Heriot – Siege Lord
If you want a list of the most promising new bands in the UK, Heriot are at the top. Two years ago they took the scene by storm with their debut EP Profound Morality and off the back of it, signed to Century Media. Their first single of 2024, ‘Siege Lord’ leans more into their metallic influences than the industrial, with a clearer, but no less heavy, mix and production courtesy of collaborators Josh Middleton (Sylosis) and Will Putney. Lyrically, it contemplates “the fragility of soul-searching” as the band say, but musically it’s utterly ferocious. Bass riffs lead through off-kilter drumming, the dual vocal attack of Jake Packer and Debbie Gough is searing throughout; frankly, it’s a monster, particularly in its chugging, churning outro. If this is what they’ve been cooking up for the debut, we should all be very excited. – Will Marshall
Orchards – I Feel Terrible
Despite the name, the new single from Brighton indie math poppers is a summery, sun-kissed ode to trying to find yourself after a grim breakup. The band’s first material since their 2021 EP Trust Issues, the track hosts the dichotomy between the grounded, ever-relatable lyricism and the joyous, intricate songwritng we’ve come to expect from Orchards. However, as bassist Dan Fane explains, the song stems from a time where the band as a whole were truing to rediscover and rekindle their spark as creatives. ‘I Feel Terrible’ was written quite a while ago now, it feels so good to finally get this track out there and heard”, states Dan “We are super proud of how it turned out. It was written at a point where as musicians we were feeling quite stagnant and stuck but it really birthed new life into us.” – Dan Hillier
Vower – Shroud
There’s a specific demographic of niche metal and post-hardcore fans who’ll be salivating at the idea of a supergroup like Vower. With Josh McKeown of Palm Reader’s signature vocals leading the charge alongside Toska, The Totemist and one time Stormzy guitarist Rabea Massaad, Black Peaks alumni Liam Kearley on drums and Joe Gosney on guitar with bassist Rory McLean, Vower have a pedigree more than strong enough to turn heads, their first single ‘Shroud’ proves they’re able to live up to their hype. Bringing together the best elements of their progressive metal and post-hardcore backgrounds, each member is on top form, with Massaad’s expertise in huge riffs and the tight, technical rhythm section perfectly complimenting McKeown’s commanding vocal performance. Even if you’re not already a fan of the member’s previous bands, Vower are a supergroup to keep an eye on. – Tom Bruce
Sprints – Help Me, I’m Spiralling / Drones
Irish garage punk outfit Sprints only released their electrifying debut Letter to Self in January, so their new Black Box Sessions double single is a surprise treat for fans that make up, as Sprints call it, “the remnants of the chaos and catharsis that was the ‘Letter To Self’ recording process.” Both tracks explore themes of uncertainty, anxiety and doubt; the former, ‘Help Me, I’m Spiralling’ clanks and rattles into view with vocalist/guitarist Karla Chubb sounding as desperate as ever with cries of “can’t you help me, I’m spiralling”. The latter, ‘Drones’, feels even more like the rattling of an old industrial estate in its drumming, with staccato guitars switching suddenly into explosive chords. While they don’t capture the full range and dynamism of Sprints as Letter to Self does, or indeed the band’s brilliant live shows, they’re a welcome surprise addition to one of Irish music’s best new bands. – Will Marshall
earthtone9 – Navison Record
The return of the iconic earthtone9 arguably wasn’t on many people’s bingo cards for 2024, especially not with their first album in 11 years. But, second single ‘Navison Record’ from the upcoming In Resonance Nexus is a thrash-infused reminder of why earthtone9 are so beloved they even have a festival named after one of their albums (2000’s Arc Tan Gent). It’s also obvious that, despite delving back to their thrash roots, ‘Navison Record’ and In Resonance Nexus won’t be retreading old ground so much as continuing to evolve and push boundaries, much as earthtone9 did during their original run. Towering melodies, intense rushes of thrash riffs and barreling drums; it’s all here, and along with lead single ‘Oceanic Drift’, it’s clear fans should be safe in the knowledge that one of the UK’s most forward-thinking bands haven’t lost their edge at all. – Will Marshall
FOXCULT – ASTRAL GALLERY (Feat. Michael Skaggs)
