Knife Bride – crucify
Brighton nu-gothika quartet and Noizzefest alumni Knife Bride announce their second EP sorry about the plague with explosive, high-energy new single ‘crucify’. Break-beats meet cutting edge modern metalcore riffage while vocalist Mollie Clack strikes a convincing balance between pop sensibility with an attitude and fearsome aggression, allowing the band to expand upon their character study of the fictional titular “Bride”. Her knife is razor sharp, her poison enticing and before you know it, you’ll be humming along to her confessions like a mantra. sorry about the plague is due for release on April 24th during the band’s UK tour in support of this year’s Noizzefest headliners Calva Louise. – Avrian O’Brien
Portrayal Of Guilt – Object of Pain / Death From Above
Portrayal Of Guilt treat us to another double single in anticipation of their impending new album …Beginning of the End to our morbid delight. Where previous double single ‘Ecstasy / Human Terror’ presented the newer, heavily industrial and nu-metal influenced sound PoG have been inching towards with their more recent works, ‘Object of Pain / Death From Above’ return to more familiar ground and yet, with new perspective. Both tracks are brooding, somber slow-burners with ‘Death From Above’ leaning more heavily into the previously mentioned Chat Pile-esque sludginess whereas ‘Object of Pain’ is an exercise in building uneasy atmosphere, featuring raspy whispered vocals and an easy connection to be made with Nine Inch Nails‘ ‘Closer’. The Austin trio continue to carve a path of their own, refusing rigid categorisation and instead embracing an eclectic amalgamation of extreme music influences to usher their sonic dark magic into the world and we cannot wait to hear what else they have in store upon …Beginning of the End‘s release on April 24th. – Avrian O’Brien
Elder – Through Zero
Progressive metal, krautrock, stoner and post-metal? Why, it’s Elder of course and ‘Through Zero’ is our first peek into the Massachusetts’ upcoming next psychedelic sonic adventure. Based off of the nine minute long journey this eponymous lead single embarks us upon with its many nooks and crannies borrowing bits and pieces from a wide array of progressive music genres, Through Zero is likely to be a vividly diverse and colourful record that might just delineate a new era in the band’s career following the in-between, transitional space marked by last year’s excellent Liminality /Dream State Return EP. Keep your eyes peeled for Through Zero, out on May 29th. – Avrian O’Brien
a forest – Something I Need
a forest certainly piqued a fair bit of interest when they where announced for this year’s 2000 Trees. After all, at the time of announcement, they had no recorded output. It was understandable why many where querying why such a festival where booking an act with no released material. But with one listen of ‘Something I Need’ their booking is more than just understandable, and not just for the name of the project alone. The debut single from the London based newcomers, ‘Something I Need’ is a pacifying, wistful and melancholic air of folk inspired alt rock that’s just as refreshing as a deep breath of woodsy pine-scented air. Those with a love for acts such as Mark Lanegan, Bon Iver and others of their bleak ilk will find plenty to adore here, and if this is anything to go by, a forest’s set at Trees this year may certainly come to be a festival highlight. – Dan Hillier
Lost In Kyiv – Burst
The European post rock landscape has ebb and flowed dramatically over the decades, but ever since their formation, Lost In Kyiv have felt like a constant presence. ‘Burst’ only highlights their longevity. The first single to be taken from their upcoming record We’re All Going To Be Fine – released 19th June via Pelagic Records – ‘Burst’ see’s the French post rock unit continuing to lead a scene they helped established in thanks to it’s sprawling cinematic delivery, post-metal heft and brilliant electronic flutters. It’s a wonderful track, one that manages both to be expansive and wide-angled, but immediate and punchy. – Dan Hillier
Quiet Fear – Retén
Chicano screamo quartet Quiet Fear return with full force with ‘Retén’, the lead single from their sophomore album La Tierra Arriba / El Abismo Abajo. Right out of the gate, the band hit hard and fast with a wall of sound which is sure to please fans of fellow Californians Touché Amore. The song ebbs and flows between hard hitting and reflective, switching up suddenly yet naturally from ferocious to calm in order to keep the song feeling fresh throughout its three minute duration. If this is a sign of things to come from their new album, then June 19th can’t come soon enough. – Rob Horrocks
.gif from god – Volatile Simian Nervous-System
Richmond mathcore outfit .gif from god deliver an anxiety-inducing assault on the senses with new single ‘Volatile Simian Nervous-System’. With a focus on unraveling dissonance and heft rather than frantic technicality alongside vocals that border on blackened hardcore in the vein of Hexis or Portrayal Of Guilt, .gif from god present a more subdued but murderous approach to their chaotic style. An ominously bleak first taste of their upcoming album, Dissimulation, to be released on April 17th via Prosthetic Records. – Avrian O’Brien
Fall Of Messiah – New Path
