Fresh off the plane with their brand-new album, coming all the way from Sacramento, California, the deathcore three-piece Saltwound introduces 'The Temptation of Pain'. Comprising of vocals, guitar and bass, these guys hold their own as if they were a full 5 piece. From their full-length album in 2022 ‘Vol 2: DESPAIR’, it's abundantly clear that they have upped their game - and even if you're not a fan of deathcore, it might be worth succumbing to 'The Temptation of Pain' and giving this a spin. Starting off with ‘We all Burn’, the growling noise from the deep-toned bass with a mix of vocals kicking it off gives you an instant taste of how this album is going to progress throughout, and track two ‘Blight’ leads straight in with the bark which is a staple of any deathcore track worth its salt. The band really up the ante for movement and fall into a two stepping tempo that's a guarantee to get people going, before bringing in some real distortion on the vocals at around the 1 minute 30 mark of this song, changing tack on the original direction of the song to broaden the scope they've covered thus far. Track three ‘Empty From The Start’ starts out the sonic equivalent of a bottomless pit, with some djent sounds impacting the mood, before the tempo increases in tandem to where a massive circle pit will likely start to take shape - before falling away again at the end, letting it all go again. The transition into track four, ‘Circle The Drain’, makes for a more pit-ready track from the off, as grimy vocals precede a satisfying riff, that's going to get fists flung into the air and bodies launching around the dancefloor. Going into the fifth track, we reach the title track, which is a violent explosion of emotion filtered through an explosion of brutal sound, bound to carve open a wall of death. Track 6 ‘Hollow’ features a robotic sounding voice that briefly gives the listener time to cool down, before more meaty growls decimate any moment of calm and the hardcore influences get their chance to shine. Track 7 ‘Walking The Blade’ was one of the singles for the album, and gave fans a feel of what to expect across the release, which luckily it did perfectly. The screech that starts the song off parades into the track, and creates a tense atmosphere almost like that of watching a tightrope walker tread along a razor. ‘The Righteous Hand’ track 8, has a distorted feel from the offset, and goes straight into the deathcore we've come to know from Saltwound. Coming towards the end, track 9 ‘Ensnared’ gets even darker, creating twinges and bringing the hairs up along your arms and neck. It manages to foster a feeling not unlike if someone was creeping down your neck, and shows the vocalist spiralling down whilst explaining their selfishness over things within their life. Finishing on Track 10 ‘Severance’, there's no slowing down here as the song is chock full of brutality from the get-go, giving some earthquaking moments before reaching the breakdown that somehow gets lower and lower and lower, to finally pummel you into sonic submission. Saltwound have shown their hunger and thirst for pain on this album, and simultaneously proved that their hard work has paid off in this new era of their sound. 'The Temptation of Pain' shows a brand new side to the band and addresses some tough subject matter to boot, in a record that'll no doubt please fans of deathcore. It's not going to reshape the genre, but it's stretched the envelope and will incite many moshpits to come, which is more than enough for now! ‘The Temptation of Pain’ will be released on November 1st via Sharptone Records. Words: Ciara Hicks-Evans Photos: Saltwound

Sweden's contributions to the music industry are plenty - from ABBA to Ghost, if there's one thing the Swedes do well it is music. Hailing from the idyllic town of Arvika; Tribulation burst onto the scene in 2005 displaying their unique take on the goth rock genre by blending it with death metal, to become the modern maestros of their genre by haunting and captivating their fans with every new album they've conjured up. Now, after the success of their award-winning 2021 album ‘Where The Gloom Becomes Sound’, they’re ready to take on the scene once more with their upcoming sixth studio album ‘Sub Rosa In Æternum’. Much like their previous albums, ‘Sub Rosa In Æternum’ delves into the depths and experiments with new and old sounds alike, all paired with Johanne Andersson's eerie vocals. The album has the kind of ominous presence you'd expect from old school horror movies, and even the album's cover, though stylistically simple, is effective in giving fans a taste of what awaits them beyond, stepping into the psychedelic art deco world of horror that is ‘Sub Rosa In Æternum’ Opening this macabre journey is ‘The Unrelenting Choir’, a short but ominous opening with low, bass heavy instrumentals reminiscent of what you would find among British goth rock and its quintessential sound. After this brief but effective opener we are led straight into the second track ‘Tainted Skies’ with a seamless transition from the doom and darkness into a catchy 70s riff where you’re transported into the midst of a Hammer horror flick, but instead of looking for escape we found ourselves further sucked into the band's flow as we traverse deeper still. Not breaking their stride the album continues with the two most classic gothic rock tracks on the album - ‘Saturn Coming Down’, and ‘Hungry Skies’. Both hauntingly beautiful with heavy influence and reminders of other goth rock icons; Sisters of Mercy, both tracks plunge listeners into a shadowy soundscape where melancholy meets melody and had us imagining dancing the night away in an 80s goth club as we are brought to the midway point of the album. The second half kicks off in a far more punchy fashion, with ‘Drink the Love of God’ taking you from classic Hammer horror movies to the evocative era of horror movies such as The Lost Boys, this theme prevails right up until the curtain call of the album. We close this journey through the many eras of gothic culture and horror with ‘Poison Pages’, circling back to the dark tone and doomy instrumentals of the beginning, giving the album as a whole a feeling of a never ending cycle a labyrinth of darkness and shadows, enchanting its listener to replay it over and over again. Utilising an evocative blend of brooding lyrics and chilling guitar riffs, ‘Sub Rosa In Æternum’ may well be Tribulation's finest project yet - an unmissable and unique dive into the genre as they prove exactly why they are the masters of goth metal. This album draws you into its shadowy clutches and into a world where darkness feels like home sweet home. ‘Sub Rosa In Æternum’ will be released on November 1st via Century Media Records. Words: Arcadia Craven Photos: Tribulation

