With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

Music reviews, gig reviews, fun trivia and extra added random stuff!

Mayhem’s Top 50 Albums Of 2025 (Part 5) – The Final Countdown! December 20, 2025


The revelation of Mayhem’s Top 50 Albums Of 2025 is now nearing the top. In past years it has only ever been a top 20, but it was hard to whittle the original list of 60 down to 20, so we kept 50 of them! So far we have given you parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 which cover positions 11 through to 50. Now we reveal the numbers from 1 to 10 in the final instalment, the top 10 or part 5.

Have your favourite albums made the Mayhem cut? Check out the list below and check out parts 1, 2, 3 and 4. (Just click on the numbers). There is, as promised, a 50 song play list, bringing you nearly three hours of great sounds (check below)! For information the whole top 50 is printed below as well. Here comes the top ten!

1 Service Station At The End Of The Universe – Antony Szmierek – “Perfect spoken word poetry set against sublime beats, like the bastard northern son of Mike Skinner”
2 Der Traum Über Alles – Avalanche Party“Without a doubt the finest British band of their generation. I am gutted that they decided to call it a day”
3 More – Pulp“A flawless return to form from one of Sheffield’s finest bands”
4 Panic Shack – Panic Shack – “Personal tales of truth and life from a superb band”
5 Rave Immortal – ALT BLK ERA“A musical phenomenon that gets better with every release!”
6 black british music – Jim Legxacy – “Can anyone combine rap, R&B and electro pop better than Jim Legxacy? Probably not!”
7 Reflecting Light And Causing Chaos – Dead Rat Society“Perhaps a little short, but this is a genuine example of an album that is most definitely all killer no filler“.
8 Suspects – The Dead Zoo“A band that is standing on the threshold of true greatness”
9 Never Enough – Turnstile“Who can write a hook-laden chorus better than this lot?
10 Who Let The Dogs Out – Lambrini Girls“Perfect punk energy switched up to 11”

THE FULL TOP 50

1 Service Station At The End Of The Universe – Antony Szmierek
2 Der Traum Über Alles – Avalanche Party
3 More – Pulp
4 Panic Shack – Panic Shack
5 Rave Immortal – ALT BLK ERA
6 black british music – Jim Legxacy
7 Reflecting Light And Causing Chaos – Dead Rat Society
8 Suspects – The Dead Zoo
9 Never Enough – Turnstile
10 Who Let The Dogs Out – Lambrini Girls
11 Cut & Rewind – Say She She
12 West End Girl – Lily Allen
13 Parasites & Butterflies – Nova Twins
14 Bin Juice – The Lovely Eggs
15 The Clearing – Wolf Alice
16 Lotus – Little Simz
17 MAD! – Sparks
18 Euro-Country – CMAT
19 Pillow Talk – Party Nails
20 Antidepressants – Suede
21 The Passionate Ones – Nourished By Time
22 Can’t Lose My (Soul) – Annie and the Caldwells
23 Showbiz! – MIKE
24 Who Is The Sky? – David Byrne
25 Getting Killed – Geese
26 YHWH Nailgun – 45 Pounds
27 Lux – ROSALÍA
28 Golliwog – Billy Woods
29 Only Dust Remains – Backxwash
30 I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me – Lorna Shore
31 A Paradise In The Hold – Yazz Ahmed
32 Essex Honey – Blood Orange
33 EUSEXUA – FKA Twigs
34 DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS – Bad Bunny
35 Addison – Addison Rae
36 THE BPM – Sudan Archives
37 Like A Ribbon – John Glacier
38 That’s Showbiz Baby! – JADE
39 The Bad Fire – Mogwai
40 A Complicated Woman – Self Esteem
41 The Sky, the Earth & All Between – Architects
42 Music Can Hear Us – DJ Koze
43 The Collapse Of Everything – Adrian Sherwood
44 Sad And Beautiful World – Mavis Staples
45 Metalhorse – Billy Nomates
46 A Fine African Man – Knucks
47 Faux Animaux – Blue Violet
48 Lost In Good Intentions – Fishing 4 Compliments
49 Dreaming In Stereo – Jellybricks
50 Naked Truth – Autumn Dawn Leader

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The Mayhem Charts – May 2025 June 19, 2025


Here is the Mayhem chart for May 2025, rather late (just like last month) I know, but better late than never right? Regular readers know the chart is based on my streaming listening habits. These are gathered over the last month by obscurify.com. My taste in music remains 99% more obscure than the rest of the UK! The chart remains contemporary-ish (but if a classic artist releases something new they might feature in the chart). However, last month’s top three “Legacy” artists were David Bowie, the Sweet and the Wombles! What? The Wombles I hear you say. Well yes I interacted with the legendary Mike Batt via his autobiography and an interview. Obscurify also suggests the most obscure artists I have listened to for March and they are Ace Hansel Jr, Dead Rat Society and Kindelan. Bowie, Dead Rat Society and Kindelan have retained their positions from last month.

