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It's July, and we're back again with our picks of what you should be looking out for over the next month or so. Now firmly into the swing of summer and festival season, we've got a few picks that go through some staple fests as well as some more intimate shows! See you in the pit! Better Lovers: Better Lovers are playing some warmup shows in the UK before they play 2000Trees Festival, and if you've never seen them before then you're missing a trick! Sounding like Every Time I Die's slightly gnarlier cousin (because the band has three ex-ETID members), Better Lovers are a tour de force of a gripping live hardcore show. Expect pandemonium and moshing galore wherever you see them! 2000Trees Festival: Speaking of 2000Trees Festival, we couldn't mention it and then not tell you all about how wonderful this gem of a fest is. Situated in the Cotswolds, you can wake up surrounded by rolling hills under a clear sunny sky and crack a can open whilst camped 50 yards from the nearest stage - it truly is one of the most chilled out places on the planet. With acts like Burner, Guilt Trip, Crawlers, Blood Command, Unpeople and so many more, any fans of any strain of punk are gonna find something here to love. Mangata Festival: A little smaller than Trees, Mangata Festival is a four stage fest held in Nottingham on July 13th. With a stellar lineup of national and local acts there is plenty to love (and it's also very reasonably priced)! Headlined by Hacktivist, the main stage is in Rescue Rooms along with the second stage, whilst next door in Ghost nightclub and just round the corner in the Tap N Tumbler pub are two more stages, and the TNT stage is even open to the public. Alongside the headliners, there will be sets from Boss Keloid, Pijn, Viscera, Burner, and some excellent local acts like Those Once Loyal, Hidden Mothers, and Blight Town! Bastard Fest: On the same day once more, July 13th, is a brilliantly heavy lineup in Sheffield for Bastard Fest. The aforementioned Hidden Mothers are making a trip to Nottingham before returning right back to Sheffield to open Corporation up, before making way for an onslaught of British metal from Pupil Slicer, Conjurer, Heriot and Empire State Bastard. This ridiculous lineup should be in a far larger venue, so if you've somehow not grabbed a Mangata ticket and are near Nottingham or Sheffield then you don't have any excuse to not be busy on the 13th now! Alkaline Trio: Bringing their latest record out on the road, dark pop-punkers Alkaline Trio are making the trip across the pond to spend most of the back half of July with us in the UK. From the 16th to the 31st, with a couple days off, they're playing up and down across England and Scotland with special guests Slomosa and LOWLIVES, so if you're in the mood for a boogie and a singalong they're gonna be bringing the party! RADAR Festival: One of the UK's newest heavy festivals, RADAR has a prog oriented lineup but with plenty of variation to keep everyone satiated. Held at Manchester's O2 Victoria Warehouse near Old Trafford, the world-leading sound system will make it even easier to enjoy awesome bands like TesseracT, Holding Absence, Ithaca, Car Bomb, and so many others! Alongside an excellent musical schedule, they also have a Masterclass lineup of Q&A sessions and industry insight for those interested, which makes for a valuable addition to what is already a great fest. Head over to Manchester on the last weekend of the month for this! Words: Jake Longhurst Cover Photo: Nic Howells

Scene Queen is here to shake fists at blatant misogyny in the music industry, holding a lens up to the male gaze, and shake hella ass whilst she does it. From twerkle-pits to rage-fuelled screams on records, Scene Queen is here to unapologetically deliver a masterclass in calling out hypocrisy in the music industry, and Hot Singles in Your Area is the perfect delivery. The opening track ‘BDSM’ sets the scene for the entire album, she is reclaiming the phrase bimbo, and making it clear that men suck, and she is not to be messed with. Come for Scene Queen and she will rip your throat out and kiss your vocal cords better as you beg for mercy. Never before have we seen such reclamation over the female body as we have now with Scene Queen, and what a refreshing take that is for an industry overrun with misogyny. Leading into ‘18+’, a track that proves just how angry Scene Queen is at allegations across the music industry and with lyrics such as the below, it’s not hard to see why: “If the shoe fits, shove it up your ass, does prison come with an AA pass?” and “pink wristbands on the guest list, bras hanging off the bus, yeah you get a lot of girls but not one is 18+…get those children off your bus…ted” Whilst no names are mentioned during this song, audio of a statement that hammers home the not-so-subtle meaning of the song is read out midway through it, and the song ends with a scream worthy of a deathcore band and the words “shame on you” spoken in that signature Scene Queen giggle font. We move on to ‘Whips and Chains’ which is a song about revenge on someone spiking a drink, again sticking with the theme. If there’s one thing Scene Queen does exceptionally well it’s balancing a sugary-sweet giggle voice with absolute murderous screams of feminine rage. Perhaps two of the more well-known songs during pre-release, and for good reason, are ‘Pink Push Up Bra’ and ‘MILF’. These songs are anthemic and provide the ideal song to scream along to, especially if you’ve ever been in a less than favourable situation. The tone and message pair wonderfully with the next song, ‘Mutual Masturbation’. ‘Mutual Masturbation’ is an incredibly clever song, with lyrics having multiple meanings and many double-entendres carefully woven into the framework. It’s extremely catchy and definitely one of the best on the album, and we aren’t even midway through yet! ‘Girls Gone Wild’ which features Wargasm begins by poking fun at the traditional “Girls Gone Wild” videos which would always state that the content is suitable for children. Milky Way’s voice harmonising with Scene Queen provides a really interesting texture of audio which works beautifully well. With a vibe akin to ‘The Void Stares Back’ by Enter Shikari ft Wargasm, it’s clear to hear the distinctive Wargasm style coming through. ‘Hot Singles in Your Area’ has a more acoustic/relaxed vibe intro designed to lure you into a false sense of security before a breakdown hits, but this song is also here to keep you on your toes. A chaotic vibe whereby you’re blessed with Scene Queen’s angelic vocals then dragged into a breakdown which whiplashes you into that giggle-font all over again. The album takes a bit of a different turn from this point on whereby ‘Amateur’, ‘Stuck’ (featuring 6arelyhuman), ‘PEG’, and ‘Finger’ all have a summer anthem feel about them, with very catchy hooks; reminiscent of a drag anthem, worthy of a RuPaul runway. ‘Finger’ went down a treat at Download Festival with twerkle-pits forming left, right and centre. One of the best songs on the album, though not for the faint of heart. This is a sexually charged album which is what makes Scene Queen so incredible in her mission to empower people to celebrate their own, and her own, sexuality with lyrics such as: “If God hated gays, the sex wouldn’t be so good!” ‘Climax’ begins with a different feel, and those angelic tones are back, but they’re sticking around this time. It’s a good minute or two until we get a breakdown and it’s quite clear that the album leading up to this point has been the foreplay and this is the album's climax. An explicit, ragefully written, anthemic album celebrating sexuality and destroying misogynists bit by bit. This album has been expertly penned, with outright tones of grit that only years of catcalling fuelled by Rage could spawn, and you can catch Hot Singles in Your Area from June 28th via Hopeless Records.

