Ithaca – They Fear Us
Having taken the scene by storm with their debut The Language of Injury, the world was at Ithaca’s feet. They took the enforced downtime of the pandemic to hone in and evolve their sound, and their new single, the title track of second album They Fear Us, proves it. Stabbing guitars sit atop a crunching breakdown and vocalist Djamila Boden-Azzouz roars “bow to your blood / your queen and your god” in a contender for one of the boldest vocal lines of the year. Their sound has only gotten thicker and more imposing, due in part to the considerably larger guitar tone, as well as electronic screeches and flourishes and a bass that doesn’t so much rumble as it does roar. An intense, visceral assault from start to finish that the sparing melodic vocal lines only accentuate further, it’s a scintillating indication of where Ithaca will be heading – straight to the head of the pack. – Will Marshall
Pupil Slicer – Thermal Runaway (Feat. Cara Drolshagen)
Nobody that heard Pupil Slicer’s debut Mirrors forgot it; whether it was your bag or not, its polyrhythmic and disorienting metalcore was seared into minds mercilessly. Their latest single ‘Thermal Runaway’ is a taste of the sonic evolution we can expect from them as they continue pushing their boundaries. Featuring none other than The Armed’s Cara Drolshagen on guest vocals, also responsible for the fantastic line “don’t steal stars”, it’s both immediately identifiable as Pupil Slicer while having an identity all its own. Vocalist/guitarist Kate Davies brings a new style to bear alongside that employed on the debut and their use of almost spoken-word that descends into demented fervour is terrifying in the best possible way. ‘Thermal Runaway’ is no less intense, with the squealing, swirling guitars still present but with added heft for the breakdown which even features a “blugh” from Davies. Mirrors was already great and with this taste of their evolution, Pupil Slicer are set to make a serious case for one of the UK scene’s best, most vital new bands. – Will Marshall
Nova Twins – K.M.B.
Genre-bending breakout stars Nova Twins continue their impressive path of conquering in excellent form. The duo’s new single ‘K.M.B’ was released this week accompanied with the news that the band’s sophomore album Supernova will be released on the 17th June on Marshall Records. ‘K.M.B’, standing for Kill My Boyfriend, leans towards the duo’s hip-hop sensibilities but is as bold and bombastic as we have now come to expect with a Nova Twins release. Imagine TLC and old school hip-hop were merged and remixed by Bring Me The Horizon then you’d have the feel for the track. That said, there is a certain poise and character that oozes out of Nova Twins that is alike no other, a big charismatic fuck you to all the parts of society that are in dispute and turmoil at present. This is modern punk at its absolute finest. Between Supernova being described as fearlessly itself and the message ‘K.M.B’ delivers we wouldn’t blame you for getting excited, you can bet that this album is going to be an absolute knockout. – Jac Holloway
Puppy – …And Watched It Glow
The third offering within a line from singles from the undefinable London trio, ‘…And Watched It Glow’ see’s Puppy further tightening their sweet dichotomy between scalping metal and sugary sweet pop structures. Coinciding with the announcement of their second LP Pure Evil – which drops May 6th on Rude Records – the track is a hazy daydream of a musical bonfire that’s warm, cordial and inviting; that is until you notice the warmth is emitting from the funereal pyre of stoic metal elitism. Much like the rest Puppy’s excellent and dynamic output, ‘….And Watched It Glow’ is another wonderful genrephobic track courtesy of a band that embraces and celebrates the inherent battle-axe wielding fun of heavy metal in a way that’s joyful, yet always ardently steadfast. – Dan Hillier
Grief Ritual – Dissolution
Whilst Cheltenham really isn’t known for post-metal tinged blackened hardcore, Grief Ritual have emerged to challenge that. Having already become a highly dotted point of attention in the area following appearances with the likes of Black Tongue, Ithaca, MTXS and Heriot, the group are now about to widen their point of impact with their relentless debut single ‘Dissolution’. Truly, this is brutalising outlet of devastating catharsis at it’s most malicious and violent. Produced by Joe Clayton, the track see’s the band taking the unforgiving misanthropy of acts such as Leeched and the aforementioned Heriot and bludgeon directly into a hardcore vessel powered by the inherent misery of monocratic post-metal. It’s visceral and horrifically vivid display of pure resentment towards our increasingly casuistic modern culture, and with Grief Ritual set to perform with non other than Terror and Knocked Loose next week, this single is set to jettison this band right into the gored heart of the UK extreme hardcore scene. – Dan Hillier
Absent In Body – The Acres / The Ache
