Great American Ghost followed up their 2020 album ‘Power From Terror’ with ‘Tragedy of The Commons’, one of the first major releases in what promises to be a huge year for music. With the single ‘Ann Arbor (Be Safe)’ from their second album ‘Hatred Stems From The Seed’ amassing nearly 1.7 million listens, you’ve likely heard at least one track from these New Hampshire heavyweights. Despite having been around for about ten years, they’re still considered an upcoming band, but with their first release on the well-known label Sharptone Records they’re finally getting the attention they deserve. ‘Kerosene’ kicks things off as the single that stands out the most from the rest, bringing a more industrial sound, most notably in the drums. The guitar in the pre-breakdown is also a standout moment, along with the almost chant-like chorus. ‘Echoes of War’ delivers the first huge chorus, much like the singles, with a strong pre-chorus line from guitarist Grayson: “You’ll never wear the crown.” In the final minute, there’s a noticeable shift in guitar tone that adds a fresh dynamic to the track. With a slower start, ‘Lost in The Outline’ might not be the strongest of the singles, but it makes more sense within the album’s context. One particularly interesting moment in this track is the second-to-last chorus, where spoken word overlays a clean guitar tone, building up to the final chorus. The next track, ‘Ghost in Flesh’, starts off at breakneck speed, with rapid-fire verses balanced by a more restrained chorus. Grayson brings a unique touch to the second chorus, and both he and Niko deliver some tasteful guitar tones throughout. A notable highlight is the lyrical reference to the album title, as well as a direct nod to ‘Lost in The Outline’ with the line: “Empty after all.” Grayson takes centre stage on ‘Writhe’, featuring the most vocals from him on the entire album. With a sound reminiscent of Miss May I, this is one of the most distinct tracks on the record, yet it still fits seamlessly within the album’s overall tone. At just under three minutes, ‘Genocide’ is the shortest track on the album and whilst a good track, unfortunately, doesn’t add much to the overall experience. The first single of the album cycle, ‘Forsaken’, features a massive, anthemic chorus tailor-made for live shows. This track is packed with nostalgia, featuring the still-relevant lyric “Chaos Reigns”, complemented by distant guitars and well-placed blast beats. The strongest of the singles, ‘Hymn Of Decay’, showcases a diverse range of vocal styles, particularly in its call-and-response dynamic between clean and screamed vocals. This balance of melody and aggression makes for an incredibly headbang-worthy chorus. Like ‘Lost in The Outline’, this track also includes a spoken-word version of the chorus, but with a rawer, more old-school feel. The strongest of the non-singles, ‘Chapel Paralysis’, is honestly surprising that it wasn’t released as a single. It puts a modern twist on the album’s sound, and it’s easy to imagine this track becoming a fan favourite and making its way onto plenty of playlists. As one of the messier tracks on the album, it stands out, particularly with the alternating vocals between Grayson and Ethan, a welcome touch. ‘Reality//Relapse’ has a similar feel to ‘Genocide’ but with a much fuller sound. However, it misses an opportunity for a massive breakdown after a significant build-up near the end. While ‘God Is A Loaded Gun’ is a solid closing track, ‘Writhe’ would have made for a more fitting finale. The final few notes of ‘God Is a Loaded Gun’ are also a bit unusual and could have been left out. With everything said and done, ‘Tragedy of the Commons’ is a strong album that could very well be an early contender for Album of the Year. Despite a few flaws, the whole experience will leave you wanting more - this is an album that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. ‘Tragedy of The Commons' will be released on January 31st via Sharptone Records. Words: Lucas Grayson Photo: Dominique D'Costa

Beneath A Steel Sky have just released their debut album 'Cleave', and with this release, the band have crafted something much more than your typical album. Rather than treating it like an album listen through, you should think of it more like a river of sound flowing through peaks and valleys, carrying you along for the ride, with a gothic atmosphere underpinning it all. ‘Cleave’ is truly unique. The subtlety of the instrumentation is quite brilliant. There are jazzy hints of Miles Davis’s ‘Birth of the Cool’ and ‘Milestones’ lingering at the outer edges of the sonic profile, creating a darker, more drawn-out feel within the music itself. For example, ‘The Sky Above The Port Was The Colour Of Television, Tuned To A Dead Channel’ and ‘Vanguard’, two excellent tracks totalling just under 