Read to hear what we thought of the acts at Slam Dunk South 2024. Bob Vylan At the Kerrang! Tent, the air is thick with riotous energy. Excitement brews as Bob Vylan enter the stage to conduct their  ‘live stretch & meditation’, making the statement that what they are about to do, is more than just music, it’s a holistic approach to a sacred practice. As the set starts to take its form, it’s evident that the performance is fuelled with Indignation around the biases we face in society. Pair that with a display of advanced athleticism on stage and in the pit  and you’ve got yourself an audience filled with chaotic fervour. However, like an on/off switch, Bobby encompasses a different persona whilst he narrates between tracks embodying a banterous character. The duo are keen to iron out the injustices we’ve been served as a community, as they welcome Women & Non Binary folk to the front of the audience to take up space and mosh as they play ‘He’s a man’. This extra-ordinary and multi-faceted band are nothing short of brilliant, inspiring a generation of noisemakers and protestors. Mallory Knox Honestly, it’s as if they never went their separate ways. Mikey’s faultless vocals decorated the Slam Dunk stage as if the band were collectively welcoming us elder emos into the gates of heaven. Each festival goer’s face was painted with nostalgia as Mallory Knox played tunes such as ‘Shout At The Moon’, ‘Getaway’ and the ever popular ‘Lighthouse’ where not a lyric was left unsung by the crowd. Mikey sentimentally recollects that it’s been seven years since they last played together, and you can be sure that each member slipped back into their performing roles with such ease, as if they were exactly where they needed to be.  Pale Waves Whilst taking in the die hard and dedicated atmosphere of the fans, I couldn’t help but notice that Pale Waves are somewhat similar to Taylor Swift, only with a darker and more sad girl demeanor.  Each lyric proclaimed so passionately, and with every ounce of feeling from all the fan’s lips as they shouted at the top of their lungs. It was very evident that the band has gathered a cult following of likeminded individuals who share a lot of similar experiences. No matter whether vocalist Heather Baron-Gracie was donning the electric guitar, or had switched out for an acoustic, she had the audience in a trance, holding them within an emotional capsule of teenage love and heavy heartedness. The clear crowd favourite was ‘She Is My Religion’ reaching the biggest sing-a-long Boys Like Girls Transporting all their fans back into their world of pop punk, Boys Like Girls played with as much pazazz as they did back in the noughties. With a display of extravagant enthusiasm, Martin Johnson regularly dashed guitar picks into the crowd as they played tunes such as ‘Love Drunk’ and the brilliantly celebrated ‘The Great Escape’. Although unexpectedly, mid song Johnson halts the set with authority, saying  “Ok you’ve got your videos now, lets do this for real”. The crowd appear confused at first, but then gladly take a vow of no filming and savour the moment. To the audience’s pleasure, they play ‘The Great Escape’ again from start to finish, whilst giving the song an extra bit of ‘oomph’ to really cherish being back on stage. Each musician demonstrated great showmanship with flamboyancy in every strum, whilst feeding off the audiences frenzy with a thirsty look in their eyes. I Prevail After being diagnosed with Eagle Syndrome, lead singer Brian Burkheiser underwent throat surgery in the early days of May, so unfortunately was missing from the stage. However, I Prevail didn’t hesitate in performing with every ounce of force and power that they usually deliver. The set, which was perfectly placed at sundown gave a perfect introduction to the darkness of evening. With intervals of insidious visuals on the screen behind, it felt as if we were queuing up for the Saw Maze at Thorpe Park. Performing songs such as ‘Self-Destruction’, ‘Bow-Down’ and giving a different meaning to an eagerly anticipated cover of Taylor Swift’s ‘Blank Space’, Eric Vanlerberghe’s commanding distorted vocals summoned something sinister in all the fans as they couldn’t resist the encroachment of the pit. ‘Hurricane’ was the bands confessed special tune to play, and it also proved this was the case for many of the festival goers, as there was a huge explosion of crowd chanting. Words: Hannah Smith (Queen Laya) Photos: Nick Davarias Massive thank you to TRXSH for helping us out with this article. Read our review of Slam Dunk North

Hot on the heels of the Church of GenXsis experience at Download Festival, the POST HUMAN: NeX Gen release was much anticipated - until it was delayed with no anticipated release date, just “soon” is what we heard.    The Bring Me The Horizon (BMTH) tour, which kicked off in January 2024, brought about excitement as the crowd were given a sneak listen to some tracks whilst being offered the chance to chant vocals to the tune of "Hello Oli, you fucking knobhead!"  which ended up featuring on NeX Gen. The album dropped at midnight - so was it worth the wait?   NeX Gen boldly strides into uncharted territories, blending the BMTH signature metalcore intensity with a daring mix of electronic and experimental elements. It could be suggested that this album is a testament to the band's relentless innovation and fearless evolution, offering listeners a visceral yet refined auditory experience. However, long-term fans may question whether the absence of Jordan Fish has positively or negatively impacted on the music… but we’ll leave that up to personal preference.    Each track serves as a unique narrative, weaving together themes of dystopia, resilience, and the human condition, all while pushing the boundaries of typical genre conventions. NeX Gen is not just an album; it's a pioneering journey that takes the post-apocalyptic despair from POSTHUMAN: Survival Horror and works in feelings of hope, with a euphonic, post-hardcore-inflected stripe, while still bursting with forward-thinking creativity.    “Let’s begin”  are the first words we hear on the album, and:   “Hello user, this is M8, your personal multidimensional friend. It looks like I have encountered a fatal error. Please boot me using the safe mode and enter the serial number located on the side of my head. For more information go to”   After which, the sound crackles ominously as the sound loops back to track one – “let’s begin”.     A full circle moment which can be left open to interpretation – did we boot into safe mode and reset the error thereby restarting the album or have we reached a critical point where the genre is changing, and another new era is due? Or perhaps this is another teaser for another digital treasure hunt? The latter is certainly true, given the website set up for M8 which teases additional music, and provides clues for relentless fans desperate to understand the lore that BMTH are laying.   