Bicurious – Papa
Franco-Irish math-rock duo Bicurious return with new single ‘Papa’, announcing their forthcoming EP Afterthoughts. It follows their excellent 2024 sophomore LP Your Life Is Over Now which saw the band transition from mostly instrumental compositions to vocal-driven songs that punch above and beyond the math-rock niche, ‘Papa’ continues the duo’s efficient usage of vocals. Although this time, guitarist and vocalist Taran Plouzané is singing in his native French and the vocal parts are a bit more spread out, usually entering the fray to highlight the track’s catchy chorus before leaving space for Gavin Purcell’s drums and Taran’s array of guitar loops and layers to shift the song’s mood as it goes. Despite being known for writing generally upbeat songs and ‘Papa”s playful sounding chorus, the track does have a bit of a darker, moodier tone in places which is perhaps or perhaps not an indicator of what to expect from Afterthoughts. One thing’s for sure however, we certainly won’t be moping when Bicurious play Noizzefest this April. – Avrian O’Brien
The Menzingers – Nobody’s Heroes
Currently between albums, Scranton, PA’s The Menzingers find themselves at their most earnest on latest single ‘Nobody’s Heroes’. Starting as a way to help guitarist Tom May through a divorce, the song evolved into an anthem to tell the story of the band, and that they’re at their best when they’re nothing but their true selves. And they’re right, with a huge chorus, warm late summer guitar tones, and vocalist Greg Barnett at his crooning best, ‘Nobody’s Heroes’ is The Menzingers have released probably their best song since 2020. A powerful reminder that honesty is always the best policy, and a perfect taster for what might be round the corner. – Kevin Ashburn
Haggard Cat – Warpath
The second single to be taken from the band’s upcoming record The Pain That Orbits Life, ‘Warpath’ – as you can probably imagine – is a total blitzkrieg. A song that captures the frenzied nature of Haggard Cat as an entity, ‘Warpath’ sees alt-rock duo tackling the subject of toxicity with all the reckless abandon one would expect from them. However, with it’s ghastly synth wails tempered rage, it’s also a single that highlights the detail and intricacy that Haggard Cat are distilling into their latest record. It’s still a total rager mind you, something that can be attested to by anyone who has seen this live recently. – Dan Hillier
Mallavora – Hopeless
Bristol alt metal up-and-comers Mallavora are counting down the days til the release of debut album What If Better Never Comes?, and have released one (presumably) final single ahead of it, in ‘Hopeless’. Instead of thundering riffs, though, it’s a far more vulnerable song that explores the album’s title, of being afraid that as bad as things are now, they won’t get any better. It’s a slow-burning, cinematic opus that echoes the refrain “maybe it’s hopeless” to devastating effect. As the band explain, “We wrote this song at a time when everything just felt too hard, and the challenges we face felt insurmountable. We learned that it’s ok to let your guard down, take off your brave face and accept that there really is no such thing as certainty… But it’s not about abandoning hope altogether.” – Will Marshall
American Football – Bad Moons
Returning with yet another slow building gut-wrencher, emo and math rock icons American Football unveil their first single off their long-awaited fourth LP, in the form of ‘Bad Moons’. Mike Kinsella’s wounded lyricism evokes images of a man who’s struggling to keep his head above water as delicate harp and piano keys linger in the air whilst American Football experiment with a more post-rock influenced sound compared to their previous three albums. The slow escalation clearly influenced by shoegaze is highly effective and reflects the self-loathing soundscape perfectly as the Illinois quartet prove that although they have mellowed with age, their musicianship hasn’t faded. Maybe avoid this one if you’re having a particularly bad breakup, or wallow in irreparable sadness for the eight minute duration of ‘Bad Moons’, whatever floats your boat. – Ez Luscombe
Vaticinal Rites – Augury of the Bloodied Crucible
Yes, this band may contain a founding member of Your Demise and this single may have been produced by Mike Duce of Lower Than Atlantis and mastered by Romesh Dodangoda, but ignore all such credentials; this track is a welcome return to the scum of the primordial death metal soup. The latest single from London OSDM unit Vaticinal Rites, ‘Augury of the Bloodied Crucible’ is a cold-blooded stab of death metal that forgoes all accessibility in favour of the nihilism and malice of old. Those hankering for the days of Morbid Angel and Decide will find plenty to enjoy here. – Dan Hillier
