Julia Brunton

Richmond, VA punks STEELBOY keep it classic on their full-length debut Thanks for the Invite…, taking twelve tracks to run the gauntlet from 90s ska punk to pop punk. Lyrically tongue in cheek, the pop punk energy is distilled in musings on former relationships, with enough time taken at the end to talk about their favourite happy hour spot. Thanks for the Invite… starts with Cliffhanger, which sets the angsty yet forlorn energy that embodies the rest of the project as STEELBOY recalls how...

ATREYU have fresh eyes on their tenth studio album The End is Not the End, creating their most hardcore-infused album while keeping their signature blend of thrash and metalcore. The End is Not the End's fourteen tracks are placed with purpose to create a satisfying build and resolve, capturing the energy of the new heavier sound for its first half then resolving into a conclusive yet theatrical finale that demands to be heard. A signature of ATREYU is their grandiose soundscape, which layers...

In sophomore EP sorry about the plague is where Brighton quartet KNIFE BRIDE dial up the theatre to craft a narrative that starts with moreish character building and finishes with raw vulnerability. Across its five tracks, there are polished fusions of angsty metalcore guitars and screechy synths that carry the cheek of Mollie Clack’s vocals well, as well as the religious imagery plastered all over the EP’s titles and lyrics which lend to themes of sinning, confession and forgiveness. Lead...