With multiple easter eggs, and very little time between release and writing, it’s impossible to have picked up on all of them but the transition between R.i.p (duskCOre) mix into AmEn! really gives a whole new meaning to AmEn!. In fact, it’s worth mentioning that every song transitions beautifully into the next in a very Meteora style – you can definitely pick up on different strands of musical intertextuality. For example, the first half of the album has undercurrents of Deftones running through the track fibres, with liMOusIne nodding to Swerve City and the breakdown in Dear Diary; Deftones-inspired BMTH isn’t something that was on our 2024 bucket list but we’re here for it!   The mix of genres could be seen as more of a ‘mixtape’ rather than an album especially to fans of Sempiternal but for fans of Suicide Season, this album is a masterpiece. Lyrically, this is a great era for BMTH, with strong references to religion which has always run deep through the music but is now more prevalent than ever.   As for stand-out tracks, as this isn’t quite a no-skip album, p.u.s.s.e.- has almost a dubstep feel to it, providing exciting instrumentals layered under – what sounds like Eve – talking about a simulator; nothing out of the ordinary for recent Bring me the Horizon, but definitely has video-game villain vibes to it.   Top 10 staTues tHat CriEd blood, LosT, sTraNgeRs, DiE4U, and Kool-Aid definitely bring the hyper-pop punk, whilst YOUtopia, a bullet w-my name On, and AMeN!, bring about darker, heavier tones, combined with the vulnerability surrounding addiction and mental health brought forward in n/A, (spi)ritual, and DIg It; there’s something for everyone on this album, which is an upside to genre-bending. The downside to it is that it could come across as chaotic and unpolished, but when have BMTH ever cared about sounding chaotic and polished?   With guests such as Underoath, beautifully blending mellifluous metalcore tones with Oli Sykes’ post-hardcore screams, Lil Uzi Vert and Daryl Palumbo (Glassjaw) amplifying the incredible ascension into AmEn!, and AURORA serving incredible vocals on liMOusIne, it’s not hard to hear just how good this album is.   There are rumours of a second album drop (due to the + on the pre-release teaser: “BMTH invites you to Ascend!+ POST HUMAN: NeX Gen” ) which wouldn’t be the first time this has happened this year, but this is purely speculation, although weighted by the additional instrumental tracks on  the M8 website.   Bring Me The Horizon invited us to Ascend!+ and we ascended; from Count Your Blessings to POST HUMAN: NeX Gen. Now we eagerly await the neX GeN ; question is, will it be POSTHUMAN 3 or are we looking at an entirely new era? Knowing Bring Me The Horizon, anything is possible. Cover Photo: Nick Davarias Words: Ellie Archer

It's been a sec, but we're back on it and in perfect time for June, now that Pride Month is upon us! Not only that, it’s also the beginning of festival season proper which is a wonderful feeling, so we’ve got a nice set of gigs and fests for you all here! Download: Ahhh Download Festival, the spiritual home of alt music in the UK. Download XXI is the closest to a soft reset that we’ve seen thus far, with a duo of new headliners in Fall Out Boy and Queens Of The Stone Age, alongside 2017 headliners Avenged Sevenfold, and notably no bands from the 80’s - the first album release from any of the three came in 1998! With a plethora of queer and female bands throughout the bill, this is one of the strongest full lineups we’ve seen in years! Bands like The Callous Daoboys, Enter Shikari, Scene Queen, Bambie Thug, and of course Limp Bizkit will make this a weekend to remember. Flatspot World: On the same weekend as Download, there is a smaller pair of gigs showcasing some amazing hardcore at The Dome in London. Flatspot Records are showing off a few acts on their roster, and it’s sure to be one hectic set of shows. Scowl, Zulu, Chubby and the Gang and Speed will be bringing the heat, and Jivebomb, Stiff Meds, Higher Power and Dynamite are supporting. Foo Fighters: Dave Grohl and co are trucking their mighty post-grunge hard rock goodness across the pond for a couple mighty mighty stadium shows around the UK, playing in Manchester, Glasgow, London, Cardiff and Birmingham. Their latest album ‘But Here We Are’ will be played in front of UK audiences for the first time ever, and the legendary rock group will be playing here for the first time since the Taylor Hawkins memorial show at Wembley. Exploring Birdsong: The relatively elusive Liverpudlian trio Exploring Birdsong are returning to nearly as close to their hometown as they can get, with a show at Manchester's very own Deaf Institute. The genre-bending band have played at festivals across the UK and Europe, and after a London headliner at the beginning of this year they are once again going to be flexing their musical muscles onstage. Underoath: Florida metalcore act Underoath released their seminal album 'They're Only Chasing Safety' twenty years ago, and so for the anniversary they're embarking on a worldwide tour with some amazing support acts. In the UK, they're going to be playing four shows with Static Dress late this month, in Brsitol, Birmingham, London and Manchester. For what promises to be an unforgettable night of 2000's metalcore, get yourself a ticket or two. Outbreak: Outbreak Festival 2023 is where Out Of Rage was born, whilst some of the management team were watching a Trapped Under Ice set. This year's edition promises to once again be a home for some of the best hardcore and emo in music, with American Football headlining as well as bands like Killing Me Softly, Demonstration Of Power, Chat Pile and Poison The Well playing. AC/DC: Scottish Australian Geordie riff gods AC/DC are returning to Great Britain for what could be the very last time to play some of the greatest rock songs in history. Stadium rock hasn’t ever been the same since they hit the top tier, and the heroes of so many guitarists shall be providing one more tours worth of singalong belters. At the very end of this month and early next, the eyes of rock music will be on the United Kingdom as the rock and roll train makes a stop here, one more time. Words: Jake Longhurst Cover Photo: Nick Davarias