It’s a little bewildering to think that a band that released one of the best EPs of 2023 (quite late in the year, too) are already gearing up to release another EP that promises to be just as good, if not better than the first. FOXCULT aren’t just any band though. Nobody else is doing their blend of throwback post-hardcore with incredibly deep lore at the moment. One of two tracks on their upcoming THE AMETHYST DRIFT release to feature guest vocalists, ‘Astral Gallery’ contains the vocals of Outline In Color‘s Michael Skaggs. It’s hard to pick one star of the show here, as every single element has taken a step up from the previous EP. Audrey’s voice glides and soars across driving drums and atmospheric, wandering guitars. It has a sense of wonder and adventure about it, wrought with metaphor and an underlying sense of longing. You’d think this was the release of a band years into their career, not their infancy. The skill and scope is phenomenal and to have all of those ideas, those concepts and to make a genuinely beautiful piece of post-hardcore on top of that is astounding. If you’re not in on FOXCULT by now, this is your warning before they explode like our sun inevitably will. – Chris Earl
Knocked Loose – Suffocate (Feat. Poppy)
This new era for Knocked Loose is entirely focused on finding new ways to make every single second heavier than the last. Third single ‘Suffocate’ from upcoming album You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To opens with chainsaw guitars and double kick pedal dexterity, building up to a groovy, swung first breakdown. Each single is feeling like a slightly different subgenre, each influence separate yet clear, but it all sounds like Knocked Loose the same. There are many elements to their cocktail of heaviness, and this specific mashup of subgenre feels like it could only happen in the 2020s. Guest vocals from former Illuminati-styled turned Gen-Z metal pop icon Poppy both adds a counterpart for vocalist Bryan Garris to bounce off while also giving her own version of how to build up to a nasty filthy breakdown. ‘Suffocate’ answers no questions about the overall direction of the album, and just leaves more questions. This is a good thing. – Mia Thunderska
Sans Froid – Planket
Imagine a mashup of Radiohead, Raketkanon, The Mars Volta and Bjork. What you’re imagining probably doesn’t sound too much like this single, but that’s the closest we’re gonna get to describing it quickly. Taken from the band’s upcoming new record Hello, Boil Brain – released September 13th – ‘Planket’ is a noodley, fascinating and absolutely brilliant regaling of experimentalist skill from Bristol art-rock quartet Sans Froid. Driven by the unpredictable keys and soaring vocals courtesy of Aisling Rhiannon, whilst the track may be a dizzying and madcap endeavour itself, the single documents something a bit more docile, with ‘Planket’ actually being about forgoing boozy nights out in favour for a quiet night in with a cup of Tetley. “For me, ‘Planket’ represents the understated pleasures of a peaceful night in, favouring the warmth of companionship over the noise of the nightlife”, stages Aisling. “Its storyline centres on discovering joy and satisfaction within the serenity of home, emphasising the freedom found in embracing moments of solitude. The song celebrates the choice to forego the conventional social scene, opting instead for simple pleasures like a cosy cup of tea and a leisurely stroll.” – Dan Hillier
Slash Fiction – Golden Hour
You know that feeling when you’re driving through a late summer sunset with your mates and everything – for once in your life – feels perfect? That’s what the new Slash Fiction single sounds like. The second track to be lifted from the band’s new record We’ll Hold This Line Until Hell Freezes Over, despite being about the sadness that stems from a friend moving to new pastures, ‘Golden Hour’ is a wholesome, inviting and effortlessly endearing emo pop serenade to friendship that’s simply impossible not to be moved by. You would genuinely need a heart of stone for this not to invoke something in you. – Dan Hillier
Graywave – Dark Spell
“Dark Spell is about the feeling that something isn’t quite right. The lyric ‘missing a piece of your puzzle’ essentially alludes to that, and the wider theme of the song aims to capture the sense of impending doom – and the feeling of isolation that goes along with it.” That’s how bandleader Jess Webberly describes the new single from Graywave, ‘Dark Spell’. With their now-trademark blend of heavy shoegaze, dreampop and gothic twist a la Chelsea Wolfe, that’s exactly what the song does as it ebbs and flows, mystical, ethereal vocals and entwining guitars. With their new EP Dancing In the Dust out at the end of the month, it’s another tantalising glimpse of Graywave‘s continuing sonic journey. – Will Marshall