The Last Vinci – Begging For Some Help
The Last Vinci may be known for their audaciousness, but ‘Begging For Some Help’ see’s the Cork alt-rockers in a new, vulnerable form. It’s still rowdy as anything though. Taken from the band’s upcoming record 15 Minutes At a Time – released April 17th via Narrow Door Records – ‘Begging For Some Help’ nicely captures the essence of an encroaching panic in thanks to it’s escalating riffs, crawling synths and general sense of unease. Still, as one would expect from this band, it’s still a rowdy, bouncy and a brilliantly good time. – Dan Hillier
Terror – Still Suffer
Hardcore legends Terror released a new single on Tuesday, so if you haven’t been mentally corkscrewing off a stage into a pile of tough guys shouting ‘Still Suffer’ all week, shame on you. Scott Vogel spits out every lyric with a punishing force that is matched only by the predictably damaging thick riff lashings. ‘Still Suffer’ is the title track off Terror’s upcoming album, out 24th April, which the band has promised is “ten fast, aggressive, in-your-face tracks that embrace the themes that made Terror so influential in the first place.” Don’t be fooled. When Terror say in your face, they mean multiple boots flying 100 miles an hour in your face, and this is just the beginning. – Lucy Dunnet
Bucket – DNB
Dublin noise rock trio Bucket make a racket on new single ‘DNB’. Ear-scraping distortion to the max, booming bassy tones, skittering drums and echoing shouty vocals ; it’s a party and a panic attack all in one. Having already played a few shows across the pond as well as festivals such as Supersonic Block Party in Paris or Barcelona’s Primavera, it’s only a matter of time now until Bucket reaches a larger audience of noise-loving weirdos and what better place to do that than Arctangent later this summer. After last year’s fun and equally abrasive EP Muck along with these latest singles, here’s hoping the Dubliners will have more from where that came from by then in order to give them a proper launching pad. Regardless, their chaotic and infectious energy should not be missed if you can make it to Fernhill Farm this August. – Avrian O’Brien
Gunship – Tell Me When the World Stops Ending
Gunship writing a song for a video game that’s being written and composed by John Carpenter? Yeah, this is one of those things that just makes sense. Written for the upcoming video game Toxic Commando, ‘Tell Me When the World Stops Ending’ is a pounding synthwave track that see’s the band paying homage to the aforementioned composer whilst sentimentally leaning into their more metal inspirations. Plus, as you can probably imagine, the track carries an air of giddy excitement, especially given the collaborative background surrounding it. “We grew up utterly obsessed with John’s films and his iconic soundtrack work”, state Gunship. “His artistry has been a constant source of inspiration and continues to shape the music we create as Gunship. Having been fortunate enough to collaborate with him on two of our own tracks, saying yes when we were invited to contribute to his video game was an instant ‘hell yeah’!” – Dan Hillier
Frozen Soul – No Place Of Warmth (Feat. Gerard Way)
Yes, you read that right. Cold school death metallers Frozen Soul have not only announced their brand-new album but unveiled it in wonderfully head scratching fashion, releasing its title track that features a cameo from none other than My Chemical Romance‘s Gerard Way. Frozen Soul treat fans to a deluge of old school riffing and guttural roars, injecting melodic leads and even duelling guitar lines without losing their ferocity. And that feature? If you’re familiar with Matt Heafy’s Ibaraki album, you’ll know Way has a hellish scream on him, and he reprises it here wonderfully. Snarling, vicious and raw, it injects feral bite into the frostbitten assault. Naturally, it’s all about being cold; specifically, “about life at its coldest and the choice you have to let it consume you, or to use it to find warmth in a world that feels void of it,” as vocalist Chad Green explains. – Will Marshall
Cheekface – Hostile Street