Dead Rat Society are the top artist for May up from number four in April. Dead Rat Society are one of four acts that remain in the artist chart from last month, along with Millie Manders and the Shutup, Lexi Jones and Greentea Peng. Four artists feature in both the artist chart and the song chart; Dead Rat Society (#1 Artist, #1 and #5 Song), Sparks (#2 Artist and #2 Song), Getdown Services (#3 Artist, #3 Song) and Bruce Springsteen #6 Artist, #4 Song). Robbie Williams makes his first ever appearance in the Mayhem Chart at number 7 in the artist chart. Yes I am now finally a fan! So without further ado here are those charts in full! Click on the Spotify link below to listen to the famous (or infamous) five! Twenty one minutes of great music!

Mayhem Artist Chart May 2025

1 Dead Rat Society
2 Sparks
3 Getdown Services
4 Greentea Peng
5 Ace Hansel Jr.
6 Bruce Springsteen
7 Robbie Williams
8 Millie Manders and the Shutup
9 Kindelan
10 Lexi Jones

Mayhem Song Chart May 2025

1 Come With Me On A Spaceship – Dead Rat Society
2 A Little Bit Of Light Banter – Sparks
3 Chrysalis – Getdown Services
4 Land Of Hope And Dreams (Live In Manchester) – Bruce Springsteen
5 The Night – Dead Rat Society

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The Mayhem Charts – April 2025 May 28, 2025


Here is the Mayhem chart for April 2025, rather tardy I know, but better late than never right? Regular readers know the chart is based on my streaming listening habits. These are gathered over the last month by obscurify.com. My taste in music remains 99% more obscure than the rest of the UK! The chart remains contemporary-ish (but if a classic artist releases something new they might feature in the chart). However, last month’s top three “Legacy” artists were David Bowie, Max Romeo and the Isley Brothers. Obscurify also suggests the most obscure artists I have listened to for March and they are Liz Davinci, Dead Rat Society and Kindelan. Bowie, Liz Davinci and Kindelan have retained their positions from last month.

Millie Manders and the Shutup are the top artist for April’ up from number three in March . Millie and the gang are the only artist in the artist chart remaining from last month. The artist chart, I am pleased to say, is made up of 70% female or female fronted acts. These include Lexi Jones, Emma-Jean Thackray, Litany, Greentea Peng and the amazingly talented abs! Three artists feature in both the artist chart and the song chart; Cassyette (7 – artist, 2 – song), Dead Rat Society (4 – artist, 4 – song) and Apollo Junction (10 – artist, 5 – song). One of Mayhem’s favourite bands tops the song chart with cracking current single “Take Down”, yes it is one of York’s finest bands, Lost Trends! So without further ado here are those charts in full! Click on the Spotify link below to listen to the famous (or infamous) five! Nearly fifteen minutes of great music!

Mayhem Artist Chart April 2025

1 Millie Manders and the Shutup
2 Abs
3 Lexi Jones
4 Dead Rat Society
5 Greentea Peng
6 Litany
7 Cassyette
8 James and the Cold Gun
9 Emma-Jean Thackray
10 Apollo Junction

Mayhem Song Chart April 2025

1 Take Down – Lost Trends
2 This World Fucking Sucks – Cassyette
3 Elephant – Neckbreakers
4 The Night – Dead Rat Society
5 Settle Down – Apollo Junction

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‘Reflecting Light And Causing Chaos’ – Dead Rat Society

Filed under: Album,Review — justwilliam1959 @ 1:37 pm
Tags: , ,

Every so often an album comes along that grabs you by the (metaphorical) balls and doesn’t let them free until you submit to its masterful musical charms. ‘Reflecting Light And Causing Chaos’ by Dead Rat Society is such an album. It burst into the atmosphere on 2nd May like a comet seeking to plough a hole from one side of our planet to the other and it has been on constant rotation here at Mayhem Towers. Dead Rat Society are based in London and blend so much into their glowing musical palette; Grunge, Punk, Metal, HipHop and EDM and probably more. They have started to pick up a lot of Radio play, particularly from John Kennedy of Radio X. He played their single “Girls” six times and gave it the X-Posure ‘Big One’ and they appeared on a coveted spot on his ‘The Remedy Night’ on March 25 this year. Dead Rat Society are Ed Harris (Vox, Guitar, Keys, Songwriter, Lyrics), Ben Potter (DJ, Producer, Songwriter), Connor Firmston (Bass) and Will Piney (Drums). Apparently the band began as a bit of a musical joke which experimented with influences from Prog Rock and old school horror films.