Sugar Horse – The Shape of ASMR to Come
Sugar Horse hate the fact you have ears. They’ve made it their main goal to make sure that every single song they release has the potential to reduce your hearing to nothing, but when the music is this good, it’s hard to stay away. ‘The Shape of ASMR to Come’ is a challenging listen; aside from the usual sonic brutality, it’s one of, if not the rawest, most emotive track the group have written so far. Writing about his father’s passing, vocalist/guitarist Ash pours every ounce of his soul into his performance. With the song being about the things he found out about his father and the life he led, it may strike a lot of people right in the heart, and on some level, it’s meant to. Coalescing into an almost choral crescendo of crashing guitars and pained howls, you can almost imagine a crowd of mourners singing this over a funeral pyre, as the bereaved watches the smoke rise into the unforgiving sky. A lesson in the beautiful nature of acerbic music. – Chris Earl
Wallowing – Restless Dusk I: The Anamnesis Hymn
Big one for all those longing for death via disintegration. Coinciding with the announcement of the deluxe remaster of their first record Planet Loss and the second instalment of their ongoing comic book series illustrated by Luke Oram, ‘Restless Dusk I: The Anamnesis Hymn’ is by far Wallowing‘s most immediate blast of extraterrestrial violence yet. Hitting like an ion blaster point blank to the chest, the track sees the outer realms (possibly Brighton) based band compressing the droning ambience they’re renowned for into a cohesive blast of death metal orientated fury. With more tracks set to be released under the Relentless Dusk moniker soon, it’s never been more of an exciting time to be a fan of extreme metal from worlds unknown. Sci fi or die. – Dan Hillier
Joey Valence & Brae – The Baddest
Comparing Joey Valence & Brae to the Beastie Boys is an easy comparison, and is likely one of the first thoughts that comes to mind on a first listen. They’ve said in interviews that’s the music they grew up on, but new single ‘The Baddest’ from upcoming album No Hands shows they have more sides. ‘Gumdrop’ from first album Punk Tactics showed a love for Machine Girl style breakcore, and this single goes further with production pulling from early electro hip hop as well as the party hip hop of the early 2000s. There’s shades of both Afrika Bambaataa and Timbaland, with the single focus of getting the baddest bitches in the club to dance, and failing that, being the bad bitch yourself. Giving Beastie Boys flows for Gen-Z, name checking Danny Phantom and infamous font comic sans, with Lil Jon style “yeahs” in between. Get this on a big enough sound system and you’ll be dancing all summer long. – Mia Thunderska
Softcult – One Of The Pack
Taking a soft-focused visual backseat in order to showcase the talents of the Ontarian native drag queen – Miss Conduct, while performing the throwback 90s fuzzed-out dedication to an inclusive experience of womanhood, all the while giving TERFs the much deserved middle finger; the Ontario “riotgaze” duo Softcult, gear up for some radical celebration of acceptance and love with the latest single off of their upcoming fourth EP, Heaven. In furthering the scope of their safe space mission statement, ‘One Of The Pack’ stands as one of their most upbeat expressions of solidarity with wrongly persecuted individuals who find themselves gravitating towards their grunged up intersectional outcast status in the shoegaze community. With Heaven, scheduled to be released on the 24th of May and a confirmed tour across North America till the end of the year, we think you’ll be kicking yourself if you don’t catch them live the next time they cross the pond. – Bennie Osborne
Pallbearer – Endless Place
The new Pallbearer album is a landmark moment for the band, given it saw them all living in Little Rock, Arkansas for the first time in many years. The resulting album, five years in the making, somewhat ironically deals with isolation, and various “sicknesses of the spirit”, as vocalist/guitarist Brett Campbell describes its themes. ‘Endless Place’, the second single, features their first ever musical collaboration (a saxophone solo courtesy of Amasa Hines‘ Norman Williamson), while still exploring the sprawling, bleak doom they’re beloved for. Like fellow doom merchants YOB, Pallbearer craft songs that are at least as emotionally heavy as they are tonally, and ‘Endless Place’ strikes that balance between haunting melody, crushing riffs and abject despair. – Will Marshall
Gaerea – World Ablaze