‘Vertebrate’ is the debut EP from the up-and-coming self described ‘doom pop’ group Every Hell, hailing from Brighton and featuring former members of bands such as Black Peaks, Memory Of Elephants and Broker. This six track release showcases a promising debut for the fourpiece, with a gritty rawness that leaves you eager to discover what heights Every Hell will go to with such solid beginnings. ‘Vertebrate’ is an interesting and impactful listen, with standout singles already out such as gloomy, riff-spangled track ‘The Watcher’. For a debut EP, ‘Vertebrate’ sonically cements Every Hell in their own unique genre, definitively shaped by each members prior experiences in their former bands to create something new in its own right. Even more impressively, ‘Vertebrate’ was recorded “organically” according to bassist Andrew Gosden, rather than being “sat in front of a computer editing the best bits of 30,000 takes to make the song 'perfect’”, offering a refreshing change to many new releases polished to perfection, and it shows throughout the EP. ‘Vertebrate’ is the sound of a band who are already fully realised in their creativity and can only go up from here. Opening track ‘Bad Cop’ is a headfirst dive lyrically into “fighting for attention in your family”, with vocalist Will Gardner re-imagining “the conflict and difficulty of having young kids as two gunslingers in the wild west in a deserted town". The anguish of the themes set out by Gardner is clear throughout the whole of ‘Bad Cop’, making for a solid opening track to the EP, the emotions of the track also spilling over into the next song, ‘Freaking Out’, with a high intensity all over every aspect of the song. Track three, ‘Ghost’, is a prime example of the ‘doom’ side of the term doom pop, the instrumentals mixing with Will Gardner’s gritty vocals and creating a sense of unease throughout the almost six minute track. ‘Ghost’ feels like it was made to be experienced alongside a horror film for how well it encapsulates the feeling of disaster, and the slower, more contemplative tone helps nurture those emotions throughout the song. Towards the middle of ‘Vertebrate’, Every Hell take a slower pace but lose none of the EP’s rawness and heaviness with ‘The Watcher’, before ramping up the energy again in final tracks ‘Revery’ and ‘Another Killer’. ‘Another Killer’ brings the EP to a close kicking and screaming, with four minutes of remarkably adrenaline filled drums, riffs and vocals, leaving us just barely sated, almost frothing at the mouth for the chance to have more music to hear from Every Hell already. It seems clear that while ‘Vertebrate’ is just the beginning for Every Hell, it’s an EP that’s packed from start to finish with creativity and adrenaline from every member. For Every Hell to take these six tracks, record them in one take and leave the studio with an EP this cohesive shows that they’re truly a band to watch for, and their rip-roaring sound and energy can only steer them in the right direction if 'Vertebrate' is any indication. Words: Kassian Wynne Photos: Every Hell

Danish band Lifesick have been tirelessly crafting misanthropic music in Copenhagen’s underground for a decade now, and their death metal influenced brand of metallic hardcore has gradually earnt them more and more fans within metals elite. At the beginning of this year they played with Cabal on their UK tour and have since been mentioned far and wide by UK hardcore fans, so their fourth full-length is coming at the perfect time to propel them into hardcore's mainstream - so is ‘Loved By None, Hated By All’ going to be the next big release in hardcore? Opening the album is the song ‘Death Wish’, which is a pummelling introduction to the bands sound. Their metallic hardcore style fits plenty of aggression and menace into every riff, beat and growl and the first song on the album is a prime place to display all this. Mixing in two-step pacing for the verses and a filthy half time breakdown towards the end of the track, there are no pulled punches on ‘Death Wish’. The second track on the LP is called ‘Peace Through Superior Firepower’ and represents this concept very well. Lifesick assault the listeners ears with blast beats, growls, false harmonics and some truly delightful squeals, alongside a Neanderthalian breakdown that is likely to cause dentists real problems with underbites becoming more frequent everywhere the band tour. ‘Double Cross’ follows up with more aggression, and condenses plenty of visceral anger into less than two minutes of fight music style hardcore, that’s sure to please plenty of fans of the genre. ‘Hollow Treats’ feels like a more death metal inclined track relative to Lifesick’s hardcore roots, with a real 90’s feel to it - a feature that’s becoming increasingly common in death metal worldwide. It’s the third longest song on the release, just over four minutes, and the band make good use of this time with a melancholy, subtly menacing guitar outro that pairs an acoustic with a solemn electric solo. As we approach halfway, ‘Legacy of Misery’ rises to greet us and carries on the death metal inclination of the previous track, although notably including some rather Kublai Khan-esque guitar usage. As another long track, four seconds longer than ‘Hollow Treats’, there’s plenty of time for the band to get into the thick of the music and slow things down for another very 90’s midsection, before breaking things down to the end of the track. Side B begins with ‘Poems Of My Funeral’ and it follows in the same footsteps as the last two tracks, barring some of the more obvious death metal tropes. This style, whilst fun, starts to become predictable at this point, so is greatly benefitted by ‘Liquid Courage’ bringing more hardcore back into proceedings - even if the breakdown does begin with another stereotypical death metal guitar squeal. There’s more hardcore brought to the table with semi title track ‘Loved By None’ as Lifesick get the track going at a high tempo that doesn’t break till the lead up to the heaviest breakdown of the album so far. This is the most ‘pure’ hardcore song on the release and is a riotously enjoyable two minutes or so. Track nine, ‘The Mourning March’, is abysmally heavy to the point that it feels like someone is scratching at the inside of your head with a crowbar. Whilst working brilliantly as its own song, it’s