Vower – Moth Becomes The Flame
Few bands have the immense alternative pedigree of progressive metal and post-hardcore supergroup Vower. Bringing together members of underground darlings like Black Peaks, Palm Reader and Toska, the five-piece have spent the last year perfecting their live show at festivals such as 2000 Trees, Arctangent and Download in support of the debut EP Apricity. The supergroup’s latest single ‘Moth Becomes The Flame’ takes the band in a new direction with a less intense, more dramatic post-hardcore sound led by Josh Mckeown’s vocals which build from a subtle whisper to an exaggerated scream over a varied backdrop of gentle keys and distorted riffs. While Vower will always be compared to the members’ previous bands, ‘Moth Becomes The Flame’ shows a new, more nuanced side to their sound, relying less on guitar theatrics and more on deep, thoughtful songwriting. – Tom Bruce
Deftones – my mind is a mountain
Deftones are back, baby. The Sacramento legends released ‘my mind is a mountain’ on July 11th, which also coincides with Chi Cheng’s birthday, and it’s already generating buzz this summer. While reactions have been mixed—especially regarding the unique mixing style by Nick Raskulinecz, who previously did wonders on Koi No Yokai and Diamond Eyes —many fans appreciate how both familiar and refreshing this song feels. This track highlights Chino Moreno’s powerful vocals, capturing the delicate subject of mental health struggles with intensity. Meanwhile, Abe Cunningham’s thunderous drums and Stephen Carpenter’s riffs provide the abrasiveness and catharsis needed to make it truly impactful, all while being catchy. Though it’s still early to declare it the album of the year, the track shows a lot of promise and is sure to be a crowd favorite at their upcoming shows in Europe in early 2026. – Nessie Spencer
They Are Gutting a Body of Water – Trainers
In a world of gimmick-clad slop designed purely to appeal to algorithms, ‘Trainers’ is the sound of something unprecedented; actual human interaction. Sounding like a group of friends writing music a room void of all the ills of the sad state of the music industry, ‘Trainers’ see’s rising outlanders They Are Gutting A Body of Water offering brilliant contemporary shoegaze untainted by the commercialisation plaguing the genre. There’s nothing here designed to cater to AI models or the like, just pure musical chemistry that invites in the weirdness synonymous with both the human condition and this genre of music. – Dan Hillier
Drain – Stealing Happiness From Tomorrow
Rising stars in the hardcore scene Drain have been blowing up since the release of their second album Living Proof in 2023. Continuing to tease their upcoming third release ...Is Your Friend with new single ‘Stealing Happiness From Tomorrow’. Starting with a gnarled bass groove that will stoke the mosh pits flames before unleashing pure crossover chaos and bringing the live-wire energy we’ve come to know and love. Still sticking with personal and relatable lyricism that reflects on personal circumstances, this is empowerment hardcore at its finest. There are still plenty of nasty beat breaks brakes for flailing limbs and spin kicks, swaying from lower tempo grooves into high octane fury. The mid-song tom break and bite size guitar solo leads to the final vocal calls that are sure to lead to intense mic grabbing and one final breakdown to leave you slack jawed at the back of the room wondering when a fist may collide with the side of your head. – Harry Shiels
Mother Vulture – Treadmill
One of the UK’s most exciting young rock bands, five-piece Mother Vulture have spent close to a decade building on their classic rock inspired yet modern and aggressive sound, paying homage to the icons of the past without letting themselves get pidgeonholed as a tribute act. Alongside the news that their next album Cartoon Violence will drop in January of next year, the south-west quintet have let loose their latest single ‘Treadmill’, a stomping, punk inspired rock track which draws just as much from danceable rockabilly as it does from mosh-ready thrash metal. Frontman Georgi Valentine Ivanov’s screeching vocals set the band apart, sounding more like Mike Patton or Greg Puciato than David Bowie, scaring off the battle vest clad pensioners looking for the next retro throwback. – Tom Bruce
Pile – Bouncing in Blue