10 minutes in runtime, feel more like a jam session than two separate structured songs. This intro to the album opens your ears up to the amazing creative work on display, as the free-flowing nature of the music thrives on this reckless, almost avant-garde level of spontaneity. This avant-garde approach continues in ‘Everyone You’ve Ever Known’, which carries a strong Opeth influence throughout its duration. The delicate and precise nature of the guitar playing is actually quite understated, and there’s an element of almost reluctant catharsis to it, especially in the choruses. The more melodic, Cure-like undertones build towards something harsher, darker, and more malevolent as growling vocals and powerful, theatrical guitars emerge, culminating in something truly cathartic in the shape of ‘Quetzalcoatlus’. ‘Quetzalcoatlus’ is a slow, proggy, somewhat doomy number where the band begins to flex their musical muscles. The Gojira-esque vocals hit full pelt, with the sheer ferocity of Greg Armstrong’s voice doing its utmost to melt the skin from your face. This melds well with the progressive-doom feel of this part of the record, further enhanced by the production quality. While the overall production is fantastic, special attention has obviously been paid to the direction of this stage of the album. This attention to detail bleeds into ‘The Infinite Silence That Follows The Absolute Truth’, a slow, somewhat acoustic instrumental. While it serves little purpose beyond setting up ‘Cyclical Dunt’, it still has several highlights—the guitar work, for example, is excellent. Around the five-and-a-half to six-minute mark, we’re treated to back-to-back solos, as well as what has now become Armstrong’s textbook growls. ‘The Infinite Silence That Follows The Absolute Truth’ acts as a refreshing interlude, balancing the harsher and more melodic elements showcased up to this point. This flawlessly paves the way for ‘Cyclical Dunt’, which feels like the moment the entire album has been leading up to. Intricate yet seemingly simple melodies flow like water, and the best part is that everything that has come before is now at full capacity: the soft jazzy avant-garde undertones, the proggy-doomy riffs, and the epic, emotional growls all crystallise into one awe-inspiring moment of sheer musical catharsis. It is the album’s highest point. Finally, ‘The Becoming’ is a soft, haunting, eight-minute-long Viking-esque battle song. Eerie and gothic, it has the feel of a long, winding road—a slow burn, to be sure, with a deep introspective slant. 'The Becoming' is quite clearly the band’s last hurrah, albeit in a melancholy, avant-garde, esoteric kind of way—a perfect note to end on. Words: Frankie J. Jupiter Photos: Beneath A Steel Sky

Swedish rock band The Night Flight Orchestra are whisking us away to the 80's (again) with their upcoming seventh studio album ‘Give Us The Moon’. Combining nostalgic synth rock and lively classic rock, The Night Flight Orchestra have delivered an album full of impressive sounding, infectiously danceable tracks. ‘Give Us The Moon’ opens up with the scene setting ‘Final Call’ which shouts out all eight band members and jumps straight in with a reference to The Night Flight Orchestra’s penchant for flight related tracks and references. After boarding, the listener is launched with gusto into opening track ‘Stratus’ - a wonderful example of The Night Flight Orchestra’ signature sound. Next up we have ‘Shooting Velvet’, a song which would sound equally at home on a big festival stage as it would in a classic 80's movie scene - you know the exact ones, where the forlorn lovers have parted ways before they then realise they have made a huge mistake and have a big, emotional journey to reunite - like that. ‘Like The Beating Of A Heart’ is moodier and more roomy with it’s lengthy synth intro and more introspective lyrics giving some variety to the largely boppy classic rock that surrounds it, before ‘Melbourne, May I?’ reminds us that we are in the midst of a concept album, opening with an airline safety feature and takeoff sounds that fade into a big fun rock guitar tune. ‘Miraculous’ acts as a nice transition song between the big introduction of the album to the songs, with more substance in the latter half. The emotional ‘Paloma’ kicks off the second half of the album, hitting us with tear jerking lyrics like “You can see your reflection in the stars at night” and "There’s a future worth believing in”. ‘Cosmic Tide’ brings us back to earth with a huge proper rock song, and a big rock scream from Björn Strid to close it out. Title track ‘Give Us The Moon’ highlights The Night Flight Orchestra’s ability to write really catchy songs with a simple singalong chorus, designed to be sung back at them by fans at future shows. ‘A Paris Point Of View’ emphasises and brings forward