almost better as a lead-up to the final track on the album ‘Straight Jacket’, which is the longest song here by some length at five and a half minutes long. The approximately half-hour long album is wrapped up by this cataclysmic piece of music, with multiple breakdowns that ooze with malice and riffs that cut with a razor edge. The fade out from the riff at the end works as one final homage to 90’s death metal, before an unnerving outro finally puts ‘Loved By None, Hated By All’ to rest. Lifesick have clearly put blood, sweat and tears into this record and it shows - this is their most accomplished and mature release to date, showcasing their influences well but never letting them intrude too far on their modus operandi. With the exception of some mildly repetitive moments in the middle of the album, this is a seriously strong piece of death-metallic hardcore output from a band who have prepared themselves for global recognition, and might well be on their way to garnering exactly that. ‘Loved By None, Hated By All’ is a spittle-flecked call to arms that shouldn’t be ignored by anyone who enjoys their music paired with spin kicks and stage diving. 'Loved By None, Hated By All' will be released on November 1st via Metal Blade Records. Words: Jake Longhurst Photo: Allan Kristiansen

After an eight year absence, former Tiles guitarist Chris Herin has come back with his debut solo LP - 'Hiding In Plain Sight'. The album acts as a eulogy to his father, whilst telling the story of his battle with Alzheimer's, that all of us who have seen our loved ones lost to Alzheimer's can resonate with; the love for a father from his son is woven through each verse as Herin revisits his father’s last decade with us. Herin has collated an impressive array of musicians to join him on this project, with the likes of Peter Frampton, Alex Lifeson, members of Porcupine Tree and Jethro Tull, and many more, all pitching in to create this emotional ride. The first half of this album contains the majority of the prog rock influence, with opener 'Warning Signs' offering double layered guitar solos and memorable riffs to draw a listener in, followed by 'The Darkest Hour' which strikes a balance between classical riffs and classical instruments. The stand out track in this section would be track four, 'The Heart of You', a beautiful ballad where Chris discusses living for his father and being his memory, where he doesn’t allow the man his disease had made him overtake the man he knows him to be. The throat catches as Herin makes these promises over an upbeat backing track, finished by a driving guitar solo. The second half of this project draws more on a country rock sound, matched with the angst of the time frame that Herin is discussing. There is a tonal shift from the joys of the past to the reality of the present, and the feeling of it ‘getting real’ resonates from sixth track 'Second Ending' as it moves between lyrics such as "hidden memories, silent dignitaries" and emotive violin and electric guitar solos. The highlight track is the penultimate 'Slow to Crumble', in a classic pairing of upbeat country rock sounds with raw lyrics about building one's own emotional defenses high enough that no one can see you suffer. The flute player on these tracks is a welcome addition and their contributions were much appreciated by the ear, while the rest of the soundscape makes this song a good fit for any dive bar or beginning of rock night playlist. It must be said, however, that this album is guitar music. The majority of tracks have guitar outros lasting for 30-1m30s, and time that could have been spent adding complexity to some of the lyric writing appears to have been focused on these guitar efforts. Though conceding that as a guitar player Herin will feel the most confident in this space, as he is now a one man show there is only so much time you should dedicate to the area in which you feel the most comfort. Fade outs were also chronically overused, with nine out of eleven tracks utilising this method of transition; utilising harder cuts in the outros would’ve added some welcome breaks to the formulas of many tracks that began to be repetitive in their structure, and could’ve been incorporated into the fragmented nature of the subject matter. Perhaps controversially, eighth track 'Safe House (Isolation)' stands out as the lowlight of the project - Chris appears to be doing his best Bowie impression, but ultimately falls down, with almost high concept lyrics and the track failing to crescendo over its 3:42 runtime. It feels cruel to say, knowing the subject matter, but making this a shorter interlude would’ve made it a much easier listen. Overall, this debut project from Herin is a piece that will resonate with those that have walked the road of Alzheimer’s with their loved one, containing a strong balance between the prog and country rock elements that will have any avid guitar lover reaching for their instrument. The prog rock and country rock influences are woven deep into this album; the sonic energy of this project is one of searching through bustling markets and crowds to find someone using only a picture in your wallet. The tears often welled when listening to this album, despite the pitfalls, and tracks such as 'The Heart of You' and 'Slow to Crumble' offered welcome insight not oft heard of this life experience. 'Hiding In Plain Sight' will be released on November 1st via The Lasers Edge. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: Herin

Emerging from the industrial depths of Manchester comes the no-nonsense black metal band Burial, who are known for their unflinching embrace of the raw, frostbitten sound that defined the second wave of black metal, Burial have honed their craft into a force of atmospheric malevolence, and now they return with their latest offering ‘Rejoice In Sin’, a record that will plunge the listener into the heart of darkness. With this new album, they explore themes of blasphemy, inner torment and the goat worshipping origins of the black metal subgenre as we take this descent into the icy void together. We kick off with their title track ‘Rejoice In Sin’ with its immediately punchy riffs and vocals courtesy of lead vocalist Derek Carley that cut through the mix like a blade through fog. The track blends icy melodies with dark and atmospheric riffs perfectly, and is very reminiscent of black metal icons Darkthrone, evoking the spirit of the early 90s black metal scene incredibly effectively. Not losing stride, we are immediately thrown into the next track ‘Wretched Is This Life’, which