New York world rock fusion duo Novus Cantus has released a new single, “Down in the Valley,” built around a vocal take recorded by frontman Fr. Alexander Herasimtschuk in 2023. The band, founded in 2010 by brothers Alex and Christian Herasimtschuk, describes the track as its most personal release to date, addressing depression and spiritual struggle through a blend of classical guitar and Middle Eastern percussion.

According to the announcement, the vocal take used on the final version came from a late-night recording session in a church rectory music room and was initially considered too understated before the band settled on it years later. The percussion part, played on doumbeks and shaker, came from an experimental recording Christian sent his brother, which the band says shaped the song’s Middle Eastern character.

The single was self-produced by the band, mixed at BlueSky Studios in Delmar, New York, and mastered at Le Lab in Montreal. The accompanying music video was shot by the brothers themselves using a rented GoPro and a borrowed Canon Rebel. Novus Cantus, who blend rock, flamenco and Middle Eastern influences, have been nominated twice for World Music Artist of the Year at the Thomas Edison Awards and have performed at venues including The Linda in Albany and Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Eric Alper, thatericalper.com.

Belfast rock band Unquiet Nights have released a new standalone single, “Last Days of Rome,” the first in a planned series of new songs. The track was written by frontman Luke Mathers and drummer Rodger Firmin, drawing on the six years the band spent living and working in Italy, with lyrics inspired by Rome’s Non-Catholic Cemetery and William Wetmore Story’s sculpture Angel of Grief.

The song’s instrumental roots date back to 2011, when Mathers and Firmin began writing the guitar riff while hoping to support Bloc Party guitarist Russell Lissack in London. The track remained unfinished until Mathers completed the lyrics while sitting near Rome’s Foro Italico years later. It was recorded at the band’s own Credential Sound studio in Northern Ireland, with Mathers handling vocals, guitar, mellotron, bass and production, and mixing and mastering by Neal Calderwood at Manor Park Studio.

Formed in Belfast in 2010, Unquiet Nights previously received airplay from BBC Radio 1 and BBC 6 Music and built a following in Italy, including use of their song “George Best City” in a recurring Sky Italia documentary series. Their 2024 album “Seasons in Exile” drew coverage from outlets including Hot Press and The Belfast Telegraph and, according to the band, surpassed 103,000 Spotify listeners in its first year.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Eric Alper, thatericalper.com.

Canadian rock artist Bif Naked has released “Hey Little Frankie,” an electro house track produced by Jason Darr, marking a departure from the punk and rock sound she has been known for. The song runs at 130 BPM and is aimed at club play rather than rock radio, according to the announcement, which likens the track to acts such as Feed Me, Wolfgang Gartner, Knife Party, Pegboard Nerds and Tommy Trash.

According to the announcement, the track had already reached listeners in 132 countries and been played in 70 clubs worldwide ahead of its official release, with early support from Toronto nightlife figure Aeryn Pfaff and London ballroom/house promoter Jay Jay Revlon of Let’s Have a Kiki.

The single arrives during an active period for Bif Naked, who released her first studio album in 15 years, ‘Champion,’ alongside a 27th anniversary edition of ‘I Bificus’ and a 20th anniversary vinyl reissue of ‘Superbeautifulmonster.’ She is also the subject of a documentary directed by Pollyanna Hardwicke-Brown that has screened in Canadian theaters ahead of a planned premiere on Super Channel and Fuse.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Eric Alper, thatericalper.com.

Chicago indie-rock band The Back Alley has announced the Back At Home Tour, a run of early 2027 headline dates across the Midwest and East Coast culminating in a hometown show at Chicago’s Outset on February 20. It is the band’s largest headline tour to date. Tickets go on sale November 6 at 10 a.m. local time.

The tour supports the band’s debut album, Back At Home, due January 22, 2027. The five-piece previewed the record with the single “Pick Me Up,” which the band says bridges the guitar-driven sound of earlier songs with a more open, mature direction on the new LP. Support acts on the 2027 dates include Six Foot Blonde and The Band Solstice.

Before the headline run begins, The Back Alley is closing out 2026 on the road as support for DICE and The Stews. The band formed in 2022 and has built a following in the Midwest indie-rock scene; the new album was recorded during a writing retreat in Michigan.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Madi Florence.

Sublime will return to Red Rocks Amphitheatre on April 17-18 for a two-night stand marking the 35th anniversary of the band’s debut album, 40 Oz. to Freedom. The band will perform that album in its entirety on the first night, followed by a full performance of its self-titled 1996 album plus additional catalog cuts on the second night. Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, November 6.

The shows follow what the band describes as a breakout year, driven by its first new album in three decades, Until the Sun Explodes, released via Atlantic Records, Regime Music Group and SVNBVRNT Records. According to the announcement, the album’s title track and lead single reached No. 1 on the Mediabase Alternative radio chart and Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart for three consecutive weeks, following an eight-week run at No. 1 for the 2025 single “Ensenada.” The current lineup includes original members Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh alongside Jakob Nowell, son of late frontman Bradley Nowell, on vocals.

The band also points to the self-titled album’s recent RIAA Diamond certification, recognizing more than 10 million units sold, which was marked earlier this year with an exhibit and acoustic performance at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. The announcement notes that Sublime’s 2026 Red Rocks shows sold out within a week, according to the band’s representatives.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Beachwood Entertainment Collective.