French post-hardcore outfit Fall Of Messiah release instrumental second single ‘New Path’, taken from their upcoming return album GREEN LANDS. ‘New Path’ is much more optimistic in tone than lead single ‘Meadows’, leaning more heavily into post-rock territory with its lush layers of reverb-heavy guitars and driving, thudding bass. Perhaps it’s not all doom and gloom for Fall Of Messiah; find out on the 24th of April. – Avrian O’Brien
Frozen Soul – Invoke War (Feat. Robb Flynn)
The clocks have finally sprung an hour forward and Spring is finally in the air. Not that such a thing is stopping Frozen Soul from summoning the frozen gloom of midwinter mind you. With ‘Invoke War’, the Texan death metal squad enlist Machine Head’s Robb Flynn to recall the isolation and grief that’s synonymous with the winter months in a way that’s just as biting as the coldest of nights. However, this isn’t a song of wallowing; despite it’s chilly and ferocious sound, ‘Invoke War’ is a rallying call to fight on against the demons that plague us in everyday life. “It’s about getting back up”, state the band on the rack. “It’s meant to be the anthem to your day, the background music to your story, the extra weapon you might need to help conquer whatever you’re struggling with. Robb’s lyrics add a whole new layer of power and emotion to the song. This is a follow up to ‘Arsenal of War,’ which was about remembering and carrying the light and memories of your lost loved one with you.” – Dan Hillier
Karin Park – Sing Your Sorrow
Swedish indie synthpop phenom and ATG alum Karin Park returns with the first single from her upcoming EP EVO, which is set to be the first installment in a trilogy of interconnected releases. Off the back of the crystalline, esoteric beauty of last year’s Årabrot record Rite of Dionysus, on which Karin Park dovetailed sublimely with partner and long-time collaborator Kjetil Nernes, Park is as effortlessly cool and creatively clear-eyed as ever on ‘Sing Your Sorrow’. The track builds from a heartbeat-like rhythm and a delicately emotive vocal performance into full-blown dancefloor euphoria by way of the whispered words, “Let me take you with me now”. The journey is intoxicating and the payoff feels like it’s been shot directly into your veins. The upcoming EP has been described as a reckoning with new motherhood and the fear that the return to the body and to urgent creativity may be a tough path to navigate. ‘Sing Your Sorrow’ makes clear that Karin Park is as artistically compelling as she’s ever been. In the music video that accompanies the single, we see her walking through a snowy environment in low light before finding her way to the centre of an intense, kinetic party by the track’s climax. This singular creative powerhouse is exactly where she needs to be. – Pete Wall
Daedric – Iridescent Wings (Acoustic)
Hot on the heels of last year’s second album As The Light Left, alt metallers Daedric have unveiled an acoustic reimagining of ‘Iridescent Wings’. Stripping back the abrasive, electronic flecked metalcore lets Kristyn Hope’s voice take centre stage and demonstrate her impressive range. The original is described by the band as “Daedric doesn’t really do “emo”, but if we did, this would be our emo song,” and its acoustic version is even more arresting. It’ll feature on the Reborn EP, a selection of reworked tracks from their latest album. – Will Marshall
PRESIDENT – Mercy
Continuing on in their run of atmospheric anthems, PRESIDENT kick off their latest tour with deeply emotive single ‘Mercy’. Focusing on religiously motivated conflicts and divides, this track is a great start to the next phase of PRESIDENT. ‘Mercy’ makes wonderful use of the electronic elements that have begun to form a core part of this band’s growing sound, a sound that is becoming more and more common in the metal scenes. Once possibly prompting a number of raised eyebrows within said scenes, prevalent sidechain rears it’s iconic head to great effect within Mercy, as PRESIDENT make use of the extra electronic toolkits at their disposal. Building throughout in their now famously powerful manner, ‘Mercy’ culminates in a quintessentially atmospheric epicness – delivering the vibes that have seen PRESIDENT gain their massive following thus far. ‘Mercy’ seems to promise a continuation of the aspects that garnered such previous successes, whilst attempting to evolve their already established sound as they head into their next presidential campaign. – Benjamin Hacking
Karmanjakah – Eyes Seeing Eyes
Swedish melodic thallers (or “thallgazers” if you will) Karmanjakah continue to prove that they are onto something special with their sound and the metal world is slowly starting to take proper notice so it seems. New single ‘Eyes Seeing Eyes’ strikes an incredible balance between soothing atmosphere, heartfelt emotion and crushing, ephemeral heaviness. Soaring clean vocals set the scene with a melancholic piano arrangement, but meanwhile, a storm is gently brewing and when the thunderous waves hit and crash, there is not much else to do but marvel at how well orchestrated the atmospheric build-ups are and how satisfying the payoff is. There is no cheap imitation or rehashing here, every single spaced-out hit of the kit or bend of a string is evocative and carries genuine emotional weight. Karmanjakah‘s upcoming album Diamond Morning is building up to be quite the experience and May 8th can’t come soon enough. – Avrian O’Brien