keeps the punchy fast paced vibe but with grittier, doomier riffs, and a relentless barrage of blast beats that wouldn't offer a moment of reprieve, even if you did want it. As we make our way deeper into this cold and desolate land Burial have crafted for us, we reach the halfway mark with ‘The Wolfskin’, a brutal wall of sound where riffs delve deep into the raw, savage and aggressive tones that many black metal fans know and love, and bring to mind Immortal and their grim and frostbitten sound. ‘Let Darkness Reign’ ushers in the second half of the record and is easily one of the standout tracks on the entire album. The blend of fast-paced and majestic instrumentals, paired with a vocal delivery that sounds like an anguished cry from the abyss, makes this a true no-nonsense track and lets the listener know they aren’t letting up in this second half. ‘Putrid Grave’ is another standout title taking a slight departure from the atmospheric and gritty tone the album had initially offered us, to deliver a crunchy punk and black metal hybrid resulting in a relentless yet melodic assault on the senses that leaves you hungry for more. We close the album with ‘Black Metal Cunt’, a short but effective closing track that pulls no punches, making sure it cements itself in your memory just as much as any previous track and pays homage to the genre’s roots, while also having a slightly absurd and joking charm to it lyrically. As the final riff fades leaves the listener feeling as if they have traversed many different aspects of the genre, with each track offering something new. ‘Rejoice in Sin’ stands out as a powerful statement from Burial, showcasing their ability to channel black metal’s raw, icy essence while not being afraid to push their interpretation of the genre forward. The blend of chilling atmosphere and relentless aggression offers a certain authenticity you would only previously hear during the 90s with the second wave of black metal bands who emerged throughout the generation, blending the chaos of blast beats with haunting frostbitten passages that linger with you long after the final track fades. For fans of the genre, this album offers an homage to black metal legends and its grim roots while adding Burials fresh and sinister vision, and carries the torch for the genre without compromising the bands own musical vision and originality. ‘Rejoice In Sin’ will be released on November 1st via Apocalyptic Witchcraft. Words: Arcadia Craven Photo: Rock The Lense

To the uninitiated, VOLA may seem mysterious. The term 'prog metal' being used to describe their genre leaves much to the imagination, and simultaneously provides space for the creative variety in their discography. This is something the band have come to embrace, though drummer Adam Janzi states that sometimes living up to the desire to embrace constant change can put pressure on the creative process - "There is always the pressure of continuing to climb the mountain… But I try to avoid pressure and stress around things that cannot be changed. Embracing change and whatever new chapters may wait around the corner is a way to make life more easy and enjoyable.” Their fourth and latest album ‘Friend Of A Phantom’ touches on the most timeless elements of the early 2000s rock sound. Its tales of wolves, ghosts, mannequins and more are perfectly timed to the album’s November 1st release, giving the listener a new world of mystery and allure to explore just as the post-Halloween blues are hitting. But when it comes to sticking around for the afterparty, the project struggles with significance. The album opens with the strongest song on the project - a collaboration between the band and Anders Fridén, frontman and vocalist of Swedish death metal band In Flames. The song came about after the band met Fridén while playing in Los Angeles. For the first minute of the song, a guitar riff takes centre stage, before the chorus kicks in and the tone gets more melodic. Both vocalists complement each other in their juxtaposition, with a good mix of lighter tones from Mygind and harder edge provided by Fridén. ‘Cannibal’ paints a picture of hunger and terror through its lyrics, “You summoned a Cannibal / You summoned an underfed animal”. It calls to a sense of desperation and pure need, yet the sound itself is overflowing in energy, particularly when it comes to the chorus. The rest of the album is full of similar thematic highs and lows. Notably there are no other collaborations, though the band have said that many musical influences made themselves heard in the creative process, primarily Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’ and Meshuggah. Unfortunately, while these artists have an undeniably distinctive sound, the same can’t be said for the rest of ‘Friend Of A Phantom’. ‘Break my lying tongue’ starts similarly, though this time utilising a higher pitched rhythm before the break, but only in the last ten seconds do we hear a depth of lower register that would add to the severity of emotion depicted in the lyrics. ‘We Will Not Disband’ has a similar issue of failing to touch on any extremity, staying well within its lane despite lyrics suggesting strong feelings. In comparison ‘Glass Mannequin’ leans into a more pensive tone, reflecting on ideas of fragility, destruction and loss. Its slower tempo and softer vocals work well with the lyrics “I don't wanna throw this glass javelin / I don’t want to watch it fly / I don’t want to break my glass mannequin / Once again”, particularly in the sections where whisper-like backing vocals are overlaid for effect. ‘Bleed out’ brings a more upbeat tone through its instrumental, while staying true to the band’s soft vocal sound. Its use of occasional growl-like whisper tones implies a depth and edge that is never truly met by the chorus to its fullest potential. There is certainly an interesting soundscape being built during the verses, yet when it comes to the chorus these interesting and experimental edges are flattened into something less exciting. By the time ‘Paper Wolf’’ starts playing, there are elements of the album that feel predictable. Each song starts the same way and adheres to the same general structure. There is some definitely interesting imagery, but musically not much sets this apart from the previous five songs. And points for wordplay have to be deducted when the chorus hinges on “You better watch out, the wolf is coming, save your soul / you better watch out, the wolf is coming, dig a hole”. In contrast ‘I don’t know how we got here’ does bring an interesting and unique sound for the