Rage Reviews: Recent Releases, September 9th 2026
The weather's getting colder, the sun setting earlier; we're coming into Autumn now. Summer's officially over, and now the goths can come out of hiding - and anyone else who wears black, really. Probably most of us. But more importantly, we've had swathes of new music coming out too. Here's what we've been listening to lately:
Track of the Week:
unpeople - blueprints
UNPEOPLE have released the third single off their upcoming album, we are unpeople, and it’s more delicate than we’ve ever heard from them before. blueprints is easily the softest song they’ve released to date, proving to listeners they can do it all. blueprints carries the same melodic soft energy throughout, a huge transition from previous singles, clouds and friends, two very upbeat tracks. The chorus picks up, but soon returns to the peaceful sound of the verses, a welcomed change for UNPEOPLE, catch them on their supporting run with ROYAL BLOOD in November, or on their debut UK headline tour in January 2027.
Words: Kei Wells
Amon Amarth - Eight Legs of Thunder
AMON AMARTH once again summons the epicness and battle-ready power they’re known for in Eight Legs of Thunder. Inspired by Sleipnir, Odin’s legendary eight-legged steed, the track feels like a wild gallop with soaring riffs, melodies and roars. The accompanying video will however take a lot of people by surprise with its playful crossover. It relocates the tale to a gritty modern American Western of cowboys, pickup trucks and open roads, before Sleipnir himself appears in a surreal dream sequence. This serves as a great reminder to expect the unexpected still for the band’s upcoming album, The Allfather Awakens, arriving October 2nd via Metal Blade Records. AMON AMARTH is also announced to hit the European and UK roads with a brand new stage production inspired by Odin’s Golden Hall!
Words: Lysandre Pons
Blind Channel - Stars We See
Stars We See has BLIND CHANNEL diving deeper into metalcore while retaining an incredibly catchy melodic nu-metal edge. Niko Moilanen's impressive vocal versatility pushes the tack’s emotions up a notch, moving effortlessly from slower, lyrical parts to raw, raspy screams. Those contrasts show more hopeful topics and a nuance alongside new soundscape which are bound to bring more diversity to their upcoming opus Painstream, due October 30th via Century Media. A new era for the band has definitely be launched and they will be taking it to the stage with a tour kicking off in November.
Words: Lysandre Pons
Blue Medusa - Crocodile
Opening with a cyber, horror-like atmosphere, Crocodile immediately establishes a dark, tense, and viciously unsettling mood. There’s a creeping sense of danger lurking just beyond sight, and the track thrives on that feeling of being watched without ever knowing exactly what is watching you. As Alissa White-Gluz explains, the song carries an instinctive dread when you know something dangerous is nearby, even though you can’t see it. Musically, that dread erupts into pure annihilating force, with lightning fast, melodeath riffs charging forward beneath her corrosive death vocals. Yet the brutality is balanced by surprisingly melodic, clean-sung choruses and dissonant electronic touches.
Words: Lysandre Pons
GHØSTKID - I Destroyed You
GHØSTKID returns with I Destroyed You, a dark and melancholic metalcore track that immediately pulls you into an eerie, ethereal electronic soundscape. Sebastian “Sushi” Biesler’s vocals initially echo through the void before guitars and drums crash in for a powerful chorus. The drums then take control, driving the track forward while each instrument gradually comes back, building anticipation towards another chorus and a crushing breakdown packed with fry screams. Balancing atmosphere, melody and aggression, the song showcases GHØSTKID’s ability to carve out their own space within the modern metalcore scene. As the second single from Follow The White Rabbit, due October 2nd via Century Media Records, the track offers another intriguing glimpse into the band’s evolving sound.
Words: Lysandre Pons
K. Flay - Ants
Ominous bass deep enough to rattle bone gives way to K. FLAY's deliciously unsettling new track Ants, a twist on the 'dog-eat-dog' mentality that is instead told from the perspective of the rich elites who live high enough "up in the sky you can't see homicide" and the common people being ants to crush under their "big boots". K. FLAY is ruthless in her creative lyrics and rolling vocals, switching from low-pitched, borderline spoken word to acidic yells, punctuated by animalistic roars and crispy drums, the instruments stepping back momentarily as she charges up like Godzilla to deliver a cutting final yell over cacophonous drums and distorted guitar. Released ahead of her knockout support slot for EVANESCENCE, K. FLAY is out for blood.
Words: Julia Stark
Nails - Fear Based Life
Grindcore legends NAILS have returned fairly quickly following their last album cycle, this time with a short two-song EP. Dollar Bin Generation starts us off with some absolutely savage riffs, cutting out at the 40-second mark for a brutal breakdown, effortlessly switching between the fast-paced grindy style they’re known for and raw, mid-tempo headbanging material. Fear Based Life scraps the grindcore entirely for a heavily distorted metalcore cut, and it’s an absolutely pummelling cut regardless. Todd Jones’ guttural vocals are as piercing as ever on both tracks, making for an intense experience. It’s good to hear them back, if only for two songs.
