Metz guitarist/vocalist Alex Edkins has announced his debut solo album under the name Weird Nightmare. The project continues much of the crunchy energy of his main band, with a pop gleam showing through more clearly. The self-titled debut is out May 20 via Sub Pop Records. “Hooks and melody have always been a big part of my writing, but they really became the main focus this time,” Edkins says. “It was about doing what felt natural.” Though the COVID-19 pandemic helped catalyze the album to completion, some of the tracks date back to 2013. Though perhaps more power pop than the work Edkins is best known for, the tracks trace a through line —or at least a red line, as the glorious distortion he’s known for largely remains. “I’ve found a new confidence in my writing and producing,” Edk...