Offbeat geek-rockers and America’s local band Cheekface return with another wonderfully wacky single that discusses the serious topic of street architecture designed to stop the homeless sleeping wherever they can. Fully embracing meme culture whilst also criticising harmful right wing ideology is what the LA trio seem to do best and the heavy topic is discussed with frontman Greg Katz’s trademark delivery which is humorously deadpan, Mandy Tannen’s memorably funky bass lines, and a stupidly catchy hook designed to get stuck in your head. With turntable scratches provided by longtime Mac Miller collaborator Teddy Roxpin and vocal samples from McKinley Dixon, Cheekface’s ability to combine a passion for hip-hop with straightforward indie rock with a message is something that’s rarely seen, but still packs a heck of a punch. – Ez Luscombe
NOST – High & Low
NOST have dropped their second single ‘High & Low’, a dark and brooding song that melds downtuned guitars, poppy hooks and electronic soundscapes. Formed in 2024 and hailing from London, NOST have looked to the current metal scene’s stalwarts, taking influence from the likes of Deftones, Northlane and Sleep Token whilst crafting their own spin on the genre. The band have put tremendous thought into every detail of their sound and aesthetic. On the band’s name and ethos; the term NOST refers to the word Nostalgia, which was considered a mental illness in the 17th – 19th century. The word Nostalgia is build up from two words NOSTOS (meaning homecoming) and ALGOS (meaning pain). The band have stated “NOST is not just a band — It’s a presence waiting to be named. A space waiting to be opened.” ‘High & Low’ oozes vulnerability infused with aggression, emotion with a cinematic aesthetic and shows clever musicianship in its scarcity as much as its composition. Hooks and heaviness are utilised effectively rather than being continuously present. The song explores themes of fear, burnout and emptiness whilst talking to the desire of letting go. The band also recently released their debut single ‘Black Sun’ and are building towards the release of their debut EP. Keep an eye out for this talented band ready to make a big impact. – Jac Holloway
Karmanjakah – Dove
Karmanjakah are to thall what MØL are to black metal. In other words, a successful exercise in dichotomy and contrast which on paper should not work and yet yields gorgeously unique results. New single ‘Dove’ immediately proves its point with an incredibly elegant and emotive blast beat section coupled with bending tremolo guitars that pull on the heartstrings. This picture of balanced heaviness and heartfelt melody is made complete once the vocals enter, bringing a nostalgic and ephemeral character to the music. While Karmanjakah lean into thall’s recognisable stylistic codifications, they manipulate them in such a way that the microgenre takes on a whole new life in their hands. Usually known for being angular, crushingly chaotic and forlorn, thall instead becomes a more uplifting vector for heartfelt emotion, painting pictures of a late night summer sunset caught in ocean spray as it vanishes rather than frigid desolate forests where malicious beings dwell in hiding. 2023’s Ancient Skills EP was already a standout release which saw Karmanjakah refining their singular musical identity and ‘Dove’ teases an elevation of that refinement on the band’s upcoming self-released second LP Diamond Morning, out 8th May. – Avrian O’Brien
The Silver – When the Moon Is Three
Gothic, experimental black metal outfit The Silver lean more into progressive metal and classic rock on new single ‘When the Moon is Three’. Icy, raspy shrieks entagle with dramatic clean vocals bearing a narrative quality while guitars go from steadily painting a cold moonlit canvas of dissonant chords into more off-kilter riffs which bring an added groove seldom found in standard black metal before dipping into guitar hero territory with flamboyant rock n’ roll solos. Based on the difference in tone and stylistic influences between both singles released thus far, it’s safe to assume that The Silver‘s upcoming album Looking Glass Hymnal Blue will be a varied and eclectic affair unbothered with the typical conventions of the genre, to the delight of the adventurous listener and the dismay of purists. – Avrian O’Brien
Fall Of Messiah – Meadows
Six years following the release of their last record, French post-hardcore underdogs Fall Of Messiah are back with new track ‘Meadows’ and announce return album Green Lands out on 24th April via DIY record label Voice Of The Unheard. ‘Meadows’ is a slow-burning, brooding affair steeped in melancholic despair and strong with sad beauty. While guitars paint an atmosphere heavy with spleen and the vocals sound like they’re on the brink of giving up, the bass especially shines through as a steady, driving source of energy alongside the drums, both working in tandem as a second wind to keep the gears turning until they can no more. – Avrian O’Brien