Words: Noise Leonard
PISS - time loop at hot slit
PISS have made something of a name for themselves in the past two years, having released a couple of fantastic demos and putting on some fantastic shows. With an honestly tough list of songs to choose from as their lead single, they’ve gone for time loop at hot slit, a staple of their live sets - it even appeared on both demos. A song about a society-wide normalisation of sexual violence against women, it’s appropriately confrontational, every single line here holds a ton of weight behind it. You can hear the anger from Taylor Zantingh on every word uttered here, over these nightmarish noise rock riffs. The album, You Made Me / Skin On Linen is out in two months, and it’s absolutely one to look out for.
Words: Noise Leonard
Polaris - Without You
After almost three years of silence, POLARIS returns with Without You, their first new track since the devastating loss of guitarist Ryan Siew in June 2023. From the first hint of its opening distortion, the track hits with a haunting, weighted atmosphere before erupting into hectic guitars, crushing beats and caustic vocals. It is fast, raw and deeply painful, carrying an unmistakable sense of grief, desperation and anguish. “This is the sound of crushing loss, shock, grief and heartache, and the beginning of us learning how to share that with the world” the band confesses. Sharp riffs, powerful melodic choruses and a heart wrenching guitar solo give way to a devastating breakdown that ranks among POLARIS’ heaviest moments. Vulnerable and powerful, Without You doesn’t hide from grief but confronts it. The band will take this to the UK and Europe stages this autumn alongside I PREVAIL.
Words: Lysandre Pons
Polyphia - POWER IN THE BLOOD
POLYPHIA are synonymous with melding together fascinating genres already complex on their own into sounds that defy expectations, and new single POWER IN THE BLOOD proves they're undefeated as masters of genre-blending. From a House electronic start akin to AVICII that swiftly merges into rapid-fire guitar hooks that DRAGONFORCE would appreciate and synths that soar and dive like a murmuration, there are elements of upbeat video game synths laid over powerfully stirring monologues and EDM drum beats and thumping bass. From one listen the title takes on a physiological meaning as your blood pumps in time to the surging instrumentals.
Words: Julia Stark
Slipknot - Arsenal
Four years on from their last project The End, So Far and amidst cryptic drama that's had fans questioning whether it's the end for good, SLIPKNOT have detonated with fresh bomb Arsenal and blown apart the uncertainty. Turn tables and quick-fire guitar solos and squeals call back to classic SLIPKNOT but with a refined seamlessness to its sound as opposed to the old grittiness, drums thrashed violently in the background and interspersed with ringing keg drum beats. Corey Taylor brings his trademark gruffness and screams, though there are parts he sounds as if he's restraining himself and not blindly attacking the lyrics as he once did. Arsenal has the feel of classic SLIPKNOT with a developed maturity and refinery to its edges.
Words: Julia Stark
Spiritbox - Mourning
Releasing their first musical piece after the success of Tsunami Sea, SPIRITBOX had surprise dropped the single Mourning. An emotional melodic track that explores themes of emotional acceptance and grief. Listeners are mesmerised by Courtney LaPlante's ethereal vocals that flickers of hope throughout a damped single. The chorus reaches new heights as Josh Gilbert’s vocals intertwine seamlessly with Courtney’s lead. Elements of shoe gaze and metalcore are adopted as SPIRITBOX embraces the atmospheric layering through melodic guitars and rhythmic drums. With shifts to a vibrant music video, fans are eagerly waiting to explore and enjoy upcoming projects.
Words: Theviya R Karunaharan
The Callous Daoboys - Watching Us Kiss
Watching Us Kiss isn't gentle or sweet, it's all teeth and hair-pulling as THE CALLOUS DAOBOYS unleash pure havoc and unmitigated rage on their latest track. It's a whiplash moment to hear a guttural growl of "cuckold" be followed by choral notes, but THE CALLOUS DAOBOYS have never played it safe or conventional (case in point: the Watching Us Kiss music video where Carson Pace was told "dress 'swag'" and rocked up in a yellow tracksuit a la Jonathan Davis) with their innovative lyrics, tearing riffs and relentless drum beats, blending electronic notes and off-kilter beats for jarring, distinctive rhythms, with vocalist Carson Pace bringing an onslaught of non-stop vicious screams to pierce your eardrums over wickedly abrasive guitar squeals.
Words: Julia Stark
Editor: Naomi Colliar Duff
Photos: Various Artists
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