American rock band Microwave are back with their much-anticipated album ‘Let's Start Degeneracy’. You can instantly sense the change of direction the band have taken here, feeling like they're telling a story through the whole album. 'Portals' opens the album, and with multiple references to Jesus it gives a strong Christian feel - it almost feels like you are being woken up. As the track sounds out, it begins to feel a lot more trippy, which serves as the perfect introduction to what the band have based their fourth album on; an ayahuasca trip that vocalist and guitarist Nathan Hardy and drummer Timothy Pittard had in Peru. Second track 'Ferrari' has been available for just over a month, offering a more soulful, chilled out sound, with lyrics all about not letting your fear get in the way of living your life. Both are short, calm tracks, giving a slow introduction into the bulk of the album; reinforcing the quote from Hardy - “It’s about letting go of attachments and behaviours that aren’t serving you and trying to shake off your programming and not be motivated by fear and guilt and shame.” The third track ‘Circling The Drain’, which was the first-released track back in 2022, is when the album starts to pick up into a more pop rock vibe. The track feels self-referential - by going between a soft acoustic intro, grungy middle and then back to the acoustic sound of the intro it can make the listener feel as if they really are circling the drain. This song feels like it has strong connections to mental health, and perhaps a connection to life during the Covid pandemic, with lyrics like “I'm here justifying the future”, “Not redeeming the dead” and “My father says, 'You've gotta go on, get along'". Track four ‘Bored of Being Sad”, the most recently released tune, it has a more uplifting feeling and references towards turning around your own fate by changing your attitude to the way you feel; “If you romanticise misery, brother you’re gonna be miserable”. It gives a personal feel but also feels like a good placement in the album for self-reflection, before track five “Straw Hat”, another 2022 release. Another chilled, laid-back vibe giving a summery feel, it starts off feeling like a love letter but moves into feelings of resentment towards the receiver, with lyrics such as “I know that you're spying on me now” and “If you treat people like that, I know that's how you treat yourself”. More than halfway into the album you are hit with the bassy title track “LSD”, and the psychedelic, trippy vibes are well and truly back. It’s hard hitting, with reoccurring lyrics “caught up in shit you don’t believe, trying to shovel a way out” related back to Hardy’s references to his experiences with leaving the Mormon religion, and reflecting on that decision with the writing and creation of this album. Track number seven is ‘Omni’. Right off the bat it has more of an indie, upbeat feel to it, adding to the mix of genres that Microwave have experimented with and fused together. Towards the end of the song there are further mentions and question of religion such as “what’s it like to be a martyr?”, “is it God you blame?” and “are you looking for your new God?”. The band have described this album to feel more like an auto-biography and these questions help us see further into Hardy’s brain; the feeling of doubt, realisation and clarification at the end of his time being part of a Church. ‘Strangers’ opens with a haunting sound, and is followed by a subtle riff around 20 seconds in. The vocals on this track carry more of a sense of resignation, which ties in perfectly with the repeated lyric “I’m ready to leave”. The tempo begins to quicken roughly at the half way mark, suggesting a sense of hope. The song begins to represent the essence of a growth journey and reflects the feeling of letting go of the past, as the album has been described by the band themselves. The penultimate track ‘Concertito’ is another short one. It starts with the familiar sound of a running shower, and is shortly followed by a whimsical piano tune, the vocals sound very carefree, just like someone has been captured in the midst of the joy of singing in the shower. While it is the shortest song on the album, it leaves the lasting impression that there is beauty in everyday moments. It perfectly captures Microwave’s ability to make something so simple have such a strong feeling and impression. The final track, about a natural supplement, ‘Huperzine’ bears resemblance to Frank Ocean from whom they have taken inspiration from for this album. They close out the album with the same laid-back vibe that we were introduced with in the first track. The reference to lucid dreams gives the vibe that by the final track, on the flip side to the first track; they are going back to sleep. This track wraps up the sense of acceptance and moving forward that the whole album has given us – “When you lose everything, thе whole world becomes your home”. This album proves that Microwave have widened their musical boundaries, that they aren’t tied down to any one genre, that they are doing what they do for themselves. Their music is unusual, yet deep and meaningful with lyrics that will resonate with any and all listeners in their own unique way. ‘Let’s Start Degeneration’ is released on April 26th via Pure Noise Records. Words: Lorna Hayes Photo: Good As Gold PR

Originating from Oakland, California, Grumpster are a four-piece punk outfit laced with hometown inspirations of Green Day and their own signature grungy flavours. The self-titled nature of their third album promotes that this is their magnum opus - reflecting all that is Grumpster, and adding bells and whistles. The first single, 'Wither' kicks off the album with classic Grumpster fuzzy guitar riffs and a catchy hook, however does seem to have a more polished sound overall. The touches of emo and pop-punk present throughout this track is a good indicator for the rest of the album - there’s a certain quality that feels current, yet simultaneously something your cool ex-scene kid aunt would play to you as something that “f***ing slapped back in the day”. Bassist and vocalist Donnie Walsh has frontmanned Grumpster since their debut, however this album sees the introduction of longtime collaborator Alex Hernandez on vocals and guitar. Walsh and Hernandez’ vocals together add a new dimension to the album entirely, as Hernandez’ heavier, gruff delivery gives A Day to Remember to Walsh’s The Used. The band’s sound is at once transformed and familiar, as these elements of almost metalcore complement the tones of emo easily. 'Just for Fun' introduces long-term fans to their voice, and the song slides comfortably into the band’s discography without blending into the background. It’s interesting that this is the first album from Grumpster pointedly written with performance in mind - it’s the first album written after they’ve toured at length. This definitely comes through in the energy exuded in every track - there isn’t a moment of downtime. Each minute is filled with purpose, whether it be with the band’s self-deprecating anthemic lyrics or crunchy grungy riffs. The three singles on this album are chosen well, as each shows something different that the band has to offer. 