first 30 seconds, with an almost videogame like haunting refrain that is repeated throughout. But in this case, it is the lyricism that lets the band down. It is difficult to enjoy the sound when distracted by multiple storylines such as “the birthday card flew into space / The red balloons cold and disgraced” that fail to form a clear narrative. The song title feels a fitting description to the experience of trying to form an opinion on the track itself. Finally, ‘Hollow Kid’ feels like a return to the energy of ‘Cannibal’ and brings the album back up. It sounds like a quintessential metal song, reviving the listener from the uncertainty of ‘I don’t know how we got here’, and putting the project back on track. There’s nothing much to say here, it’s got a solid instrumental, drums and guitar take centre stage, with some great vocals. While ‘Tray’ returns to the more melancholy, reflecting on the album’s key themes of grief, loss and need. When discussing the process of making the album, the band made it clear that their previous album ‘Witness’ held a lot of weight. Janzi stated "We have had the time to internalise ‘Witness’ and let its aftermath sink in, which has shaped how we approached ‘Friend Of A Phantom.’ Our personal tastes have changed, the way we approach our instruments and songwriting has changed, our lives have changed, time has passed, and adventures have been had." While it is understandable to feel a need to shift and innovate further after such seminal album - ‘Witness’ has taken VOLA on two US tours, their first Canadian tour and a successful tour of South America- this creative push feels somewhat misguided in nature. In defining themselves outside of ‘Witness’ it feels as though instead of going further into the future VOLA have taken a wrong turn. ‘Friend Of A Phantom’ is not necessarily a bad album, and even has moments of greatness, but it fails to present a fully finished product. It would fit seamlessly on any number of metal playlists, but large portions lack the depth to truly stand out in the scene. It has its good elements, but by trying to accomplish too many things at once, elements end up cancelling and flattening each other out. It is an album that likely has to be heard live to fully comprehend and enjoy to the greatest extent possible. ‘Friend Of A Phantom’ releases November 1st via Mascot Records. VOLA are also on tour across Europe and the UK from the same date to the 30th of November. Words: Q Cummins Photos: VOLA

After a momentous summer festival run, Kent punk duo SOFT PLAY (formerly Slaves) are back in action touring their first album since their change in name, HEAVY JELLY. With it being their highest charting album to date, what better way is there to celebrate than a sold out show at Manchester Academy? Starting us up for the night we had Panic Shack, an all female indie punk four piece from Cardiff, and there wasn’t a square inch of the stage that these girls didn’t absolutely dominate. Frontwoman Sarah Harvey utterly commanded the crowd, running through a setlist just felt like hit after hit after hit. Exploring niche lyrical themes such as meal deals, missing lighters and being grossed out by people's kids, Panic Shack share the same kind of strange sense of humour that SOFT PLAY have built their music on. It’s not often you get to see a sold out Manchester Academy crowd yell out "I DON'T WANNA HOLD YOUR BABY!" At about 9pm, SOFT PLAY finally took the stage, walking out to ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’, the opening to their first track on the new album. The choral music gave a brief moment of peace before guitarist Laurie Vincent began tearing out the heavy opening riffs of the song, with vocalist and drummer Isaac Holman screaming down the mic as he beat along to the guitar. Despite only working with just two instruments at any one time, they had no issues shaking the venue to its core as they worked down their setlist. Walking through the crowd, you could really see and understand the sheer scope of SOFT PLAY’S appeal. There were people here from just about every demographic and background, all united for one night of music. It's worth noting how many young kids, repping merch from IDLES, Yard Act, Sprints (and a litany of others), have come here with their parents. The barricade was occupied by giddy ten year olds, taking crowd surfers and cups of beer to the head like absolute champions. The post punk revolution is here, and it's being led by primary school children. The setlist was made up of classic Slaves tracks and new SOFT PLAY hits. ‘Sockets’, a clear crowd favourite that the band have been playing for years, and ‘Girl Fight’ which turned the crowd into one huge brawl for the song’s fifteen second duration. A highlight of the gig was ‘Everything and Nothing’, where Isaac’s vocals were backed solely by Laurie on mandolin for the contrastingly personal number. But nothing else quite got the crowd going more than ‘Punk’s Dead’, one of the lead singles for the new album and the defining song of this stage in the band’s career. Written as a response to backlash from fans for changing their name, it’s the song that gave this band their nickname, ‘Soft Cunts’, which was used as the stage backdrop for this tour. Frankly, it looked absolutely exhausting to be a member of this band, but Isaac and Laurie have been consistently bringing this energy to every show. This two week, thirteen stop UK tour is everything both old and new fans could have wanted and more, and it’s not long before they head down under to give their Aussie fans a taste of the chaos. Words and Photos by Izzy Scott

