Top 10 bands to see at Core Festival 2025

Core Festival returns this year with an offering of some of the best bands in alternative

music, from Stoner Metal, to Melodic Hardcore, all the way through Post-Rock we have

something for everyone at this esteemed Glaswegian festival. Below we have collated

together our must see acts throughout the weekend for you to maximise your

experience!

Death Goals

This Queercore two-piece from London are one of the finest heavy acts in the country,

and show no signs of slowing down, with new EP Survival Is An Act Of Defiance to

release August 29th featuring fellow Core Fest alumni The Hirs Collective this will be a

set to remember for time to come

The Hirs Collective

Another Queercore heavy hitter here, another two-piece this time from across the pond.

Their 2023 album We’re Still Here featured an array of esteemed artists from all across

the alternative music landscape lending their talents to Hirs’ abrasive and harsh music.

This is a guaranteed blow out of a set and should be attended en masse.

Frontierer

Frontierer are one of the most aptly named bands we can think of, standing on the

frontier of extreme metal, Frontierer sound like mathcore from the turn of the next

century. With members stretching from Edinburgh to St. Louis their live shows are

frantic light shows, a cacophony of self proclaimed noise terror.

Cave In

In a special set celebrating 25 years of their incredible album Jupiter, an experimental

standout at the time for the band it journeys into space rock, progressive sounds and

amazing instrumentation. This headline set will be too special to miss for any long time

fans and newcomers.

Defeater

Saturday’s headliner comes to us in the form of melodic hardcore legends. Defeater’s

eclectic range of concept albums, melodies and emotively striking lyrics are a body of

work that every fan of emotional music should pore through at least once. The story

these albums lead you through is art in it’s hardest form and Defeater carry that solidity

into their live performances.

Torche

Back in 2022, we weren’t sure we’d ever see Torche on the scene again. Following a

decision from frontman Steven Brooks to leave the band, it was subsequently learned

the band was planning on calling it quits altogether. After a landmark show in May

supporting Cave In on their initial UK Jupiter show it seems we may have Torche back,

at least for a little bit, and this stoner metal band with killer riffs and even better

melodies is not a band you wanna be telling people you didn’t see!

And So I Watched You From Afar

What else can be said about ASIWYFA except they’re math rock giants. Hailing from

Belfast their noisy, mathy, post-rock is some of the most danceable music of it’s kind.

Bouncing riffs, mathy melodies, and beautiful tone all mixed up to manufacture music

that makes memories appear in your conscious. We understand with this listing and the

last we are giving you a clash from HELL! But both bands deserve their spot in the

must-see menagerie that Core has to offer.

Oversize

Fresh on the heels of their debut album Vital Signs, Oversize bring Alt-Rock volatility

through their fuzzy, distorted riffs and brutally honest lyricism. Oversize bring so much

to the table in their debut, and in the EP that came before it and are a must-see for

anyone who loves vulnerability, striking musicality and flannel shirts.

Gout

Moody, groovy and furious, Gout are everything that the future of heavy music is and

will be. Sludgey riffs like slogging through a swamp, accompanied by furious vocals that

pierce through the heart, start your Saturday out the right way with Gout.

BLDSPRT

EHHC. This is one for the moshers and the movers. BLDSPRT are heavy as sin and

completely unrelenting. Alike Gout they only have a few songs out right now but what

they do have is intrinsic violence, Trainspotting samples and vocals that will make your

hairs stand to attention.

Words: Spencer Cunningham