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Bear

BEAR – Anhedonia | EP Review

May 21, 2026|RELEASE REVIEW

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Maebe

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Million Moons, Green Lung, Negative Frame and More: New Noizze – The 10 Must-Listen Tracks of the Week

May 17, 2026|FEATURES

Whether you're staggering home from Desertfest or just in search of some new tunes, here's our picks for the 10 songs you need to hear this week.

Million Moons – Last Days Together

A beautiful and emotionally hefty instrumental soundscape that reminisces thoughts of Pg.Lost, Tides from Nebula and Overhead, The Albatross in thanks to its cinematic aspect, the new single from London post rockers Million Moons is a wonderful tribute to a very good boy indeed. Lifted from their upcoming record You Be Good, I Love You – released 26th June via Ripcord Records here in the UK – ‘Last Days Together’ serves as an honouring to guitarist and composer Edward Thompson’s late Labrador Ralphy, whose life, along with the rest of the animal kingdom we share Earth with, helped inspire this new conversation themed record. “I wrote this track during a very difficult time in my life in Orkney”, states Thompson. “The original working title was ‘It Rained A Lot’, which I think sums up the kind of mindset I was in at the time. My Labrador, Ralphy, had recently passed away and this writing track definitely played a role in helping me to process those emotions. We adopted Ralphy in 2020 via The Arc Animal Sanctuary. We don’t know exactly how old he was when we got him, but his previous owner had kept him chained to their front porch for years, so he’d missed out on a lot in life. It was a real privilege to know him and give him the retirement he truly deserved.” – Dan Hillier

Balmora – Moon Light Hysteria

One of, if not the most exciting bands in the crop of revivalcore, Balmora are in the final stretches of the run up to their massively anticipated debut LP, These Graven Halls and ‘Moon Light Hysteria’ is the third eyeliner tinged single to emerge. Almost gothic at times, it blends the ferocious metalcore the band are known for with a foreboding atmosphere akin to a haunted cathedral and along with the band’s other singles, it paints a picture of a record that will be as demonic and alluring as it will be crushingly heavy and made for kids killing each other during the hefty breakdowns. – Chris Earl

Green Lung – Evil In This House

Years of hard graft and creating some frankly hypnotic, stadium sized bangers for occult heavy metallers Green Lung are paying off. By this point the band have headlined the Saturday Desertfest and announced their fourth full length, Necropolitan, set to release on 11th September. With their last effort, This Heathen Land, the band had cemented their anthemic, moss tinged sound and judging from ‘Evil In This House’, they’ve taken it to even higher levels. A winding, stomping track lead by powerful, mystical riffs and the haunting vocals of Tom Templar, it brings the occult sound of 50 years ago to the fore but with the modern heft that production can bring, it makes the track a stunning example of what the band can do and lays the course for even more success for the band. – Chris Earl

Flesh Creep – Bubblegum

This song is not sweet, and there are no saccharine harmonies. The first new song from Flesh Creep after the re release of their debut album We Need You To Bleed on Music For Nations, and it’s what Flesh Creep are known for. One for the moshers, from the moment the snarling bassline kicks in there’s not letting up. Tom Patrick’s venom against the people perpetuating the cycles of exploitation and abuse (you’re going back to hate/you’re not a lover and I’ll never be your friend) are tailor made for mic grabs. The first single from upcoming EP glimmer, this is pure Flesh Creep, and a confident first step forward on their new label. – Mia Thunderska

Warning – Night Comes Down

As British doom legends Warning prepare to releases their first new music in nearly twenty years it’s fair to say that anticipation levels are extremely high. Such was the indelible mark left by 2008’s Watching From a Distance, there remains the risk that whatever follows simply can’t live up to the raw, agonising self-examination of that record. For those brave enough to strap in for forthcoming follow-up Rituals of Shame, put your fears to one side and allow Patrick Walker to lead you into this second pre-release single with the lines, ‘The darkness grew so strong it even moved the stars to try to find a place to hide’. It’s a voice and a sound that has not lost one iota of its heartbreaking impact. This is going to hurt so good. – Pete Wall

Negative Frame – Sorrow & Solitude

Metallic hardcore/crossover merchants Negative Frame have unveiled their second single ‘Sorrow & Solitude’ taken from their just-announced debut album Break the Ice, due 7th August. Whirling guitar solos, thundering drum work and riffs that straddle the line between thrash, hardcore grit and metal bombast; it’s all present and correct, with some giant sludgy choruses to boot. There’s throughlines to current UK scene kings Malevolence without aping them, instead marking Negative Frame out as their own raucous entity. Of the song, vocalist Kesari Gorin says, “this song is about love and loss, trying to hold onto someone without losing yourself. Sometimes you can change so much to be with someone that you both end up unrecognisable.” – Will Marshall