Meryl Streek is the frontman of a politically-outspoken Irish avant-garde punk band from Dublin. The group began when he left his former band to try and give a voice to those he saw struggling in his home country, wanting to devote his life to helping others the best he can. His debut album '796', which was mostly recorded in his then-home of Vancouver, has become one of the most important political records of the decade thus far, shining a light on important issues in Ireland and he continues to do so on the new LP ‘Songs For The Deceased’. The record starts off with ‘Welcome’ which sets the tone of the record instantly, talking about the increasing poverty problem in Ireland and the corruption of the government. The epilogue includes a series of people talking about these problem with such harrowing stats as “1 in 6 people working in Ireland are still living in poverty”, before underlining the ongoing issues that the people of Ireland are facing. ‘Fine Jail’ starts off strong with a singular scream that launches into a catchy beat. This goes on for most of the song before the vocals begin, shouting about the problems they have with the people in charge of the country - “There are 5 million people in this country and these are the dickheads we have making decisions” and “They can only bleed you for so long until you come back fighting”. Meryl Streek are back and they are using their voice for good once again. This then seamlessly slips into the next track ‘Bertie’, which starts off with vocals almost immediately. The anger in his voice is evident as he sings about yet more issues he's passionate about. This song is filled with unique riffs that grow heavier towards the end, serving to highlight his vocals. ‘If This Is Life’ is a beautiful song that talks about what he wants out of life and how hard it is to achieve that with the way the world is going. It's best summed up with this extended quote from the song - "20-29 year-olds are living at home with their parents, policy decision after bad policy decision, it's the number one thing. People need to take their power, people need to raise their voice, it won't change unless the young generation really stand up". The sentiment continues in ‘Counting Sheep’, which has an almost eerie sound to its beat, turning into an angry and emotional chorus. There is one lyric that particularly stands out - “Trying to live and survive when everyone around you is a sheep with a desk job”. This crucial line does an impeccable job at describing how easy it is for the young generation to succumb and fall into a 9-5 job when almost everyone wants more out of life. ‘Dogs’ is next, which starts off with a different vibe to the other songs we've heard so far, with an almost techo-feeling beat, but evolves into a much more traditional punk sound by the end of the song and feels quite different to most of the album. ‘By One's Hand’ discusses the repetitive feeling of life working a 9-5 job whilst struggling with poverty. This track really picks up towards the end, the raw vocals really bringing a sense of anger to the song. This is just further evidence that Streek really cares for what he sings about, with the passion in his voice removing any doubt on the matter. Moving onto the next song ‘Paddy’ which is a really important one for the band. Meryl dedicates this song to his uncle, which is a beautiful sentiment and shows the importance of family even whilst you're combatting oppression. After an interlude allowing a brief moment to breathe, the next song is ‘Gambling Death’ which starts off really strong with a heavy riff and gritty vocals, singing about the struggles of both gambling addiction and suicide. The band uses a clip stating "Six and a half thousand suicides were registered in the UK, that's 686 more deaths than the previous year". Next comes ‘Terrance’, a song that talks about a boy of the same name, who was only 18 years old when he was thrown in jail after a massive case of police injustice, simply because he bought a paintbrush in a shop. Meryl Streek speak up on this case that has been swept under the rug, as they dedicate this song to him and use his experience to speak up about the corrupted police force. ‘The Industry’ really stands out as it talks about something that isn't discussed a lot within music, discussing the extreme prices some people pay to get into gigs and festivals along with the struggles of being an artist within the industry. ‘Murder’ begins with a slow but melodic riff that becomes more distorted as the song progresses. Opening with the line, “You got a life sentence but got out after five years on good behaviour, got time to do it again”. This is something that happens far more often than it would appear, even for very serious cases, and the band do a good job shining a light on this issue. Bringing the LP to a close, ‘The Stardust’ is a heartfelt song about a nightclub in Dublin that burnt down, leading to the deaths of 48 people. The group names every single one of the victims in this song. It is a case that will never be forgotten about. Those affected by the fire, as well as dealing with injury or loss, had to campaign for over thirty years for the causes of the fire to be re-examined - until finally in 2009 the original finding that the fire was caused by arson was retracted. This track raises awareness on the issue, but makes the point that justice still needs to be served. Meryl Streek and his band have outdone themselves with this LP: every song discusses important issues and the injustices in the world. Whilst plenty of artists raise awareness of large issues, the specificity with which Streek has named issues is damning and raises a number of serious cases to argue against the Irish government and legal system. An album that will likely be lauded by many, this is a vital and political statement for the modern day. 'Songs For The Deceased' will be released on October 25th via Venn Records. You can catch Meryl Streek on tour across the UK and Ireland in stores from October 25th to 29th, across UK venues from November 6th to 15th, and in Irish venues on November 29th and 30th. Words: Kelsey Mainwaring Photos: Meryl Streek

Since its debut in 2023, Beyond The Music Festival has been a regular event in the busy city of Manchester to discuss all things music industry. From performance to production, to promotion and predictions of the future, Beyond The Music was born out of a love of the art and a need to keep it moving and grooving for many generations to come. Fighting trials and setbacks in the UK and beyond, 2024 brought on discussions of Manchester’s growth as an industry hub, the real threat of artificial intelligence against artists and producers, and some words of encouragement from members of parliament who want to keep music alive and well in Manchester and beyond. Wednesday Opening the conference was a lighthearted keynote conversation between Apple Music’s Dotty and Manchester-born rapper Aitch. An artist who has been vocal about growing the northwestern city’s music scene and advocating for more resources for the industry, the viral star linked together his own rise to fame with the potential for others to have the same luck without having to spend out of pocket to travel to the capital London. Mentioning the likes of Bugzy Malone, a fellow Mancunian who reached stardom in the hip-hop world, he stressed how important it is to have everything a musician needs right at their doorstep over down at the other end of the country. When it comes to smaller artists