When is a supergroup definitely a supergroup? Boasting current and former members of Amenra, Neurosis and Sepultura, it’s hard to deny that Absent In Body are anything but. To announce their debut album Plague God, the band have dropped their first material together in ‘The Acres/The Ache’, a sprawling, sludgy and experimental take on post metal that’s as much about heaving atmosphere as it is guitars. Opening with a sense of foreboding and tribal drums, it spirals into a towering wall of noise; desolate howls dragged from the bowels of hell and guitars that seem to almost open tectonic fissures. The more mellow moments are no less unsettling, with yearning melodic vocals backed by understated, menacing electronics and piano. At once immediately familiar to fans of the members’ other work, Absent In Body is its own malevolent beast entirely. – Will Marshall
A-tota-so – Far Enough (Feat. Damien Sayell)
Originally a purely instrumental math rock band, A-tota-so underwent a metamorphosis whilst creating Lights Out, a record that see’s the band enlisting a whole range of vocal talent from the best of the UK and Irish scene. Following on from their last single ‘I Am’ which saw the band teaming up with Aisling Whiting of Sang Froid, the band have unveiled their latest single ‘Far Enough’ featuring Damien Sayell of The Saint Pierre Snake Invasion and Mclusky. As one can expect, the track carries the snarling bite and back-handed sass of such acts whilst still purely being a track of A-tota-so’s own design and creation. It’s a brooding and snarling affair, one certainly far flung from the single that proceeded it, but one that hints towards the eclecticism abundant in Lights Out, a record poised to be a showcase and celebration of the diversity of the scene that birthed this brilliant act. – Dan Hillier
Spanish Love Songs – Optimism (As A Radical Life Choice) / Generation Loss [Etc Versions]
Spanish Love Songs truly hammered home the mundanity, bleakness and inherent dread of modern living with their instant classic of a record Brave Faces Everyone back in 2020. Of course, life has only gotten worse since then and now they’re back to relive it all in a different way. Releasing April 15th is the “Etc” version of the record, a total reimagining of the album that was recorded remotely in three different studios in three different timezones. A chaotic approach for sure, one totally expected for this band, but one that has allowed the band to approach stylings and genres typically removed from their punk and emo repertoires. The new alternative versions of ‘Optimism (As A Radical Life Choice)’ and ‘Generational Loss’ highlight this, with tracks seeing he band subsisting their normal approach in favour of fatally despondent dance vibes and atmospheric, synth stained acoustics respectively. Despite these unexpected and surprising approaches, the band cleanly retain their identity, core sound and further solidify their stance as one of the most important and consistent bands in the modern emo sound.
Cage Fight – Shine Don’t Fade
Featuring former Eths vocalist Rachel Aspe and TesseracT guitarist James Monteith, Cage Fight are the latest band to enter to the fray of the UK crossover thrash game. Yet, as proven with their single ‘Shine Don’t Fade’, Cage Fight are for more than their boast-worthy talent. A bloody brawl of classic hardcore agro and bladed thrash, the track is a spittle-sending call for unity against the powers that divide us that harkens thoughts of acts like Malevolence, Vexed and Enforced whilst still being wholly fresh and uncompromising. “I cherish the ability to channel my anger through this outlet”, states Aspe on the band. “In a world full of uncertainty and frustration this type of music was the only thing I found solace and balance in. These songs have a deep meaning for me and I hope this is something that other people can relate to.”
Sleep Token – Is It Really You? (Loathe Collab)
The latest in their series of collaborations, Loathe have teamed with enigmatic ambient metallers Sleep Token for a reimagining of ‘Is It Really You?’, taken from 2020’s I Let It In And It Took Everything. Instead of a full band, Vessel and his co-conspirators have instead stripped it to its bare bones, echoing the emotional vulnerability and minimalism of their Room Below reimaginings of their own work. They mould and reshape the song and make it entirely their own; despite being instantly recognisable it’s almost impossible to think of this as anything other than a Sleep Token song. Vessel’s pained melodicism is on full display, crooning over piano chords and layered upon itself myriad times to amplify the whole into far more than the sum of its parts. It’s a match made in heaven, crafting a gorgeous rendition of the song that only enhances the emotional devastation wrought. – Will Marshall
The Devil Wears Prada – Watchtower
The Devil Wears Prada are back with brand new song ‘Watchtower’. Not afraid of mixing it up but recognising the roots of their music and what their fans want to hear, the band are obviously looking to deliver on this front. The single is as menacing and crushingly heavy as you’d hope. The dichotomy of thrashy and brash verse structures juxtaposed with soaring and melodic choruses makes for a beautiful blend and effortless flow. The breakdown section is gargantuan as Mike Hranica belts out “I chose the distance” over venomous riffs and pounding drums. There is a sense of urgency to Watchtower’ which fits the theme of the song outlining an individual who pushes away happiness due to fear of its perception and instead choses to watch over and step away from these opportunities. In contrast to the band’s previous single ‘Sacrifice’ that was definitely less harsh and heavy and instead leant towards their more melodic tendencies, ‘Watchtower’ is a more ferocious offering. – Jac Holloway