Reportedly a standalone single, though we’d all dearly love a new full length from the Portuguese black metallers, ‘World Ablaze’ sees Gaerea continue to widen the scope of what black metal can be. As ever, it’s a cathartic listen, and the collective explain “World Ablaze tells the story of a man who has lived all his life inside a cage, knowing that one day, he’d be set free to experience the world with its true colors. Unfortunately, he also knows that day will be his last hours alive.” That finality of death is ever-present, the song dancing between a dance between the man trying to live, despite the certainty of impending death, with a hope not always typically seen in the frosty genre alongside its more usual despair. Embracing elements of post metal and more, Gaerea continue to be one of Portugal’s finest extreme exports and it’s as exciting as ever to see what they’ve got up their sleeves next. – Will Marshall
Zeal & Ardor – to my ilk
One of the most exciting metal acts to emerge in the last decade, experimental black metal project Zeal & Ardor seamlessly blend scorching black metal blast beats and tremolo picked guitar riffs with gospel, blues and African American slave spirituals. It’s a bold mix of styles but one that bandleader Manuel Gagneux has continued to build upon since the band’s debut album in 2017. Latest single ‘to my ilk’ takes a much more subdued approach than much of the band’s black metal focused work, stripping their sound down to a lone guitar and Gagneux’s buttery smooth clean vocals backed by some subtle percussion and backing vocals. Although ‘to my ilk’ may be missing some of the heavier elements of the Zeal & Ardor sound it’s sure to be plenty to get fans excited for their upcoming fourth album Greif. – Tom Bruce
Gel – Mirage
Last year’s Only Constant was one of 2023’s finest hardcore records, and it was only their debut. Now, NJ heavyweights Gel are celebrating signing to Blue Grape Music (home to Code Orange) with their new single ‘Mirage’ that also came with the announcement of Persona, a new EP due out this August. ‘Mirage’ is everything we’ve come to love from the hellraisers, dialled to 11. Punky snarls, a careening pace, squealing guitars and a ferocious, pit-ready attitude? All here, and all ready to knock you into the middle of next week. As vocalist Sami Kaiser explains, “we really wanted to fill out the songs more and make them more nuanced. It’s a step forward, it’s different, it’s catchy, but it still really sounds like us.” – Will Marshall
Lambrini Girls – Body Of Mine
Brighton based firebrands Lambrini Girls return with their latest single ‘Body Of Mine’, a ferocious and personal punk track tackling gender identity against the backdrop of stomping drums and blistering distorted guitars. With their trademark non-stop shouted vocals singer/guitarist Phoebe Lunny eloquently breaks down their struggles with gender and feelings of being an outcast in a society that expects binary gender expression. Lambrini Girls manage to bring the intense energy of their live performances to recorded singles like few other punk bands can, capturing every out of breath shout and fast-paced guitar stab with a cheeky grin and quick witted sense of humour. As far as Lambrini Girls have come since their first single dropped only two years ago, ‘Body Of Mine’ shows the sky’s the limit for this exciting young band. – Tom Bruce
Calcine – Back to Fight
The explosive new signing for Church Road Records, Calcine are a brand-new Parisian hardcore band forming during pandemic times in 2021. Since then, they’ve opened for a slew of hardcore’s brightest including Sunami and Scowl with their initial demo garnering plenty of attention for its no-nonsense attitude to the genre. ‘Back to Fight’ heralds their incoming debut album Common Love Common Nausea, due out June 21, and continues their love of spin-kicking, pit-inciting hardcore. In a hair over two minutes, it hits like a sledgehammer with two-step parts and fist-swinging aplenty. – Will Marshall
Speed – Real Life Love
Aussie hardcore bruisers Speed are the real deal. Furious, authentic hardcore from the other side of the world, you might remember clips of them absolutely laying waste to Outbreak last year being all over your timeline. It’s been a long time coming but the band have announced their debut full length, Only One Mode. Accompanied by a must-watch music video, lead single ‘Real Life Love’ is a fist pumping, scream your heart out hardcore anthem. Written about vocalist Jem Siow’s feelings about the relationships in his life and how they’ve been informed by his time in hardcore, you can almost feel his passion for the life bleeding through your headphones. Musically, it’s a hefty slab of crunching modern hardcore, that ends in the best way any song can end – the band’s name being called out in gang vocals. Make no mistake, 2024 is the year of Speed. – Chris Earl