the groove that is buried through the rest of the album, giving it a funkier, more dance-along feel. ‘Runaways’ pulls us back to the album's narrative as we hop in a cab that takes us back to that same 80's movie soundtrack feel that we heard at the start on ‘Shooting Velvet’. ‘Runaways’ then fades out into the almost power metal intro of penultimate track ‘Way To Spend The Night’, an uplifting and uptempo love song that sets the scene for the monumental closing track that is ‘Stewardess, Empress, Hot Mess (And The Captain Of Pain)’. An almost eight minute anthem wraps up ‘Give Us The Moon’ with atmospheric synths and twinkly fx that lead right into to a hearty rock instrumental and punchy vocals. The familiar comfort of The Night Flight Orchestra’s 80's sound balance out the occasional cringe lyrics. Sprinkling through the trademarks of The Night Flight Orchestra: place names, beautiful backing vocals, and danceable grooves; ‘Stewardess, Empress, Hot Mess (And The Captain Of Pain)’ is an excellent closing track. Maybe The Night Flight Orchestra gave themselves such a long name to stand out from all the one-word named bands they draw inspiration from. With clear comparisons to Yes, Journey, Boston, and Kansas, The Night Flight Orchestra have worked for their place with a distinct 80's sound amongst more modern pop-rock. Words: Kayleigh Fryer Photos: The Night Flight Orchestra

American post-hardcore supergroup L.S. Dunes are back with their second full release. Post-hardcore is very much cold winter music, so having the release scheduled for the end of January is very fitting. Balancing unique vocals and the obvious talents of all members, ‘Violet’ is an album you can tell a lot of love went into making. The opening track ‘Like Magick’ eases you into ‘Violet’ with an almost spoken word intro, before the sludgy emo backing instruments come ploughing in. The lines and riffs throughout ebb and flow like a boat on a rough night with every few lines the song builds up then delightfully crashes down again. ‘Fatal Deluxe’ follows with another crash as it opens hard with a shouty post-hardcore run. These punchy elements are countered by beautifully layered warbly vocal tracks and repeated echoing phrasing. If you want a song that demonstrates the influence and background of each member of this supergroup, then ‘I Can See It Now…’ is the one. A true product of its origins, adding together elements of each of the members' bands forming a unique sounding familiarity. Title track ‘Violet’ counters this nostalgia and shows us that L.S. Dunes are very much a band in their own right, encompassing the band's growth from their 2022 debut and the direction they should continue to head in. A melancholy and highly listenable song with punchy vocals and a thrumming baseline encapsulates the L.S. Dunes experience. Hitting the middle of the album, ‘Machines’ is heavy on the My Chemical Romance influence and wouldn’t be out of place on one of their early albums. It is a modern-day emo twist on the old-school emo winning formula. ‘You Deserve To Be Haunted’ balances out the emo heartache of ‘Machines’, with its unique dark heavy intro brightened by light melodies held together with a brilliant bassline, great tones across the board and fun transitions and overlays between clean and unclean vocals. From ‘Holograms’ and “magick” to machines and ghosts, ‘Violet’ might just be a steampunk album in disguise. ‘Holograms’ is an interesting transition to the final third of ‘Violet’, it highlights the breadth of the album, leaning right into indie-rock territory away from the emo and post-hardcore sound we’re used to from L.S. Dunes ‘Paper Tigers’ follows ‘Holograms’ really nicely with a lighter touch, but still incorporating some of the grit from the earlier songs and their debut album. From a more typical L.S. Dunes sound to a more typical L.S. Dunes message… Despite the band saying this album was a move in lighter and less cynical directions, there is still a thread of sadness and misery that comes through in a few songs, and penultimate track ‘Things I Thought Would Last Forever’ is without a doubt one of those songs. The grand finale ‘Forgiveness’ is a big anthemic tune, acting as the earworm that will keep you coming back to the album. It is such a huge song that, while it stands strong as a closer, it does drown out the memory of some of the less unique songs that appear throughout the rest of the album. ‘Violet’’ is an album that feels both longer than its 40-ish minute runtime and over before it has started, which could well mean it’s the perfect length. The album is definitely an improvement on ‘Past Lives’, and seeing as each musician has clearly given a lot more effort and love to this project over the past two years, ‘Violet’ is well worth sticking on your sad emo playlist. Words: Kayleigh Fryer Photos: L.S. Dunes