Wading in the waters of unconditional freedom Pile share the final track from 9th studio album Sunshine and Balance Beams. In ‘Bouncing in Blue’ the constant pulse of expectation gives way to somber ambience with Rick Owens quiet contemplation on control and certainty blossoming into ascension as Pile display even after 15 years their melancholic noise amalgamations have never felt so fleshed out and full of exuberant life. ‘Bouncing in Blue’ is a demonstration of ultimate surrender to forces far beyond human understanding as the unmistakable pounding drums and the blackhole of fuzz drowned guitars takes your hand out into unknown waters.To celebrate the new album Pile give you ample opportunity to experience them in 2025 with a 22 date UK/EU Tour, so participate and attempt to understand a generational band who do noise, indie and post-hardcore like no other. – Andy Calderbank
Pool Kids – Leona Street
Math rock, emo, and pop-influenced quartet Pool Kids’s single ‘Leona Street’ is taken from third album Easier Said Than Done and seems a lot more pop-oriented compared to their past singles, but their DIY ethic, love of twinkly guitars, and frontwoman Christine Goodwyne’s introspective and lyrical storytelling still shines through and makes for an enjoyable and summery listen. Pool Kids have clearly come a long way since their 2019 debut and after being signed to the iconic Oxford indie label Big Scary Monsters, touring with the likes of The Wonder Years and La Dispute, and being endorsed by queen of emo Hayley Williams; it’s safe to say that it’s an exciting time to be a Pool Kids fan. – Ez Luscombe
Bleak – Bleak (feat. Frontierer)
Bleak has just released their brand new single, appropriately titled ‘Bleak’ from their debut EP, also called Bleak. To make things even more exciting, the up-and-coming deathcore band secured a guest appearance from Chad Kapper of Frontierer. Don’t let the fun coincidences mislead you, though; this track is absolutely wild. It features some of the most intense breakdowns reminiscent of the best work from The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, while also capturing the raw violence and harshness that defines their sound. The band describes their music as “us screaming into the Void and hearing it scream back.” If the future appears bleak, I hope it sounds like this band. We’ll have to wait until August 28th to find out. – Nessie Spencer
Hot Mulligan – Prototheme
Trailblazers of the US fourth-wave emo and post-emo scene Hot Mulligan return with an angry, soul-bearing banger of a new single ‘Prototheme’ which showcases the gut wrenching harsh vocals of frontman Nathan “Tades” Sanville and the mathy quality of Ryan “Spicy” Malisci’s riffs during the breakdown in just over two minutes of unadulterated feroctiy. Despite ‘Prototheme’ having a less radio-friendly sound than their previous releases and being a departure from their more pop-punk oriented sound, the sheer emotion behind the track really shines through and is reminiscent of a more DIY sound. Hot Mulligan clearly put music for themselves and that’s highly admirable. – Ez Luscombe
The Acacia Strain – A Call Beyond
President Richard Nixon once famously said “when The President does it, it’s not illegal”. Replace ‘The President’ with ‘The Acacia Strain‘ and ‘illegal’ with ‘cringe’ and you’ve got a good idea of what to expect with this new rager from the deathcore legends. Opening with an almost poetic callout line of “if you get to heaven and you don’t find me there, you are in hell”, the band wastes no time getting into some meaty riffs peppered with spicy drum fills and a plethora of howls. Short, violent and straight to the point, ‘A Call Beyond’ is clearly written less as a sophisticated piece of art and more as an incitement to violence in the pit. This new song proves that The Acacia Strain guys definitely haven’t lost a step over their long and heavy tenure. – Jude Bennett
Predeceased – Heroes By David Bowie
Before you wonder, no, this is not a cover. But much like it a certain 70’s songwriter, it’s also about a raging pervert and total wrong ‘un. Taken from the band’s upcoming discography record Weirdo Riffers – released November 7th via EEASY Records – ‘Heroes By David Bowie’ is a song about the worse kind of flatmate possible that sounds like Botch, Unsane, Mclusky and Wasted Death lobbing kitchen chairs at each other after a night on the stubbies and low quality gear. “Look first things first, I ripped off the much better noise band Blacklisters off when they called a tune ‘Club Foot by Kasabian’. But that song wasn’t about living with an actual pervert who got me wrongfully evicted from an apartment I was the head tenant on”, states vocalist Charlie Wyatt on the track. “I’ll let the lyrics do the talking, but the top line info is he would try on my clothes while I worked away, he listened to Chilli Peppers on repeat, played Hendrix on guitar perfectly and he’s barred from several bars up and down the northern quarter in Manchester for touching up women. Somehow the landlords took his side after 3 months of arguing *cough* mum and dad paid his rent for a year probably *cough* so you know, fuck landlords and all. Also he one time sincerely asked a room full of people if he had what it takes to be the next Bavid Bowie and buddy it’ll take a lot longer than the 3 minutes of this song to unpack that”. – Dan Hillier