who have to put their own money into travelling on tour and renting studio space, Aitch encourages more record labels and recording studios to set up camp in Manchester. Music should not only thrive in the streets of London. Thursday As Thursday began in the conference, Mercury Prize winner Tom Gray took to the stage to give an abridged history lesson on the events of the music industry... and it was a “messy” one. Looking at the highs and lows of the industry over the decades, Gray didn’t shy away from the downright ugly and amoral parts. Going into slight detail on the controversies of payola in radio plays, and highlighting the race and gender inequalities that existed and still exist behind the scenes, this was an enlightening talk to attend. Many may not be aware of everything that happened while music was becoming more digital and increasingly accessible around the world. Some outside of minority spaces may have been unaware of how many barriers some have to break down to just do what they’re most passionate about. Everyone learnt that history shall only be learnt from, and never repeated. Later that morning, Co-operatives UK’s Rose Marley took hold of a talk about the grassroots side of the industry. In hopes of recognising where help is needed and how their goals can be reached, with people representing the likes of Music Venue Trust, Warner and BPI pitching in their ideas to come to a consensus. The grassroots scene is vital to the music industry altogether; no one picks up a guitar and instantly becomes an arena-selling superstar without some work underground. Discussing how to expand the scene, touching upon the repeated conversation of putting more money into grassroots venues in the city and around the country, and how to make live music more accessible for disabled fans, it felt like an overdue sit-down and discussion. Since COVID, grassroots music has been suffering and venues have been shutting their doors left and right. If the doors are kept open, and people are walking through, then there is a chance. Given the time for a last-minute talk to the conference due to cancelling an appearance earlier in the day, Manchester mayor Andy Burnham addressed Beyond The Music. Bringing together serious and humorous talking points, including referencing the world-shaking Oasis reunion, Burnham was there to talk about what he and Manchester City Council are working towards to allow the city’s music to continue thriving. One of Burnham’s best received talking points was surrounding his still commencing Bee Network: Greater Manchester’s private transport organisation that is taking over the city’s bus and tram networks, with plans to take on train lines. Receiving a round of applause following his mention of the recently opened Co-op Live Arena and the return and expansion of Manchester’s night bus services, Burnham has shown to have gained his people’s trust and support as he has shown his own for them back. Friday As Friday commences and everyone prepares for the last day of talks, one of the most important discussions opens on the floor: the use of artificial intelligence in music and how it should be regulated. A hot topic in all fields and industries as its popularity grows, artificial intelligence (AI) has been recognised as a greatly useful and easily accessible tool. However, as found from this talk and chatter in the years beforehand, there’s very few regulations and very vague laws in the UK and beyond. Compared to legislation which is being discussed in the United States, the UK’s lawful restriction on AI in businesses is ambiguous and still open to unethical use. Now that musicians are having their voices copied by this software, being used to produce songs they have no ownership or knowledge of, the industry’s biggest names are coming together to ask for just one thing: protection. Speaking in tribute of Manchester music legend Tony Wilson, the newly appointed Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy gives both a personal speech about the importance of the city's music scene and an open Q&A about how the government can offer more for the industry in the entirety of the UK. Wilson, a man who helped form Manchester's legendary status as founder of the Hacienda nightclub and co-founder of Factory Records, is synonymous with Manchester himself. Over 17 years since his passing, the city still thrives as it did in Wilson's heyday and Nandy - someone who witnessed his effect firsthand as a Manchester-born citizen - feels it's right to keep his legacy alive as long as possible. When being asked about how the government can bring security to the music and entertainment industry, especially in underfunded areas such as in education, Nandy promised to fulfil her duties to the best of her abilities. Only time will tell if she can put the money where her mouth is, but if this is true, then Manchester will be singing their song for the rest of eternity. Nearing the end of the festival is the discussion on what the future of music holds and what everyone in the industry can do to guarantee its longevity and its development in the right ways. Music is more than the voice that sings the lyrics and the hands that strum the guitar chords. As the world turns and time goes by, music should catch up with everything and everyone else. With mention of the grassroots scene and how to keep that alive to bring artists into the bigger and louder spaces, and how technology can be harnessed to allow for new feats to be reached, the future’s brighter than it once was. Live music should be improved to allow for more accessibility. Smaller artists should utilise the tools available at their fingertips. Before anyone knows it, the 2030s and 40s will be coming along and the trends no one can think of will be rocking and rolling through the airwaves. It's only a matter of time. Words: Jo Cosgrove