RØRY’s ‘RESTORATION’ isn’t just an album; it’s an experience - raw, cathartic, and unapologetically honest. It’s the sonic equivalent of free therapy, guiding those who dare to dream through the rubble of life’s darkest times and into the light of self-determination. Goosebumps are a given. By the time the final track fades out, listeners are left with a sense of empowerment, as though they've been handed the tools to face their own challenges head-on. The opener, ‘if pain could talk, what would it say’, kicks things off with a tension-building soundscape that’s soon shattered by RØRY’s commanding voice. It’s a moment of pure conviction, carried by a surge of passion that refuses to be ignored. With the line “this is the start of your story”, she throws down a gauntlet, challenging listeners to press on. ‘In the Bible’ follows with an unsettling, chilling start, contrasting with lyrics that balance heartbreak and hope in equal measure. It’s poetic, impactful, and hard to shake. Then there’s ‘WOLVES,’ which leans into the pain with its gentle guitar and stirring reflections on loss, a track fuelled by vulnerability that lands like a quiet gut punch. On ‘hold on,’ rhythmic verses deliver a profound message to her past self, made even more poignant by the inclusion of Roxanne Emery - her former alias - adding a deeply personal layer to the acoustic-driven track. After a pivotal moment in the album and RØRY’s journey, ‘BLOSSOM’ follows, taking the concept of growth and transforms it into an invigorating and uplifting anthem. The track's gradual build mirrors the process of healing, culminating in a tender, piano-led outro that feels like a breath of fresh air. It’s a celebration of resilience and moving forward, leaving listeners with a sense of courage and renewal. Softer, more introspective tracks like ‘Sherlock Holmes’ might have witty lyrical references to an illustrious detective, but the main theme is filled with undercurrents of trauma and unresolved conflicts. With ‘One Drink Away’ also pairing a delicate acoustic melody with a poignant theme, offering a reflective yet inspirational take on breaking free from destructive cycles. In contrast, RØRY’s anger burns brightest in tracks like ‘MORALITY $UICIDE.’ This is where her distaste for the state of the world is laid bare. The rapped bridge is hard-hitting, tearing through the track like a lightning bolt in a storm. It’s not subtle, and it doesn’t need to be. As the album nears its end, RØRY delivers ‘SORRY I’M LATE,’ a burst of positivity and high-energy motivation that’s as infectious as it is inspiring. With its upbeat tempo and empowering lyrics, this track serves as a reminder that even amidst chaos, there’s always room for faith and resilience. And then there’s ‘The Atheist,’ the kind of closer that doesn’t just pull at the heartstrings—it yanks them. With its dissonant acoustic strumming and a raw intimate dialogue outro, it’s an anthemic war cry against toxic and harmful relationships, a hauntingly beautiful finale to an emotional journey. ‘RESTORATION’ is a triumphant debut that puts RØRY’s vulnerability and strength on full display. Her unapologetic authenticity, paired with clever lyrics and dynamic soundscapes, makes this a record that demands attention. If this is the start of her story, RØRY has set an impressively high bar and left us eager for whatever comes next. 'RESTORATION' will be released on January 31st via SADCØRE Records. Words: Beth Oakley Photo: Derek Bremner

Gus Englehorn’s 'The Hornbrook' is a small collection of fantasy stories put to a classic American and country rock sound. Equal parts creepy and playful, Englehorn’s lyrics are absolutely the standout quality of this intriguing project. 'The Hornbrook' opens with 'One Eyed Jack Part One' and Part Two, offering a perfect introduction into storytelling that stands out in this album while setting up a country rock soundscape reminiscent of American classic rock of old, and early-album Mother Mother of new. This evolves into a jumpy and easy-listen section that is the first part of this album, with tracks such as 'Thyme', 'The Itch', and 'Roderick of the Vale' all having a questing energy to them. 'The Itch' is the stand out song in this section of the project - utilising imagery metaphors of sinking to a riverbed on a more folk pop beat that dissociates the listener akin to being a jewel falling through the water. 'Roderick of the Vale' goes back to the storytelling lyrics that Englehorn excels in, spinning a story of love and death that would be commonplace in a tavern in any fantasy novel or detailed game of Dungeons and Dragons. The bars on this track in particular are captivating with a soundscape that gets slowly more sinister as the story moves from natural forests to supernatural valleys of the dead. The second half of this album is where the momentum is lost for a listener. 