'Bern Needs His Meds' is an instant classic and serves a more serene and thoughtful track in juxtaposition to 'Wither's full-throttle guitar punk. The tempo change here is also refreshing - whilst the pedal-to-the-metal instrumentation is something that’s become familiar of the band, it’s nice to see that a slower ballad is within their skillset. There is one downside to this album, that it somewhat falls into the trap of same-ness often seen in the genre. There are elements of the instrumentation and pacing that ring of other songs on this album, and with bands that have come before them. While this is a common downfall for punk (and anything that has pop-punk as an influence), it’s particularly disheartening to see this on a self-titled album, as this should encompass the best and most distinct work from the band so far. There are some tracks, however, that do seem to attempt to directly combat this - some very notable ones on this album are 'SSBpt2', which is giving emo pirate ship sea-shanty, and 'Waste'. It’s honestly a Waste that this is the final track as it immediately roped me back into the album, what a finale! The inclusion of trumpets is a complete 180 from the rest of the album, unlike anything Grumpster have put out before, and is a pleasant and welcome surprise. Much of the lyricism on this album focuses on misery and low points (with Waste being no exception), however this does feel different, and more hopeful. We’re all hopeless, we’re all lost causes, but we’re listening to this album together, and that’s something. 'Grumpster' will be released on April 26th via Pure Noise Records. Words: Erin Strom

In the wake of their newest album ‘Deprecipice’, Mastiff embarked on their most recent UK tour alongside other acts and friends of theirs from all across the UK extreme metal and death metal scene. First up on the bill, Yersin, a three-piece from Sunderland that genuinely deserved a higher place on the bill. Very engaging, very heavy and when being described as extreme metal, they’re not far off. Next up was Tymvos, locals throughout the Edinburgh death metal scene. Massive riffs of pure doom rattled throughout the small stone pub as the band performed material from their newest EP ‘World of Abominations’, and their 2021 release, ‘Devoured (Feed them to the Rats)’. What a title! It was nice to see such friendly feedback from the crowd for these guys as they gave the set their all. Next up were Iron Altar. The atmosphere completely changed when these guys came onto the stage. From the vocalist practically emerging into the lower floor and seducing half the crowd with guttural sounds of growl infused rage, to the bassist’s dog-like stance, staring the audience down like a Rottweiler on speed, it was a metal stand off between the band and windmills that nearly chopped the band’s vocalist in half. As he climbed back upon the stage, the remaining crowd departed the slim brick exposed walls, leaving us to ponder another trip to the bar. Absolutely mental set. An hour later, and the last performance of the night belonged to none other than the anticipated Mastiff. When their lead singer walked out adorning a Taylor Swift ‘Folklore’ t-shirt, it was evident that they were here meaning business. (We love a good cross-over) Pop goes death metal anyone? Stepping out briefly, upon entering back into the room there was no space whatsoever, we clearly knew who the audience were here for. Being described to us by a gentleman at the bar as “melt the flesh right off your body” kind of heavy, it’s safe to say Mastiff lived far up to expectations. Gravelly screams and cut-throat drops ended the night as we removed our ear plugs and left in single file. It’s impressive and also quite humbling to observe the sheer positivity within many metal communities, especially the death metal scene. The lineup truly served as a night of showing what certain acts of the scene have brewing and we genuinely look forward to what they have coming up next. Taylor Swift (death metal version)? Words: Zoe Parker-Forest

I’ve always preferred camping festivals. But going to Manchester Punk Festival this year may have changed that. Over the past year and a half, since getting more involved with the punk scene, I heard more and more about the infamous MPF. The annual meeting of punks from across the world in 7 venues across Manchester to support their pals and find new bands to skank to. Managing a festival with over 140 acts, across 7 stages, is by no means easy but from walking around you would think it was a breeze. The team of volunteers running merch and info stalls were all lovely and helpful and the security staff were always pleasant at the doors and stages adapting to the diverse crowd reactions set-to-set. Everyone attending was bright and friendly across the weekend, happy to chat in queues, share tables, and help each other out across the weekend. Keeping a happy crowd across three full days is a positive reflection of the band choices, staff, and management of MPF as a whole. No matter what kind of punk you prefer there is always going to be something for you at MPF, and with the majority of the venues being within a 10-minute walk from each other if you find yourself listening to a band that isn’t to your taste, you don’t have to walk far to find one that is. As a heavy music publication, we focused on the heavier and hardcore punk bands across the weekend. Opening up Bread Shed on the Friday was Shooting Daggers, a self-described “queercore punk trio” they knew how to get the crowd's attention and at 4 o’clock in the afternoon after a four-hour drive, that is exactly what was needed. Their post-hardcore sound brings together very listenable melodies and driving vocal lines with clear influences from the likes of Petrol Girls and combined with their queer femme rage and a hint of 90s indie nostalgia they were a strong start to my first MPF. IKHRAS. The most ferocious nine minutes of the weekend. Releasing their debut EP less than 2-months before their MPF set gave hardcore fans plenty of time to listen to their 6-minute and 50-second offering of blistering anti-colonial rage. Singing in Arabic and English, Hassan puts an immense amount of passion and anger into both lyricism and delivery that translates perfectly to the stage. Blasting through their set in true hardcore fashion, the crowd reacted in kind with fervent two-stepping and windmilling with Hassan also taking the opportunity