With the release of ‘SE/CT’, VEILED have given us our first taste of the real depths of their ability. The band have always shown their influences off - obvious influence from the likes of Motionless In White, Cradle Of Filth, Infant Annihilator and even Death are all-over their fantastic 2023 release ‘The Black Rite’. Whilst the bands earlier work is impressive, ‘SE/CT’ is a step-up that takes the best parts of ‘The Black Rite’ - the guitar work, production and especially the vocals have all improved – as well as, by all appearances, the band finding a more melodic sensibility which doesn't come across as forced so much as a natural evolution of their sound. The album starts out with an intro track also entitled ‘SECT’, a slow and ominous melody clocking in just over minute to set the tone of the record before we arrive at ‘Forgive Me’. The first full track on the album is punchy, metallic and takes no prisoners. The riffs that the track’s been built around have a chunky, almost thrash metal feel to them and yet notes of a neo-classical flair can also be felt throughout. The vocals are also on point, as the frontman’s screams are theatrical and ever-present throughout, however as the track winds down it’s hard not to worry about the potential for self-parody across the rest of the record. ‘The Sentence’ is next on the album; acting as one of the singles, you might expect more from this song and whilst the guitar harmonies are excellent, even straying into the world of djent at times, there is just something missing from ‘The Sentence’. The vocals lack depth and rely too heavily on the drums - even though the drums are still fairly monotonous - as well as the aforementioned guitar harmonies which seem to be doing most of the heavy lifting. On the next track ‘Lament’, the star of the show is the guitar, switching between a chuggy, bluesy main riff to a more technical style of playing in the chorus. It’s refreshing to see that the drums have some character to them here, not leaving the guitars to carry the song. It must also be noted that ‘Lament’, ‘Hellbound’ and ‘Deathchoke’ feel more like different parts of the 11 minute epic, rather than individual songs. This is the highlight of the album, with each piece of the puzzle tying seamlessly together with the others to develop the concept of the LP – that being a dystopian police-state who are actively hunting the band for reasons unknown, which we’re led to believe could tie into the band’s origin. As we reach ‘The Root of Mans Impurity’, it marks the beginning of the second act of the album - and things have gotten a lot darker here. There is clear influence from In Flames, especially within the vocals where the frontman is clearly using almost the fullest extent of his abilities as a vocalist. Vocal chops aside, arpeggiated riffs and fat drums make ‘The Root of Mans Impurity’ the perfect opener to the second half the album which, along with the sludgier next track ‘Tides’, will doubtless be added to the bands setlist on their upcoming tour. ‘Asphyxiate’ and ‘The Awakening’ serve to act as one drawn out transitional track. ‘Asphyxiate’ sets an aggressive mood, which – albeit feeling a little slapdash - marries well with the ‘The Awakening’, where the band treats us to a touch more world-building as the album’s story is brought back into focus. It is obvious by this point that the world the band has constructed is one in which their hunters are afraid of the threat the band poses to the dystopian society of the world. The band are described as a cult-like organization responsible for leaving mysterious notes, abduction and more, and are called the SECT. ‘Hear Me, Pain’ is a thunderous onslaught of heavy metal magic, reminiscent of a call to the Norse gods. The drums and guitar are interlocked and move with an almost pulsating rhythm, like a heartbeat being shocked by 15,000 volts. The band have tapped into a primal energy across the song, which will surely reach its full potential in a live setting. The frontman, for his part, is channelling his inner Max Cavalera as the vocal performance throughout the track is both ferocious and awe-inspiring, so we can only hope they play this on tour. ‘Omen of Torture’ is an assault on the senses in the best way possible - the darkness and sheer ferocity of the first few seconds share sounds with some early Darkthrone. This being the second of the album’s two singles, the more conventional sound is back although it is a lot less in your face when compared with ‘The Sentence’ and is certainly much better executed. Closing out the album is ‘Reverie’, a fantastic blend of nu and industrial metal that soundly carries us across proverbial finish line. The band is crying out into the void, with an eery fairground carousel noise that crafts the image all is lost, that the fight was all for nothing, despite their best efforts - a bittersweet send-off as we are left wondering whether the SECT will rise anew. ‘SE/CT’ is a solid effect by a band who are determined to be taken seriously by the world at large and, although it is monotonous in places, this fact is mitigated by the record's overarching narrative of the band being hunted by a totalitarian police-state and them leading a rebellion from the shadows. This storyline makes this into far more than a simple deathcore album, as made clear by the bands willingness to experiment with various sub-genres, taking aspects of thrash, neo-classical, nu metal and more over the duration of the album. This is a very good start for VEILED, however there is room for improvement – with any luck the kinks will be worked out ahead of the next release and we’ll have a real force on our hands! 'SE/CT' will be released on October 18th via Seek & Strike. Words: Frankie J Jupiter Photos: VEILED

We are so excited to announce that our first Out Of Rage Magazine cover star is Delilah Bon! With her exciting new album ‘Evil Hate Filled Female’ release and UK tour homecoming next month, we couldn’t think of anyone else better to front our first full-length magazine. This issue will champion LGBTQIA+ artists and activism, so alongside Delilah’s cover, we have a non-binary panel featuring Gen from Gen and the Degenerates, Evan from Taurine, B from Lynskey and Soph from Atheana. In this no-holds-barred interview, we discuss identity and social media, making lineups more equal, and working as a non-binary artist in the UK. We also have exclusive interviews with SeeYouSpaceCowboy, Artio, Ugly Club and Kyros, with an introduction from We Are The Weirdos and a queer anthems playlist from the Outcrew Podcast Alongside this, our contributors let us know which LGBTQIA+ artists they have been listening to in some mini album reviews. We have options to buy the digital copy on it's own, and also a digital copy with a kickstarter to get a print copy. If we get enough orders of the kickstarter, we will give you a print copy. Please fill out the Google form in the patreon bio with your address and we will email you with updates. If we don't get enough of the sales quota- please note that you will be supporting an independent and queer publication who gives opportunities to individuals regardless of ability and background. Click here to get your copy! Delilah Shoot: Nick Davarias Non-Binary Panel Shoot Photo: Kayleigh Fryer