'Metal Detector' was a welcome sound change, with harder guitars and drums throughout and has a 90s/00s indie feel to it, playing nicely with a shift in tone to less narratively driven lyrics while the music becomes darker and heavier. Some of this weight is kept in 'The Whirlwind’s speaking, with Englehorn hopping back into his metaphors and giving that questing feeling that was established earlier on in the project. This said, the last three tracks on this album may be the weakest. Englehorn’s love songs are not his strongest output despite the earnest pining contained in the lyrics of 'Sweet Marie', with the edge dropped and replaced with light high hats and melancholic guitars reminiscent of The Kinks. It fades into the background of the songs that came before it, with its largest announcement being its abrupt end. 'A Song With Arms and Legs' and album closer 'One Eyed Jack Part 3' don’t do much to bounce back. The slow-beginning-to-temperate-build structure has became apparent by this point; the return of the creepiness is welcome in the latter part of 'The Song of Arms and Legs', and does contain the standout lyric "It walked up to my doom and spat in its eye", but does not save it from the loss of engagement felt by the end of this project. 'One Eyed Jack Part 3' feels disappointing in terms of narrative structure as it does not finish the story of the titular Jack nor tie the quest the listener has been on up to this point - though on one hand this concept may be fun to play with for future adventures with One Eyed Jack and adds to the fable energy of the album overall, as a stand alone closer it is anticlimactic. Overall, the standout elements of this project are Gus Englehorn’s prowess at lyricism and storytelling to music, building a fantasy world with just enough fun to draw listeners in and elements of creep that have listeners looking over their shoulder while they traverse. That creepiness is built wonderfully into the folk and vintage rock inspired sound that Englehorn works with, using haunting baselines and harmonies to add that edge to the sound. However, this is a story that feels unfinished in its narrative in places and the metaphors it uses sometimes do not go anywhere, while the commitment to that folk style sound means the project suffers from lack of impact in places where it would benefit from an all-in intro or a tone shift breakdown. The tracks in 'The Hornbook' should take pride of place in any chill day in nature or fantasy inspired tavern - beautiful stories that can fade into the background. 'The Hornbook' will be released on January 31st via Secret City Records. Words: Julia Brunton Photo: Kealan Shilling

Norfolk duo Kulk have a great band name. Not only does it look good in a funky metal logo, it also works nicely for size on a show poster, sounds very satisfying to say, and - perhaps most importantly - is based on their mutual love of Home Alone, and the actor who plays Kevin, a certain Macauley Culkin. They are of course far more than their love of the cheeky Christmas classic, as the East Anglian pair have managed to weave the magic and mystery of their home into their music and live shows. Jade and Thom, the couple who make up Kulk, describe the band as "simultaneously an exploration of human suffering and an extension of our own relationship", and feel that their music is infected with love for people, even with its inherent heaviness and brutal power. The same goes for their last release, 2024's 'It Gets Worse' - the album is, in many varying ways, influenced by the county of Norfolk and the people within it, and the history woven into the fabric of life within it, but at its core 'It Gets Worse' is "a people record". Jade and Thom themselves are also people people, our interview with them at ArcTanGent Festival was a joy to partake in and we saw them a number of times across the weekend after the fact, and they always had a smile on their faces. Speaking of 'It Gets Worse', the duo's third album, it had been two and a half years between records, but more than half of that time was spent writing, rewriting, recording, and rerecording, until they were both happy with it, even if it meant "sacrificing some of the accessibility for a better record." However, one notable part not written by either is a guitar solo featuring Adam from the band Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs. Adam asked them if they'd have him on the album, and the two jumped at the chance - but couldn't manage to make studio time stick! Eventually, whilst out on the road together, he sat down in a green room backstage at a show in Ipswich and did ten takes of the solo straight into a PC. Thom took the recordings home, grabbed his two faves, panned them hard left and right and put them