to launch himself horizontally into the crowd. As the band started to pack up and walk off chants of “Free Free Palestine” echoed out, Ikhras turned and took to the stage again with Hassan pointedly saying “If you think chanting Free Palestine is gonna make me play another song, you’re wrong, because it’s gonna be free anyway.” before fully wrapping up their set by thundering into ‘Executioner’ once more. Making their Union debut at ten to three on Saturday afternoon were Cornwall “noisemongers” Rash Decision. Noisemongers is one of the best descriptions I have seen from any band ever and certainly sums up their combination of punk and metalcore. After potentially going a bit too hard on Friday, watching a loud and interesting band was exactly what I needed. Thrashing through hardcore shouts and guttural vocals with galloping drums and tasty metal riffs their set was high energy and entertaining from beginning to end. Up next and bringing unapologetic rage to the stage was The Menstrual Cramps. Kitted out in their trademark orange looks they took to the stage in a tornado of fiery punk passion. They were definitely the horniest band of the day driving home their points with thrusts and twerks as the band used their sex appeal to enrapture the audience for their whole set. Emilia made full use of the stage as they danced and kicked and sprawled while shouting about injustices scaling from personal to political. They used their platform on the biggest stage of the festival to call out businesses actively funding Israel, especially those who are sponsoring music festivals, and encouraged the audience to boycott them, fully cementing their meaningful activism and opposition to performative gestures. After comfortably filling up Gorilla back in 2022 and off the back of their incredible debut album ‘Kill the Dream’, Tripsun graduated to the Union stage and proved their worth by drawing in a full room to watch their set. Largely playing songs from KTD, with some older fan favourites thrown in, there was truly a song for everyone. The highlight of their set was bringing Stu Daly (CHEWIE) out for ‘Apathy’ and seeing the shared joy and love between the two bands in that moment was incredibly sweet. Running high on emotion and adrenaline they powered through the rest of their set ending with the devastatingly emotional ‘Concrete’ which never fails to make me shed a tear. A Wilhelm Scream were a force to be reckoned with. As the penultimate main stage band of Saturday, they did not hesitate to show the technical mastery they had over their instruments ploughing straight into their high-octane set. With moshpits and crowd surfers galore, the photo pit became a risky place to stand barely two songs in and by the third song I had retreated further back to watch the remainder of their set. They continued from strength to strength highlighted by consistently high-quality vocals and beautiful guitar solos they kept the energy up and the crowd involved with lead singer Nuno throwing himself into the throng. A solid demonstration of why they are the pinnacle of modern melodic hardcore. A must-see for us at MPF was Witch Fever. Manchester-based doom-punks headlined the Bread Shed on Saturday evening and brought the home team advantage with them. The room packed out for the quartet and the cheering crowd was on side and ready for the onslaught of sludge as they made their way onstage. Melding genres together in a way that shows the breadth of what punk can be, their set kept up momentum and hype. Ending with their best song to shout to, ‘12’, Amy charged into the pit and finished their set on a high. Clobber are massive. That could be the entire review. They set out with that ethos and delivered. One of the loveliest bands on the scene these Londoners proved that taking the journey outside the M25 is worth it by winning over the late-night HXC fans with a tight thirty minutes that set the standard for the rest of the hardcore bands at MPF. Between songs, Charlie took the time to emphasise how getting involved in the scene has steered him away from a more negative path, appealing specifically to the blokes to take it from him - someone who looks like a “proper geezer” - on the importance of listening to other voices around them. With pits and mic grabs galore they blasted through their tracks with a brilliant cover of Blur’s ‘Parklife’ thrown in they provided one of the most fun sets of the weekend. Kicking off Sunday morning (afternoon really, but by day three time was a bit of a blur) were Buds., the only band I saw over the weekend that had a rocky start to their set. Through no fault of their own, they were left stranded by the sound engineer with their mics off in front of a packed-out Zombie Shack. Filling the silence by bantering with the front few rows of the crowd they kept the energy up and once the mics were recovered, they were off. Easily launching into an energetic mix of emo, punk, and hardcore that got everyone up and moving. Having two vocalists adds depth and vibrancy to their performance, clean melodies from Dan emphasised by deep shouts and growls from Sonny really work well together live. Moving onto one of the messiest bands of the weekend, Pizzatramp. Notorious for their on and off-stage shenanigans they brought their trademark energy with them for a late afternoon Sunday set to remember. Jimbob took to the stage and went on a 40-minute rant interspersed with old-school-shouty-thrashy punk tracks. He rattled through his current vendetta against a certain delivery company for causing their merch to be delayed, a solid back and forth with a heckler whom he went down to the crowd to chat to, successfully slagged off Saturday night headliners Hot Water Music, and then proceeded to throw up over the stage and apologise profusely while a sea of blue roll was laid around him. After taking a brief break from the madness and grabbing a bite to eat in the Flour and Flagon, it was time for DARKO. One of the many fantastic offerings from Lockjaw Records at MPF this year, their presence across the weekend showed how diverse the punk scene is from the brilliant acoustic set in Yes! from Katie MF on Friday to this glorious dark and fast set in Bread Shed. Their set saw the return of human pyramids which had become a staple of the weekend and one of the best pits of any set, successfully engaging the room with their blistering mix of melodic punk, thrash, and prog influences. Tom’s vocals are hard to beat as he effortlessly switches between clean lines, highs, and growls uplifted by the incredible talent the other members brought to the stage. They have embraced the transition from their previous EP ‘Sparkle’ to the next chapter ‘Greyscale’ putting angst and fire into their performance. MPF was an absolute delight. Being surrounded by so many like-minded people for a weekend and watching so many talented bands was a treat. We’re very thankful to have been present and can’t wait for MPF25 to roll round next Easter. Words: Kayleigh Fryer Photos: Kayleigh Fryer