Unto Others – Butterfly
There’s really nobody else that sounds like Unto Others at the moment. Blending 80s, sunglasses at night goth with stomping metal, they’ve managed to bring their unique sound to a massive audience over the last several years. ‘Butterfly’ is their latest dirge, and it’s exactly what you’d expect from them, a guitar driven anthem that makes you want to dig out your black leather and eyeliner. As usual, the star of the show is Gabriel Franco; his ability to make every single line, every hook sound like one of the coolest things ever said is frankly amazing. The man is a rockstar, and it’s a little sad that the band aren’t bigger than they are. Hopefully their recent signing to industry giants Century Media can get them the platform they deserve, and ‘Butterfly’ certainly proves they’ve more than got the chops for it. – Chris Earl
Lowen – Najang Bah Divhayeh Mazandaran
The latest release from the self described “progressive Middle Eastern metal band from London” and releasing in conjunction with their signing to Church Road Records, ‘Najang Bah Divhayeh Mazandaran’ is a brilliant introduction to band many of will soon be fawning over. Packed with riffs in the key of Bolt Thrower, a sense of progressivism akin to Dvne and animated by the immaculate soaring of vocals of Nina Saeidi, the track is a brilliant introduction to Lowen’s approach to melding progressive metal with the music and contemporary storytelling inspired by the band’s Iranian heritage and folklore. – Dan Hillier
Fuming Mouth – Daylight Again / Timeless
At the beginning of 2023, nobody could have foreseen that one of the most beautiful, inspirational records of the year would be a death metal release, yet Fuming Mouth pulled it off. Last Day of Sun, a concept album about vocalist Mark Whelan’s battle with leukemia, it managed to be both brutal and vulnerable in equal measure, offering us a deeply personal look into his own story of resilience. From those Kurt Ballou produced recording sessions, we’ve got some new tracks to coincide with the band’s upcoming support slot for August Burns Red. ‘Daylight Again’ was originally slated to be the final track on the album proper, but didn’t make the cut. In the words of Mark, it ‘expresses that the future is bright’ and the track itself is more positive in tone than others on the record. It opens guns blazing, and it’s aggressive stomp is guaranteed to get the crowds moving. ‘Timeless’ is the more conceptually interesting of the two however, as it’s an alternate version of the albums ‘Out Of Time’ opener. Reworked to be a little shorter and punchier than the original, it now fits better in the middle of a set than the original with its extended intro. For a band who had the end in sight, to come out the other side guns blazing is truly an inspirational tale and you definitely need to catch them live if you can this year. – Chris Earl
Outlander – Want No More
Taken from their upcoming record Acts Of Harm – released June 28th via Church Road Records – ‘Want No More’ is a monochromatic, aching and deeply immersive miasma of doom-lined shoegaze on the theme of giving up. A continuation of the ironising shoegaze found within their last release Sundowning / Unconditional and a track that’s no doubt abound to weigh heavy on those who have laid their dreams to rest in favour of a life that’s comfortable but ultimately unremarkable, the track is a brilliant testament to the emotive power of this gene. “Want No More was written about giving up, resigning to the monotony of day-to-day life and how easy it is to trade yourself for a comfortable life before you even realise it’s happened”, state the band on the track – Dan Hillier
Take The Crown – Reckless
Ontario five piece Take The Crown may be new as a band, but you get the feeling that the combined experience of the members, with years of hard yards in the scene, will take them far. The jump from their debut track to this, ‘Reckless’ is astounding, and shows the band finding their creative feet with each other with close to four minutes of straight up, pit-inducing metallic hardcore. From the foreboding opening giving way to Alex Kennedy’s filthy, almost gurgling screams, the track stomps and lumbers along like Godzilla with a broken heart, before it all comes to a destructive end with a gurn-inducing breakdown. The blend of harsh and clean vocals towards the end perfectly captures the early noughties style the band clearly love. This won’t be the last track you hear from Take The Crown in 2024, and if this, only their second release is an indicator where they can go, you can expect to see them outgrow their scene and join their American revivalist contemporaries. – Chris Earl