Witchsorrow – Bacchus

It’s been 8 long years since Witchsorrow last crawled out of speakers with 2018’s Hexenhammer, but the doom stalwarts are finally back. Announcing a brand new album, The Devil and All His Works (out 3 July via a new home in Church Road Records) with lead single ‘Bacchus’, the quartet once more unearth Iommian riffs to batter ears with. They’ve been present on the live circuit, make no mistake, but the tantalising hint of new music – especially when it’s as good as ‘Bacchus’ – should whet any aficionado’s appetite. Lumbering, fuzz-laden riffs, laconic vocals that tell of a “cult of sin” and heavier than a neutron star. Oh, this is doom metal alright – emphasis both on the doom, and the metal. Welcome back, Witchsorrow. – Will Marshall

Sincere Engineer – Fast Forward, Rewind

The third single of 2026 from Chicago punk rockers Sincere Engineer keeps the energy at eleven as we barrel towards the release of the band’s fourth album Probable Claws, which is set for release 26th June. Deanna Belos and co come correct as per usual with a hooky, singable track that builds on the ascerbic exuberance of ‘Twist My Tongue’ and ‘Cooler’ to leave absolutely no doubt that Sincere Engineer have the pedal to the metal and are headed for a banner year. Roll the windows down and sing your goddamn heart out. – Pete Wall

Wealthy Women – 37 Days

San Francisco noise rock outfit Wealthy Women reveal ’37 Days’ as the first sampler from their upcoming debut album Children, set for release on 7th August. The track tells the story of Asaad al-Nasasra, a Palestinian Red Crescent paramedic detained by Israeli forces on March 23rd 2025, after an attack that killed eight of his colleagues. He was held for 37 days and barred from legal counsel before ultimately being released. The bass-driven track thrusts the listener into the perspective of a paramedic on the scene, immersing them in the dread, paralysis, and helplessness of someone trapped inside unimaginable circumstances. Yet rather than ending in hopelessness, the pummeling groove-heavy song closes on a note of defiance, imagining a spirit hardened and unbroken despite horrendous suffering. This is potent stuff, both in its music and its message. Pete Wall

Prolix x PENGSHUi – Deep In the Grave

London-based drum and bass DJ Prolix has linked up with fellow Londoners in the form of genre-smashers PENGSHUi, known for their remixes for the likes of The Prodigy and their close ties to the UK metal scene. Judging by this absolute banger, they appear to be a match made in heaven. There’s bass to shit your pants to, and a hook that will bury itself deep into your psyche as you tear it up to the declaration: ‘I don’t need a bunker, I don’t need a cave, I’ll be living on the edge ’til I’m deep in the grave’. The world’s going to hell, so the least you owe yourself is a rager of a soundtrack as everything burns. – Pete Wall

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Slam Dunk 2026 – The 12 Bands You Cannot Miss

May 16, 2026|FEATURES

Entering its 20th year, Slam Dunk has grown vastly since its humble beginnings at Leeds Millennium Square in '06. An annual celebration of punk, ska, emo and everything in between. We pick out 12 bands we think you must see at Hatfield Park or Temple Newsam. Words by Cece Lawless, Emily Simister, Esther Domnu & Adam Vallely.

Broadside

Fresh from the release of Nowhere, At Last, Broadside head into Slam Dunk with some of the most immediate and infectious material of their career. Tracks like ‘Dead Roses’ bring a sharper, faster edge to the band’s sound, whilst ‘Blissed Out’ already feels built for summer festival season. Throw in fan favourites like ‘Coffee Talk’ and their set could easily become one of the weekend’s most underrated highlights. ED

Guilt Trip

After kicking off the year with four new tracks from the upcoming album No Love Lost, the Manchester hardcore group sounds heavier than ever. Their blend of metallic hardcore and outright aggression feels perfectly suited to Slam Dunk’s heavier side. This set is going to be carnage from start to finish. ED

Knocked Loose

If there’s one set all but guaranteed to leave Slam Dunk in pieces, it’s Knocked Loose. Over the last few years, the band have gone from hardcore favourites to one of the biggest names in heavy music altogether, even joining Metallica on tour along the way. Their live shows carry chaos, with constant crowd surfers, countless mosh pits and an atmosphere that never really lets up. Expectations for this headline slot couldn’t really be much higher. ED