The last day of a weekend festival is inevitably a little more painful, has a few more strained sighs, and might even have slightly less drinking, although that last one is doubtful. However, with the star-studded lineup provided at Reality Unfolds, the pain and the sighs were all afterthoughts as we enjoyed one final day of brutality before heading home to crumple into bed in a heap. At precisely 13:24pm, Ancient Rivalry broke the bass drum skin. This might’ve happened because of the ridiculous amount of use it’s had across the last couple days, but is just as likely to be because of how truly crushingly heavy they are. Sounding like hell incarnate, they feel like a band out of time with their wonderfully 90’s take on death metal. Easily one of the best new finds of the weekend, and playing with Burner on the 16th of February in Guildford, they need to be on your must-see list now. For something I’d never seen before, it was Ikhras up next with their own brand of harami metal. They were frenetic from the off and displayed an amazing new side of the scene that myself and plenty of other attendees hadn’t ever experienced, which was amazing in and of itself, to say nothing of what was an awesome set on its own merit. Having barely been around more than a few months, they are one to watch with their first recorded work coming in the near future! Cainhurst took third up, and their all trans lineup gave the festival a rabid performance of tormented queer hardcore. Having had a few queer bands over the weekend, it was amazing seeing such brilliant representation, and when that representation is so damn good at playing vicious hardcore then it’s just that much better. Their final song was sent out to any and all trans people, and was greeted by a dangerous pit that was the only suitable reaction to their raucous show. The metalcore crowd were given a show by Sentience, who kept the room's energy up and at it. Another of the numerous female fronted bands across the weekend, the diversity on display was brilliant, and so was the music. Making their way through a technical set, the vegan metalcore group carried us nicely over midway through the afternoon. To amp up the brute force, No Relief were enlisted from the deep dark depths of Brighton. They offered us precisely what the name would suggest, and excercised no restraint all set long. Furious guitar lines flew left right and centre, as did kicks and flailing arms, which the show to a T. Lyon’s Iron Deficiency also stopped by to show off their chops, and their straight edge hardcore got the crowd at each other's throats. With vicious vocal delivery and razor sharp riffs, the French five piece were a blaze of fun and fury in equal measure. EMHC was given a full run out at Reality Unfolds, as Full Contact got involved to the fullest. Walking out and doing a vocals only cover of ‘Angels’ by Robbie Williams, with a slight change to “I’m loving East Mids instead”, really set the tone as they then set about killing everyone with music. ‘Lack Of Respect’ was a late set punisher that was almost perfect, excluding the sad lack of the spoken word piece, but aside from that heinous transgression the band were excellent and lived up to their name in every way possible. Ghetto Justice. They are singular in many ways, not least being the only band I’ve ever seen make their own mini pyro onstage using the time-honoured teenage pastime of a deodorant flamethrower. The Berliners partied harder than anyone, finishing their set by getting into the crowd, sharing plenty of drinks, and turning up the PA to max whilst pumping dance music through it. A set that will live long in the memory of all who witnessed it, taking the crown of the silliest hardcore set seen by all there. Allowing us some time to recoup our minds, bodies, and souls after the last couple of sets, Chalk Hands gave us the screamo we all wanted as we wound up for the last few bands of the entire weekend. Alternating between delicate melody and anguished heaviness, Brighton’s brightest put on a powerful, emotive show for us all. After the slight respite, Inhuman Nature provided their thrashy death metal to let us limber up one last time ahead of the finale of the weekend. A band who’ve gone from strength to strength of late, they showed their mettle at the end of a tiring weekend by continuing to have people moshing somehow, at this late late point of the weekend. Playing their only hometown show for a long while, Cage Fight were on fine form for their subheadline slot on Sunday. Speedy frantic riffs gave way to soul crushing breakdowns amidst the penultimate set, at one point playing a song for “someone you truly detest” that was subtly titled ‘I Hate Your Guts’. Cage Fight were incredibly enjoyable, and the new song they debuted is sure to invoke many a circle pit post release. I could describe Genocide Pact in many ways, yet the only thing that truly feels accurate is biblical. The trio make you feel like the world is ending (in a fun way I promise), with excruciatingly slow chugs and breakneck blastbeats abound. On what was their first ever international show, they proved exactly why they should not stop here and should carry on to become worldwide sensations. Dedicating one song of their set to Napalm Death, and another to Slayer, they showed their love for the past whilst showing us the future of death metal. Necks were fried, voices were lost, and elbows flung at their London debut, sending out the weekend perfectly. Our time at Reality Unfolds has come to an end, but we want to thank everyone who was on site at the New Cross Inn working, whether as bar staff, sound engineers, management, or otherwise. Everyone we met was extremely lovely, and talking with everyone in the audience made it so much more fun that it already was going to be. The bands themselves were all stellar, and individually all great people too. Finally, Theo Araby (Real Life Presents) deserves not only our thanks, but huge praise, for organising such a brilliant weekend. Can’t wait for next year! Words: Jake Longhurst Photos: Kayleigh Fryer