Lake Malice – Stop the Party (Toronto Is Broken remix)
With Lake Malice keeping danceable metal alive and Toronto Is Broken diving headfirst into metalcore from his original home of pure drum and bass, this is a perfectly matched remix. Keeping the rock/d&b crossover continuum going, the remix is more fiercely focused at the dancefloors than the original. The influence of the modern wave of 4×4 drum and bass is also very clear, and eschews some of the trappings of the traditional breakbeat rock of Pendulum, RAM records’ Night Breed or even Enter Shikari at their danciest. Despite having the dancefloor in the crosshairs, the original songwriting shines through, with it not committing to the standard club music structure of only build ups and drops, which is always a unique feature of crossover bands. Both artists feel comfortable in their crossover niches, so who knows whether this will lead to more in the future. – Mia Thunderska
Windwaker – Break the Rules
Announcing the release of their sophomore album Hyperviolence, on the 12th of July with the enticing freshness of their tracks duelling personalities at war with the outside world; the alternative metalcore thunder from down under Windwaker, pique the interest of fans only 2 months post-release of their 3rd EP Enter The Wall, as they drop the official founding sonic waves of their brand new era with ‘Break the Rules’. Inspired by the toils of heated arguments for dominance between an extrovert and an introvert, this latest track from the Aussies dubbed by some fans as “Aviciicore”, promises to impress as the previous slue of diverse genre integrated bangers has conjured great intrigue and fascination from fans and industry folk alike. With Windwaker currently supporting Northlane on their North American tour alongside Invent Animate and Thornhill, we shall be waiting patiently to indulge their infectious brand of hyperpop metal the next time they touch down on British soil. – Bennie Osborne
Yours Truly – Sour
Aussie pop punk trio Yours Truly dropped surprise single ‘Call My Name’ earlier this year, and have followed it with not only the new single ‘Sour’ but confirmation their hotly-anticipated second album Toxic is due this August. Much like with their is this what i look like? EP, ‘Sour’ sees them once more pushing their own boundaries. Vocalist Mikaila Delgado has come on miles from their already stellar early years, as she effortlessly flows between questioning and a palpable fury. As she explains, “Sour was written during a session after I was feeling extremely burnt out. We had come off extensive touring and quite a turbulent time not only for the band but personally as well. I was just feeling so bitter towards everything and trying to force writing when it just wasn’t naturally flowing made me so angry. We got to a stage as a band were had a lot of people in our ear telling us what to do and how they thought we should do it. I just thought “fuck this, this is our fucking band, I’m going to do what I want!”” – Will Marshall
Long Goodbye – i used to dream of drowning
The Coming Strife continues to bring some the best and most exciting hardcore and metalcore bands to the fore. One of their newest signings is the North East’s own Long Goodbye, which contains members of Bloodfury. Ahead of their upcoming EP, out on the 10th of May, the band have put out their first release ‘i used to dream of drowning’ exclusively on YouTube at the moment, though you can see that changing when the EP drops. With The Coming Strife, you know what you’re getting. It’s a slab of classic noughties metalcore dragged into the modern day, sounding like labelmates Killing Me Softly mixed with On Broken Wings, the band looks set to be another stellar addition to the UK ‘core scene and one you definitely need to add to your watchlist. – Chris Earl
Dark Tranquillity – Unforgivable
Perhaps the most underrated yet consistent of the melodeath holy trinity (alongside In Flames and At The Gates), Dark Tranquillity have been putting out top quality melodeath for over thirty years. The second single to be released from their upcoming thirteenth studio album, Endtime Signals, ‘Unforgivable’ is a fantastic, high energy track that takes elements from all over the band’s career. Sublime, emotive guitarwork, Mikael Stanne’s signature raspy growl and as always, a sense of atmosphere and depth that few other bands can master. Packaged with a music video that shows the bands fervent fanbase all over the world, it seems that thirteen may not be unlucky for the legendary Swedes as they look to bring their classic theatrical brand of music to modern audiences. – Chris Earl
