows us the no nonsense approach that Kublai Khan has to their music ri...
Out Jamz •

We needed a Femininomenon: Summer 2024 Delivered

Brat. H-O-T-T-O-G-O. The mere existence of Reneé Rapp. A few months ago, all these things would have been appreciated in the overtly queer spaces of Twitter or Tumblr like the days of old, but a recent shift has seen them flood the mainstream with songs about girls kissing girls and pulsing hyper pop tracks that rival even the most experienced DJs of Ibiza.  2024 has seen a monumental shift in the way we consume queer media.
HIVE •

Shania Twain - Live @ Chepstow Racecourse

It’s no shock that it’s summer and raining in Wales, but the torrential rain can do nothing to dampen the spirits of the hundreds that have braved the weather to witness Shania Twain’s first ever Welsh show. The Canadian country singer has been one of the most powerful and prominent voices in the genre, with her music reaching the masses – whether you’re a genuine fan or you’ve only heard her inside a Coyote Ugly bar, there is no doubt that you know at least one of her songs. The crowd is a mixt...
HIVE •

Pride Month Artist Spotlight: Brandi Carlile

If you don’t think you’ve heard of Brandi Carlile before, you’re wrong. As a multi–Grammy Award winner and a defining voice of the 2000s, her career has gone places that many of us can only dream of. And yes, she sang ‘The Story’ from the divisive musical episode of Grey’s Anatomy. Carlile is one of the few people to go through most of their careers being open about who they are. She came out in 2002 before she could even release her first album
HIVE •

Pride Month Artist Spotlight: Rob Halford

It feels wrong to talk about pride and not talk about Rob Halford. As the frontman of the ever-influential heavy metal band Judas Priest and as one of the first male faces to come out of the closet from the male-centric genre, his influence on queer heavy musicians is unmatched.After decades in the closet, Halford outed himself as gay in a 1998 interview on MTV, which ultimately came as no shock to the people that had watched him for years as he popularized leather culture in metal
HIVE •

Pride Month Artist Spotlight: Bitchin’ Hour

In the rather idyllic county of Hampshire, just around the corner from Jane Austen’s home, there are the beginnings of a revolution. Diversifying the often-derivative lineups of punk shows is bitch rock four-piece Bitchin’ Hour. They're challenging everything we know about the punk music scene, diversifying the lineups full of old white men trying to relive their glory days by turning up to venues covered in glitter and shouting about how much they love women.
HIVE •

Pride Month Artist Spotlight: MUNA

It’s really difficult to put into words just how much I appreciate and love MUNA and their music. Just put yourself in my shoes: it's August in London and MUNA is playing Gunnersbury Park in support of boygenius. I sprinted from the hotel, determined not to miss the opening notes of ‘What I Want’ and when I arrived mere minutes before the group took to the stage, I took a quick look around and found myself at a concert surrounded by the most overtly obvious, openly queer audience.
HIVE •

Pride Month Artist Spotlight: Chappell Roan

“My name is Chappell Roan. I’m your favourite artist’s favourite artist. I’m your dream girl’s dream girl. And I'm gonna serve exactly what you are: cunt!”

What was a well-kept secret until earlier this year has exploded into popularity thanks to an incredible set at Coachella, viral lyrics, and an opening slot for Olivia Rodrigo on the Guts World Tour. Chappel Roan’s music is for the masses, incorporating all the best parts of 80s pop with some devastatingly relatable & snarky lyricism.

Roan
Distorted Sound Magazine •

Dead Pony: Exploring Infinite Possibilities

There is no denying that life right now is incredibly hard for many of us. We constantly search for an escape from the mundane routines we find ourselves locked into, desperate for a distraction from the monotony that comes with the average 9-5 job. Scottish four-piece DEAD PONY are using their debut album Ignore This as an excuse to break free and transport themselves into a world packed full of the undead, action, and all things theatrical.
Distorted Sound Magazine •

The Karma Effect: Bringing Classic Rock To The Modern Age

The New Wave of Classic Rock scene has proved to be a breeding ground for talent over the last ten years, boasting bands like Those Damn Crows, Florence Black, and Massive Wagons among some of its more successful alumni. Even down to the grassroots level, its dedicated following has supported all bands that fall under the genre, building them up from small pubs to arena shows and further beyond, never letting them forget their roots. The next band to catapult out of this scene is The Karma Effect
Distorted Sound Magazine •

HEAVY MUSIC HISTORY: This Is Spinal Tap

Bands are often formed by longtime friends who share a passion for all things music. They spend time together sharing their love for bands before deciding to pick up an instrument and noodling away at various riffs they’ve heard, before it becomes a full-blown jam session and something of more substance. These bands will play together in garages or practice rooms before moving to the stage, bringing their dreams into reality and living their dreams. But what happens when this bond and camaraderie
HIVE •

Maggie Rogers — ‘Don't Forget Me’ album review

After being thrust into stardom thanks to a viral video featuring Pharrell Williams, Maggie Rogers went from standard (but talented) university student to music sensation almost overnight. After releasing two studio albums, earning herself a Grammy nomination and playing festivals and shows across the globe, Rogers enrolled in graduate school at Havard and it's at the tail end of earning this postgraduate degree that we are treated to her third studio album ‘Don’t Forget Me’.
HIVE •

Knocked Loose: Live @ SWX, Bristol

The last few years have seen hardcore move away from being one of music’s most well-kept secrets to becoming something a little more mainstream, thanks to Kublai Khan TX Tik Tok dances and viral Coachella sets. The venue this evening, SWX, isn’t a Bristol venue that you would instantly associate with hardcore, being used as a nightclub more often than not. The last few months have been a good start in adding ‘hardcore-friendly’ to its attributes and tonight is no exception.
Distorted Sound Magazine •

HEAVY MUSIC HISTORY: The First Chart-Topping EP

When ALICE IN CHAINS released their third studio EP, Jar Of Flies, at the start of 1994, the level of success that it would harbor was unexpected. It would be the second acoustic EP for them to release, after 1992’s Sap, and would signal the start of their mainstream success. It was the first EP in music history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, with the first week sales exceeding 141,000 copies in the US. The record was self-produced, written and recorded over just one week at Londo
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