Agriculture – Bodhidharma
After the critical success of their 2023 self-titled debut album and 2024 EP The Circle Chant, the Californian experimental post-black metal four-piece Agriculture are gearing up to launch their second album The Spiritual Sound with first single ‘Bodhidharma’. Immediately a stark shake up from the expected sounds of ecstatic black metal, Agriculture continue to evolve and explore new territory. Fragile and intimate spoken word passages are woven into experimental noise reminiscent of The Body, regularly bridging alongside pendulous post metal grooves that are sure to crack a neck or two. They still hold on to the element of bleak, intimate emotional lyricism and vocal performances that are a running strength of the band as they continue to grow. This is entirely new ground for Agriculture and as the first taste for the their anticipated second album, ‘Bodhidharma’ promises more bold boundary pushing from the forward thinking extreme metal artist. – Harry Shiels
Projector – It Surely Has Been Hell
Continuing to build off their debut album from last year and recent singles ‘Collision’ and ‘The Sham! The Sham! The Sham!’, Brighton alt-rockers/post-punks Projector have shared news of their upcoming second album Contempt alongside new single ‘It Surely Has been Hell’. Continuing to push further into Sonic Youth noise experimentations blended into hip swaying Interpol-esque alt rock and nods to the early grunge scene, Projector look to be further honing their bread and butter. Strengthening their core sound and embracing embittered, snarky lyricism welcoming the end of the world to enjoy the show, it surely has been hell after all. Angsty, introverted and oozing in angular post-punk cool, driving bass lines and catchy vocal melodies all together continues Projector’s desire to carve their own niche from Brighton’s vast alternative scene. – Harry Shiels
Angel Du$t – The Beat (Feat. Taylor Young) / The Knife
What would summertime be without new Angel Du$t music to kick back and relax/take off your shirt and sing along to? Fresh off signing to Run For Cover, the band have dropped two brand new tracks in ‘The Beat’ which see’s the band enlist Taylor Young (Twitching Tongues, Disgrace) for some vocal duties, and ‘The Knife’. ‘The Beat’ is a chunkier, more hardcore proposition that barrels along and invites plenty of opportunities for dancing and stage diving, while ‘The Knife’ possesses more of the classic power chords and fist in the air, feel goodness the band are more known for. A stunning return for the band ahead of an upcoming UK tour, they’ve proven they’re still on top of their game. – Chris Earl
silence|me – Torment
Another band to emerge from the flourishing ‘core scene of the North of England, silence|me have came out of the blocks screaming with their first single, ‘Torment’. A chaotic, swirling vortex of riffs, neckvein inducing vocals and stunning drums that bely their youth, it sounds like something you’d hear on a garish, poorly coded MySpace page circa 2005 and would make you immediately seek out more. The influences of bands like Skycamefalling and Converge are clear, but they’re not afraid to add a modern edge to things and the band definitely fall into the metalcore (Complimentary) side of things. Only a few months into their existence and already possessing the ability to cause carnage at live shows, don’t be surprised if this isn’t the last you hear of them this year. – Chris Earl
Exhaust – Open Wound
From the pleasant greens of South Wales comes something bladed indeed. Ripped off their upcoming EP Abysmal Earth, ‘Open Wound’ see’s emerging crossover thrash unit Exhaust tearing their way into the national thrash consciousness. Baring that lacerating edge synonymous with acts such as Power Trip and Enforced but delivered with the young blooded fury shared by acs such as Asidhara and False Reality, ‘Open Wound’ is a fitting name for a song from a band that sound like they’re set to tear their way into the heart of the national scene by any means necessary. – Dan Hillier
Daedric – Undone
Yes, Daedric do take their name from The Elder Scrolls. As you can tell from both the band name and underscored by song titles like ‘Night Mother’, Kristyn Hope (vocalist) really loves the series, along with fantasy, and alongside collaborating producers Clay Schroeder and Geoff Rockwell she’s been blending alt metal, electronics and rock. Their latest single ‘Undone’ comes along with announcing their second album As The Light Left, due out 17 October on FiXT. It’s ushered in by pulsing electronics before a towering first chorus propelled by Hope’s voice. With four singles out from the album so far, it’ll be interesting to see where Daedric go next. – Will Marshall