Foreign Hands – Horror Domain
One of the most promising bands in the ongoing 2000s metalcore revival, Foreign Hands ensure they put a modern twist on the sound rather than purely being nostalgic, and latest single ‘Horror Domain’, taken from their debut album What’s Left Unsaid is no different. Injecting a hardcore ferocity into their take on the genre throughout, lyrically it deals with internal turmoil, as the band state “it’s about wishing you were someone else other than yourself. Despite how bad you may want it, there’s a sense of fear for that kind of change.” Caustic screams collide with post-hardcore melodies, a dynamic contrast that’s always been present since their Bleed the Dream EP, but What’s Left Unsaid is looking to hone those elements to a fine edge. – Will Marshall
156/Silence – Unreasonable Doubt
156/Silence broke through to the masses in March 2020, with a debut album that was so good it managed to make people forget about the state of the world. The blend of heart on the sleeve, early noughties metalcore and battering hardcore won many over, and their follow-up record built on that potential. This time around, they’re aiming for the top. ‘Unreasonable Doubt’ blends elements of contemporaries Knocked Loose and Boundaries together with their own brand of white-knuckle intensity. The band themselves have described the track was wanting to imitate the feeling of a stabbing in a slasher movie and they nail it. In a crowded scene, bands need to do something special to rise to the top and 156/Silence are one of those with that little bit extra in the tank. – Chris Earl
Joe Appleford – Linger
No, this isn’t a cover of the Cranberries classic; but it is as good though. Bound by swaggering riffs, bold electronics and the audacious vocals of the man himself, ‘Linger’ sees Joe Appleford at his most confident. Truly, whilst his previous work within his 2022 effort Dystopian Dreams Utopian Nightmares stood as powerful and emotive pummelling of riff heavy alt-rock, ‘Linger’ just feels rich with a sense of self-certainty can only come from having full faith in your work and message. And he’s right to be self assured, this is great. – Dan Hillier
Single Wound – Death is a Kindness
Ontario, Canada’s metalcore heavyweights Single Wound have been one of the province’s veteran bands for a bit now. With that being said, fans couldn’t be more excited because they are back with a brand new, slamming single in the form of ‘Death is a Kindness,’ the title track of the group’s newest 7 track LP. Changing up their sound on this venture just a little bit, this track is raw and heavy to the core. A similar sound to that of the early 2010s given a unique Ontario hardcore twist, ‘Death is a Kindness’ embodies what new Single Wound is about and more. – Nathaniel Maure
Great American Ghost – Hymn of Decay
Great American Ghost are band who’ve suffered from flying under the radar in the metallic hardcore scene over the last several years despite putting out constantly good material and being a force on the live circuit. Celebrating their signing to new label SharpTone Records, they’ve dropped their brand new Will Putney produced single, ‘Hymn of Decay’. The result of their continued collaboration with heavy music’s most exciting producer is a track that sounds absolutely huge with drums that could shake your house to its very foundations just one of the standout moments. Ethan Harrison’s vocals are a mix of Knocked Loose and Stray From the Path, shrieking with reckless abandon. The introduction of a powerful, almost melodic chorus that transcends into a thumping breakdown is the icing on the cake for a triumphant return. – Chris Earl
Candy – Love Like Snow (feat. MIRSY & mmph)
Candy are an incredibly hard band to pin down. With a baseline in hardcore, they’ve delved into extreme metal, punk, and electronic elements over the years to create a sound that is distinctly their own. The second single, titled ‘Love Like Snow’ off their upcoming June release It’s Inside You features guest spots from producer mmph (also known as Sae Heum Han) and MIRSY, a side project of Marisa Shirar from Fleshwater. One of the more eclectic tracks the band have released in recent times, it’s an unsettling electronic focused song with some crunching industrial elements coming through and MIRSY‘s almost spectral voice adding to the unease. At times, it sounds like a warped club track – you can almost picture the flickering lights and slow motion dancing as the blend of beauty and raw electronica comes to a climax. Much like their namesake, this is one addictive track, but probably better for your teeth. – Chris Earl