Magnolia Park have been on a serious glow-up lately, and the Vamp era might be their most ambitious move yet. Fresh off a run in Australia, the band came home inspired to lean fully into a darker sound, something you can feel all over Vamp. The band dove head first into a full-on concept album set in a world they’ve built from the ground up, the Nocturne Nexus.
During their stop at Orlando’s Warped Tour, Melodic Magazine and Magnolia Park dive into the lore of Vamp as well as how songs like “SHALLOW” helped shape the universe they’re creating. We also talk about what it’s like going from openers who have to “win the crowd over” to festival mainstays, their stacked 2026 with Rock im Park, Rock am Ring, Sonic Temple and more, plus a newly announced domestic headlining run with Silly Goose, Phenomenon, Big Noise, and Downswing, and a deluxe release on the way.
Consider this your TL;DR guide to the world of Vamp and where Magnolia Park are headed next.
You guys recently came out with your album Vamp, and it is on kind of the heavier, darker side than the previous albums. Is there a reason you leaned a little bit heavier? Is it kind of what you guys were just feeling at the time?
Tristan: We went to Australia before recording Vamp. We released a couple heavy songs beforehand and those did so well over there. The energy was insane, so we just wanted to up the ante with a new album, and the reception has been amazing. So thank you to all the fans.
Vamp is a concept album. What is the TLDR on the entire storyline for those who may not know?
Freddie: So right now it takes place in a place called Nocturne Nexus, and there is a group going up against an evil cult called the “Shadow Cult,” who is led by Obsidian. Prior to that there was another group of vampires called “The Bloodborne.” Once Aurora, who is a leader of [The Bloodborne], got word that there was an older group, they went to their old headquarters, Skyfall Castle. It’s just the whole overarching theme. And Ophelia, Aurora’s sister, saw that the portal was opening and she ran in where the blood bomb, and that’s where we left off.
Are you going to continue the storyline into the next album?
Freddie: There’s a prelude coming soon.
At what point did we realize we wanted to do a concept album compared to maybe something that was just song by song?
Freddie: We’re all really inspired by rap and Kendrick Lamar and Gorillaz. Kendrick is a great storyteller and knows how to connect, as well as the Gorillaz. That’s what kind of inspired us to move into a concept album direction.
“SHALLOW” has kind of blown up TikTok, Spotify, and online. How does that kind of fit into the story? Did that come before the concept, after the concept?
Tristan: “Shallow” came while we were writing it. During the whole lyrics saying like “the shadows” and everything kind of inspired the concepts around our lore and everything.
Could we see any other mediums, maybe like a comic book, a story?
Josh: Yeah, I mean, for sure you can see possibly a video game or some anime stuff that we might be doing.
Is there anything about the storyline that kind of intrigues people or they’re like, ‘oh wow, I didn’t even think about that’?
Joe: I would say that it coincides with real life as well. And the album just kind of works as a soundtrack to the story. So if you haven’t checked out the story, it is on our website and you can see all the animations and the whole story up there, which is really awesome.
You guys just wrapped up your tour with From Ashes To New, how was that tour and what’s the difference of being an opener, a headliner, or even festivals like Warped Tour?
Josh: The difference is kind of big because with Warped Tour, for example, when it’s our set time, it’s people who are there for us versus when we’re opening for someone. So we have to win them over always.
You guys are about to head over to Europe and open up for Don Broco. How does that feel? Are you guys excited? Are you nervous?
Josh: Excited more than nervous for sure. I mean, Don Broco, that’s like a home base for them, so we know that the crowds are gonna be lit. It’s gonna be awesome. And we’re just gonna have a good time and do what we do best.
You just recently announced you were going on tour with Babymetal, too!
Josh: First of all, we’re going back to Australia, which is some of the best places that we’ve ever been to. So being able to actually go out there and play new cities that we haven’t played before, like Adelaide and Perth as well, it will be really fun to actually get acclimated with that a little bit.
2026 though, you are locked and loaded. You have Sonic Temple, Rock Im Park, Rock Am Ring, Rock For People, Download, the list goes on. Is there anything you are most excited for?
Josh: More coming.
Vincent: I’ve been going [to Rock Im Park/Rock Am Ring] since I was a little kid and I saw Linkin Park with Chester there in 2012 and it was magical.
Is there anything else in 2026, obviously you’re teasing a tour or it’ll be announced tomorrow, any new music? I know it’s hard to do both.
Josh: Deluxe coming out guys in March. So yeah, that’d be fun. It’ll be a good time.
2025 (tickets here):
Dec 1—Glasgow, Scotland—Barrowland Ballroom
Dec 2—Cardiff, UK—Motorpoint Arena Cardiff
Dec 3—Cardiff, UK—Utilita Arena Cardiff
Dec 5—London, UK—OVO Wembley Arena
Dec 7—Manchester, UK—Aviva Studios (The Hall)
2026:
(w/ BABYMETAL) (tickets here):
March 12—Perth, Australia—HPC
March 14—Adelaide, Australia—AEC Theatre
March 17—Melbourne, Australia—John Cain Arena
March 20—Sydney, Australia—Hordern Pavilion
March 22—Brisbane, Australia—Riverstage
North America: Nights After VAMP Tour:
(w/ Silly Goose and Pinknoise):
April 2—Houston, TX—Warehouse Live Midtown
April 3—Austin, TX—Come And Take It Live
April 5—Colorado Springs, CO—The Black Sheep
April 7—Omaha, NE—The Waiting Room
April 8—Des Moines, IA—Wooly’s
April 10—Bloomington, IL—The Castle Theatre
April 11—Madison, WI—Majestic Theatre
April 12—Flint, MI—The Machine Shop
April 14—Buffalo, NY—Buffalo Iron Works
April 15—Montreal, QC—Le Studio TD
April 17—Amityville, NY—Amityville Music Hall
April 18—Asbury Park, NJ—House of Independents
April 19 —Worcester, MA—The Palladium Upstairs
April 21—Washington, DC—Union Stage
April 22—Lititz, PA—Mickey’s Black Box
April 24—Birmingham, AL—Saturn
April 25—Johnson City, TN—Capone’s
(w/ Silly Goose and Downswing):
May 10—Raleigh, NC—Lincoln Theatre
May 12—Destin, FL—Club LA
May 13—Nashville, TN—Basement East
Festivals:
May 14—Columbus, OH—Sonic Temple
June 5—Nürburg, Germany—Rock Am Ring
June 7—Nuremburg, Germany—Rock im Park
June 10-14—Hradec Králové, Czech Republic—Rock For People
June 11-14—Castle Donington, England—Download
June 12—Nickelsdorf, Austria—Nova Rock Festival
June 18—Dessel, Belgium—Graspop Metal Meeting
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