Goldfinger and Mark Hoppus – Freaking Out a Bit
Nineties ska punk veterans and Slam Dunk favourites Goldfinger team up with iconic Blink-182 frontman Mark Hoppus on latest single ‘Freaking Out A Bit’ for a frantic and high-tempo two and a half minute number that tackles the heavy subject of crippling anxiety with a fast tempo and early 2000’s-inspired guitar riffs that will make you relive those Tony Hawk Pro Skater glory days (when both bands were arguably at their musical best). The “I’m not right, but I’m getting better” refrain in the bridge also puts a more positive spin on a subject matter that can be difficult to discuss but the summery bass riffs, skate-punk style drums alone definitely make this worth a listen (or ten). – Ez Luscombe
Amon Amarth – We Rule The Waves
Swedish death and melodic death metal giants Amon Amarth have developed a cult-like following over the past fifteen years due to their Norse and Viking-inspired lyrical content, their refreshing take on moshing, and their electric and high-energy live shows. Hopefully new single ‘We Rule The Waves’ will fit perfectly into their set lists and with the unmistakable fury and warlike quality of Johan Hegg’s vocal prowess, drummer Jocke Wallgren’s trademark blast beats which are effective without being overpowering, and longstanding guitarist Olavi Mikkonen memorable riffs ‘We Rule The Waves’ is a thunderous battle cry of a track, perfect for your next voyage. – Ez Luscombe
La Dispute – Sibling Fistfight At Mom’s Fiftieth / The Un-Sound
Taken from La Dispute’s upcoming record No One Was Driving The Car – released September 5th via Epitaph – ‘Sibling Fistfight At Mom’s Fiftieth / The Un-Sound’ is just a chapter of the tale that the aforementioned record it’s taken from narrates. A literal retelling of a fistfight between the siblings that drive the conceptual story the album tells, the track just highlights the surrealist yet mundane nature of navigating the paths that life leads us on. As one would expect from La Dispute, it’s sharp and poetic in equal levels. – Dan Hillier
Soulkeeper – Join Us In Creating Excellence
There’s this off-the-wall bracket of bands that have taken it upon themselves to combine hardcore with some of the most abrasive genres of electronics to create a futuristic sounding, tech-dystopia universe within the hardcore scene (Code Orange and Vein.fm can probably take a good chunk of credit for that), and along the likes of fromjoy or Chamber, Soulkeeper are easily one of the current main torchbearers for that oddly specific category of hardcore music. On new single ‘Join Us In Creating Excellence’, Soulkeeper perfectly encapsulate what this corner of the current hardcore scene is all about; being as abrasively chaotic and creative with the genre-mashing as possible to redefine the lines that separate them in the first place. – Avrian O’Brien
Crippling Alcoholism – Pliers (feat. Luxury Skin)
When Crippling Alcoholism name a track ‘Pliers’, you know someone isn’t going to have a fun time in the dark twisted world they create. And as a listener, you’re all the better for it, as the band croons their “murder pop” with the help of fellow east-coasters Luxury Skin for extra snazziness. The more fucked up the themes, the better the song, or at least that seems to be the adage for the Boston troupe. Anytime a sense of security and understanding starts to develop in regards to song structure, Crippling Alcoholism are quick to pull the rug from under your feet to keep that sense of uneasiness alive from start to finish…and that’s when the nails come off. – Avrian O’Brien
Great American Ghost – Chapel Paralysis
In a world that seems content with remaining apathetic in the face of ongoing blatant injustice and atrocities as live images of genocide, ecocide and mass starvation flood our screens daily; songs like Great American Ghost’s new single ‘Chapel Paralysis’ should be the norm. Using their combination of melodic metalcore, deathcore and chaotic hardcore to voice their exasperation at the current state of global affairs and the lack of any concrete action being taken to prevent the daily horrors we cannot in good conscience say aren’t aware are happening, ‘Chapel Paralysis’ stands as an unfortunate bookmark of the unprecedented times we find ourselves living through while voicing the sentiment shared by the majority of the “common” people, helplessly bearing witness to carnage beyond measure. Free Palestine. End apartheid. Death to colonialism. – Avrian O’Brien
Intercourse – The Ballad of Max Wright