Angel Du$t

Angel Du$t is a driving force in pushing hardcore into new territory, despite criticism from purists who view experimentation as straying from its roots. Their music still carries the spirit of punk at its centre, while freely pulling from pop-punk to surf rock. Fundamentally, Angel Du$t makes heavy music that feels unpretentious and genuinely exciting. Closely connected through years of crossover and collaboration, the Baltimore hardcore scene has long produced bands capable of breaking beyond underground circles onto international festival lineups and major tours. Originally formed as a side project alongside Trapped Under Ice, Angel Du$t grew naturally out of that close-knit community, driven by a desire for complete creative freedom. This free spirit bleeds through their live performance, which is a masterclass in dynamic, high-octane fun. Angel Du$t’s latest LP, Cold 2 The Touch, continues the band’s trajectory as the embodiment of fearless self-agency, and it will be exciting to see how these new tracks translate live to their set at Slam Dunk this year. ES

Dashboard Confessional

Dashboard Confessional is one of the most popular bands from the early 2000s wave of acoustic-driven emo artists – spearheaded by vocalist Chris Carrabba, formerly of Further Seems Forever fame. The band’s stripped-back instrumentation pushes Carrabba’s emotional intensity and lyrical candidness to the forefront of their sound, and tracks like ‘Hands Down’ and ‘Vindicated’ continue to resonate with fans seeking vulnerability and relatability internationally. The minimalistic sound and open, accessible approach also mean that Dashboard Confessional feel at home within a wide range of line-ups, demonstrated by their support slots with the likes of The Fray and, most recently, The Goo Goo Dolls. Their set at Slam Dunk will be a singalong of nostalgia for the masses. ES

Dying Wish

Metalcore from Portland, Oregon, this five-piece will be bringing the screams and a hefty dose of unfiltered rage to Slam Dunk. This group comes to life when they play, becoming even more brutal and intimidating on stage. Catch them to let loose in the ‘pit and experience collective catharsis at Main Stage East. CL

Malevolence

Sheffield live circuit stalwarts Malevolence are no stranger to Slam Dunk since making a huge impact on the festival in 2023. The five-piece play fast and loose live, exhibiting a high level of technical prowess and a brilliant sense of humour to every stage they grace. CL

Saosin

Founded in 2003, Saosin know their craft. This is post-hardcore/emo for the OGs, for the Millennials who built their music taste after the death of nu-metal and craved something a little more emotional. Saosin have released new music this year, updating their sound and appealing to those whose bones are a little younger. CL

unpeople

Noizzefest headliners in 2025, unpeople, are a band on the rise. Recently dropping the new single ‘clouds’ a potential teaser for their eagerly awaited debut LP. Having impressed live since their formation and amazingly ending up supporting the likes of Metallica much like Knocked Loose, they will be taking to the stage early on both days of Slam Dunk to set the tone. The tone is high energy, with big choruses and a hella lot of fun. AV

Motion City Soundtrack

I’m on fire, but are you ready to bust a move to Motion City Soundtrack? After a short hiatus they returned with last year’s The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World, proving that almost 30 years since their inception in Minneapolis, Minnesota, these pop-punkers continue to bring their A game. Even with new material, let’s hope for bangers from their back catalogue, which will be a sure-fire way to get Leeds and Hatfield hyped! AV

Goldfinger

Go pick it up, pick it up, pick it up, and open your eyes to watch California’s legendary punks on the Main Stage West. Remember the goddamn singer wrote (some) of their songs. Including top 10 hits such as ’99 Red Balloons’, ‘Superman’, ‘Here In Your Bedroom’ and many, many more bops. Guaranteed to have the fields skanking along to those inverted rock beats. AV

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Sarah Tsang

Incineration Festival 2026 – Camden, London: The Review (Part Two)

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Incineration Festival 2026 – Camden, London: The Review (Part One)

May 15, 2026|LIVE REVIEW

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Live Gallery: Incineration Fest | Camden, London | 02/05/26 (Part Two)

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Live Gallery: Incineration Fest | Camden, London | 02/05/26 (Part One)

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Natan Gullström

Karmanjakah – Diamond Morning | Album Review

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Rowan Bruce

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Koyo

Koyo – Barely Here | Album Review

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Atreyu

Atreyu – The End Is Not The End | Album Review