We’ve reached that beautiful midpoint of a festival weekend - everyone’s in the mood for it, the acts are coming thick and fast, and to top it off there’s a ton of face melting riffs headed our way. At the gleefully early time of 13:20pm, Wreathe started the days proceedings off with a wonderful blend of blackened crust punk, sprinkled with a dash of hardcore. The group were a force onstage and had far less crowd than they deserved, but still enough for a great reception. ‘Nature’ was a particularly impressive cut that will live long in the memory of all watching. At the top of the hour, it was time for Mutagenic Host to take the stage, and it did feel a bit bizarre in truth; at not even 2 in the afternoon we were watching some crushingly heavy metal and loving it. I’d be willing to wager that at that point of the afternoon, the New Cross Inn was by far and away the happiest place in the entire country. To start off a wave of hardcore bands playing one after the other, False Reality were up. They proudly repped female fronted heavy bands and had two steppers by the dozen, which was in fact a momentary respite for my neck after the previous set. Final song ‘Bite The Bullet’ absolutely set the room alight, getting energy levels peaked for the rest of the day. Not letting anyone take a moment to breathe, Still In Love bombarded everyone with a wall of noise and anger that was oh so very enjoyable to listen to. Their debut performance was a vitriolic and cathartic watch that was viscerally powerful, and they will only carry on to create more impressive work from here. And without even so much as a hint of a break, Detriment wrought chaos to the room in the way only the heaviest of bands know how to do. Mixing some beatdown and powerviolence into a foundation of hardcore and death metal is a surefire recipe for some brutal pits and sure enough, Reality Unfolds was greeted by some of the most hectic scenes of the weekend. For the fourth hardcore band in a row, xapothecaryx showed us how the straight edge vegan community does it (here’s a hint, they do it hard and fast). Grabbing the atmosphere by the neck and not letting go until the room was choked by their phenomenal sound, they kept things heavy and had another nasty pit after so many already. Taking a break from the hardcore briefly, Rotherham’s finest Swamp Coffin turned the speed down and the sludge way up. Any band who choose to name a song ‘Jagerbombs Away’ deserve a stage to showcase themselves in my humble opinion, and the sheer force the trio project with their live performance is almost unrivalled, even within the hallowed walls of the New Cross Inn. As the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it - so naturally we were going right back to the beautiful sound of hardcore with the next act on. Realm Of Torment turned on the mosh, completely nullifying any relative calmness that might have settled in after the previous set. Final Form have their own brand of raging thrashy hardcore that sent the room into uproar, carrying on the brutality of the event. With a bright green guitar onstage I was loving it (neon guitars are more fun) and the whole set was a fury filled showcase of their brilliance. Cruelty took over as UKHC was well and truly shown off, being the sixth hardcore band to play on the day. A brief guest appearance from False Reality cemented the set into the fibres of all hardcore fans in attendance, but Cruelty’s own dark musicality connected with each member of the audience without any outside help necessary. For another jaunt outside the cozy realm of hardcore, Celestial Sanctuary walked onstage and proved that the UK death metal scene is not just thriving but positively inspiring. ‘Mass Extinction’ is a firm favourite, alongside the song about “savagery that is relentless”, otherwise known as ‘Relentless Savagery’. A bombastic and primal performance from Britain’s best death metal group set us up perfectly for the final act of the day. The final act on what had been a stunning Saturday would be Boston’s Fuming Mouth. Having just released a sensational sophomore album, and making their UK debut show, it was certain to be riotous - and finishing a hardcore-laden day with one of the best hardcore adjacent bands out of the States gave that even more surety. They roared out of the gates with venom and fury, and if you missed this performance then you’d best make sure to catch them whilst they’re still in the UK - you’ve only got a few shows to do so, and you won’t regret it! Words: Jake Longhurst Photos: Kayleigh Fryer

Out Of Rage reviews Reality Unfolds Festival in London, featuring post-hardcore, pits and Pupil Slicer The first day of a festival is always such a wonderful experience - the anticipation is enormous, the pints are slipping down easily, everyone is in high spirits and energy levels are at a maximum. Such was the same at Reality Unfolds, and lucky enough the lineup was absolutely stacked so more than deserved every single ounce of energy the crowd could muster. With openers Good Cop starting things off early at 6pm, the crowd did need some warming, but their chaotic queer hardcore did more than enough to get some pits opening up sharpish, and songs like ‘I Identify As A Death Threat’ summoned people to the microphone in a second, as is the hardcore way. Incaseyouleave kept everyone ticking over with some brilliant Midwest emo/post-hardcore that was intense and angelic, a real contrast to the previous set but in a completely cohesive way. Third on the day was As Living Arrows who performed a phenomenal post-screamo set, that fit the tone of the day brilliantly. Playing songs off their album ‘In The Absence Of’, they were a force on stage and made for an excellent choice of band on this lineup. The ever brilliant Death Goals came next, acting as subheadliner to our two coheadliners of the evening. Their queer hardcore act was a riot, lyrically and physically, with spin kicks and elbows literally everywhere. ‘Shrike’ was a clear favourite, and had people flying through each other throughout what was a wonderfully chaotic set of music. The first coheadliner to play was Milan’s Øjne, who I’d never heard of and am deeply upset that this was the case. They will be nigh impossible to beat as my favourite new find of the weekend, playing a beautiful style of screamo that alternated between 'SeeYouSpaceCowboy-esque' breakdowns and Deafheaven style shoegazey moments. A stellar live act, they were downright incredible. At the end of the night, we were lucky enough to be watching Pupil Slicer play their first ever London headline show, and it was all we could have asked for! With a rather different lineup than has been seen before, there were a few nerves as to whether the band would be up to scratch, but a brilliant run through of some cuts from 2023’s masterful ‘Blossom’ followed by three blistering tracks from ‘Mirrors’ gave the onlookers at the New Cross Inn no room to breathe. All in all, the perfect way to finish off an amazing day of live music. Words: Jake Longhurst Cover Photo: Kayleigh Fryer