Connecticut murky noise-rockers Intercourse range from blistering grindcore to genuinely moving post-hardcore on their newest track ‘The Ballad of Max Wright’. The branching out from the noise rock and sludge hardcore sound that defined their previous releases is both refreshing and exciting in regards to their upcoming album How I Fell In Love With The Void which will be out on September 12th. The raw, point-blank lyricism and bitter sardonic humour peppered with slightly obscure references is still very much at the center of Intercourse’s identity, and the lyrics-to-music relationship on this track feels especially efficient in its delivery. Where else will you find lines such as «Listening to podcasts where famous people complain about problems I wish I had ; And googling how to forgive myself» and «You think you’re better than me? You foam rubber motherfucker» next to each other as the band spins a twisted narrative loosely (or not so loosely?) based around its real life titular character.- Avrian O’Brien
Glasshaven – Poisoning The Well
‘Poisoning The Well’ is the debut single from Manchester metallers Glasshaven and whilst there is little detail around their inception, they have arisen from the ashes of the prog metal outfit Blind Summit. The band have been a little cryptic and short on detail but its clear they are building towards further releases and aim to make an impactful dent on the scene. The song itself brilliantly melds soaring melody with powerful rampaging riffs. The vocal versatility is a standout feature showcasing an effortless slide between grit filled rasp and emotively stirring choruses. ‘Poisoning The Well’ is accompanied by a cinematic and haunting music video that creates a sense of foreboding. It feels apt given the lyrical theme that revolves around the idea of parasitic forces taking over one’s mind and changing the very fabric of a person’s being until there’s nothing left. This is the start of something very exciting for Glasshaven, keep an eye on this rising band. – Jac Holloway
Assurance – Entropy
The change of a singer can be the death of a band. However, in the case of Birmingham Metalcore stalwarts Assurance it feels like this is their fresh start. Entropy on the surface feels like a new beginning with monolithic riffs, shimmering melodies, and a crystalline production that shimmers and dances. New vocalist Cuba Stanley gives a taste of his incredible range and, looking deeper, reveals a myriad of possibilities. Gone are the days of local obscurity, Assurance are ready for the big stages. – Kevin Ashburn
Silly Goose – Keys to the City
Borrowing from Limp Bizkit’s style of rap-rock, fat riffs and big booming choruses that demand crowd movement, Atlanta trio Silly Goose’s new single ‘Keys To the City’ is a fake it ‘til you make it anthem. No strangers to playing in whatever car park, petrol station or fast food joint they can rally their fans to before the police break it up, frontman Jackson Foster’s rap tackles the gap between the fame they have and the fame they want with a delivery that has you halfway between headbang and hilarity at all times. With funky basslines and an airy pre-chorus that gives way to nostalgic, bouncy nu metal riffs that’ll please old skool fans of P.O.D and new nu metal outfit Ocean Grove alike, the groove in this track is no laughing matter. Their second album Keys To the City arrives on October 10th. – Shanon Harewood-Malone
Halestorm – Rain Your Blood on Me
Taken from highly-awaited album Everest that is set to drop early this August, long-standing hard rockers Halestorm’s third single ‘Rain Your Blood On Me’ is a celebration of all things hard rock and heavy metal and is a valiant effort at blending chugging, yet catchy riffs and drastic tempo changes that aren’t too dissimilar to an early Iron Maiden track. The more modernised and polished production style courtesy of Dave Cobb (Slash, Airbourne, Chris Cornell) contrasts against Lizzy Hale’s powerhouse vocals sublimely, lead guitarist Joe Hottinger’s blisteringly heavy riffs are always a highlight on Halestorm singles, and ‘Rain Your Blood On Me’ is another welcome addition to Halestorm’s acclaimed discography. – Ez Luscombe
Vanitas – Eclipse
In a storm of progressive djent Vanitas are back with the opening track ‘Eclipse’ from upcoming EP Journey To The Sun to colour the world with an anthem of defiance in the face of overwhelming odds. One with all the most treasured qualities of Periphery and the grandiose vocals of Devin Townsend, in ‘Eclipse’ they have an unrelenting piece of pure cinema which flips between the angelic and the rage of vocalist Jade Maris who’s powerful presence is stand out, instrumentally creating a soundtrack fit for an Elden Ring boss battle with an appetite for the magnificent which has no ceiling. Vanitas are sure to continue carving themselves an undeniable path on becoming one of the brightest stars in modern metal, continuing to show that metal can be imbued with colour, hope and true adventure. – Andy Calderbank