The album opens with “The Night” a wonderfully warped clarion call for what is to follow. It is like the Prodigy but in a much darker universe than this, the constant siren drone starts off giving harsh undertones before it becomes a part of you. I love the inclusion of a piece of the Star Wars Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme), subtle and perfect. Lyrically this bunch are like 21st century Beat Poets, the line “You’re a lowercase phrase hanging with the capital” speaks volumes in just a few words. “Can You Feel It Your Face” follows and it has a jolly happyish synth riff coupled with a vocal that is haunted with anguish. One of the vocal hooks asks “are we the last of our race”. Sadly I fear that we are, but Dead Rat Society will be featured heavily on my Armageddon playlist. The band are not brand new to With Just A Hint Of Mayhem, we reviewed their single “Come With Me On A Spaceship” back in January and that song is the third track on the album. Back then I said that I think we should all get on their spaceship and zoom to Planet Dead Rat! Lyrically it is pertinent and amusing. I particularly love “Have you tried looking outside?..everything is really Fucked“. This is electro punk garage hiphop and that is just for starters. They also incorporate some wonderful voice samples. Well they may not be samples, but either way they work. Ed from the band said this of the track “The song is mainly about inviting someone to let loose, pull away from the drudgery of modern life and relax for a bit. Away from all the lame shit. Escapism through and through by any means necessary!” I stand by every word I said back then!

In a strange coincidence, for me anyway, “Needed The Sun” opens with what sounds a little like the bass opening of the northern soul classic “The Night” by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Well a loose coincidence but it does share a title with this Dead Rat Society album, right. Anyway “Needed The Sun” has a gorgeous obsidian dark jazz feel to it. It is also hard to ignore a song that opens with “I’m a fuck
But I hide it well
“. On “Immaculate Vibes” I sensed a Scroobius Pip influence coupled with a Sleaford Mods feel. After a few listens I think “Shoplifters Welcome” might be my favourite track on the album. It has an insistent jagged electro feel throughout and a lyric that venomously spits anger. It also boasts words that IDLES might be proud of. The band go into an almost ballad type mood on “Leave With Care” where the emotion and pain is almost palpable. I feel that I am almost suffering with them. Not many bands or artists can pull off such a great modern blues feel as Dead Rat Society do on “Little Victories”. It reminded me of the best of Iggy Pop and Nick Cave.

“Bounce Back” is a great track that in my opinion is begging for a great dance remix, maybe by Rizzle Kicks? Of all the tracks here I feel that this one ought to be all over the radio. It is funky, catchy and seeps into your mind and stays there rent free. The album closes with “Dream River” which washes over you with dreamy calm, like a tranced out Stone Roses, but with much better vocals. The only negative comment I have is that it is way too short at less than 30 minutes, but then again, fuck it, just play the damned thing twice. Sum 41 once called an album ‘All Killer No Filler’ and that phrase describes ‘Reflecting Light And Causing Chaos’ by Dead Rat Society perfectly. Can I add that the album cover is probably the best use of a baby on a cover since Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ back in 1994. Honestly You are an absolute fuckwit if you listen to this and don’t rush onto Dead Rat Society’s spaceship and blast them into your life. If you don’t then I suspect that your brain might be missing!

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Wow That’s What I Call Mayhem – Volume 6 February 18, 2025


I continue to send my humblest of apologies to the creators of the iconic NOW music compilation series of tri-annual releases. Their compilations began in 1983. I posted and compiled the first WOW That’s What I Call Mayhem collection back in March 2024. Volumes 2, 3 and 4 followed in August and September. Volume 5 was put together and posted in early January this year! So you must be ready for volume 6, right? I certainly hope so, because here it is! This includes the first 20 singles we reviewed in 2025 in another wonderfully maniacal eclectic playlist for your listening pleasure! With 70 minutes of music, click the Spotify link below and lose yourself in the music!

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“Come With Me On A Spaceship” – Dead Rat Society January 14, 2025

Filed under: Review,Single — justwilliam1959 @ 10:49 pm
Tags: , ,

I have not heard of this band before but fuck this new single is wonderfully out there. There are some influences from the likes of Soft Play. Aside from those influences, this bunch are out on their own. I think we should all get on their spaceship and zoom to Planet Dead Rat! Lyrically it is pertinent and amusing. I particularly love “Have you tried looking outside?..everything is really Fucked“. This is electro punk garage hiphop and that is just for starters. They also incorporate some wonderful voice samples. Well they may not be samples, but either way they work. Ed from the band said this of the track “The song is mainly about inviting someone to let loose, pull away from the drudgery of modern life and relax for a bit. Away from all the lame shit. Escapism through and through by any means necessary!” You are an absolute dipshit if you listen to this and don’t rush onto Dead Rat Society’s spaceship. If you don’t then you are a brainless fuckwit or most probably you are Trump’s first lady, Elonia Muskrat!

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