through some amps and plug ins and then the solo was done! The live response has also been excellent for the record, with fans singing the lyrics back to the band and showing proper recognition at different songs, which was a real first for the band - which leads wonderfully onto Kulk's next big adventure, recording a live set inside a recreation of an Iron Age house in Dorset, the Earth House. The pair already had a more primal and mystical feel than most bands, so to put them into a faithful recreation of a Saxon house provides a whole new level of mystical power to their live show. Featuring five previously released songs and one unreleased track, it's a hypnotic watch that will draw you in and leave you in a trance for the entire duration of the alluring, crushing performance. The connection between the two is clear to see, as is their connection to the house and the atmosphere within it. After the fact, they were predictably unable to say anything but positives about the entire experience - “Performing in a space like this was surreal, even with mics, cameras, drums and amps it still felt like we had traveled back in time. Every note and every snare was sublime, each minute we were there you considered the thousands of years that led to this point, insignificant and powerful simultaneously." The director, Ali White, also had plenty to say about the wonderful time spent there - “I knew we needed a band whose sound personified the Neolithic magic of the Earth House space - and Kulk were an obvious choice. Their hypnotic and brooding grooves are harnessed from elsewhere and we saw it unleashed in real time. Filming live sessions can be awkward in their intimacy but we were all united and acted as conduits for something powerful that day. What we witnessed happen in the space was a transcendent experience. It came together very easily, all we had to do was make sure we could capture it and I hope the video goes to show some of the energy that flows between these two unique artists, as individuals and as a unit. What you see is exactly as it happened, no overdubs, edits or camera tricks. It was a pleasure to collaborate with such a creative force and I won’t forget the mud walls vibrating any time soon.” With such a force of nature, it's never truly possible to predict what will happen next - but even though they are so primal and powerful, Kulk have managed to deftly and delicately work their way up the pile and will soon be right at the top. Kulk's Earth House Session will be released on YouTube on January 31st, via Earth House Sessions. Words: Jake Longhurst Photos: Kulk

What better way to kick off the new year than with a ferocious hardcore lineup at Manchester’s Gulliver’s? Nestled in the heart of the Northern Quarter, this quaint venue was the perfect setting for an adrenaline-fueled evening on a chilly January night. Opening the show were local supports WitchEater and Torn Between, both a welcome surprise given that neither band had been advertised as part of the lineup. First to take the stage were Liverpool’s WitchEater, whose intense blend of deathcore and hardcore immediately captivated the crowd. Their set was a spine-crushing assault from start to finish, effortlessly setting the stage for Torn Between’s equally thrilling performance. Their faster, thrashier take on hardcore got more two-steppers into the pit, while their skill as songwriters was evident in how their music played with space. Despite their intensity, they knew exactly when and how to tease a crushing breakdown with a brief moment of silence. Together, both acts did a phenomenal job of warming up the crowd, leaving them fired and ready for the main support, Divine Hatred. Following a brief changeover, Divine Hatred took to the stage, wasting no time pummelling the crowd with slamming riffs and pulverizing breakdowns that made the floor creak under the weight of their movement. The Sheffield-based five-piece immediately commanded the room, their ferocious opening sparking a wave of hardcore dancing and windmilling that didn’t let up for the duration of their set. As the pit continued to surge, one particularly energetic crowd killer marched around its edges. This added some extra intensity into the fray, with this energy peaking around the midpoint of their set. Divine Hatred stood out most for their thick, quaking guitar tone and their drummer’s blistering speed, creating a wall of sound that ricocheted throughout this intimate attic-style venue. Breakdowns came and went, each one hitting harder than the last, keeping the crowd fully engaged until the final moments of their set. After their exit, everyone eagerly waited to see how Wristmeetrazor would harness this newly established energy. When Wristmeetrazor finally took to the stage, their striking all black attire paired with touches of white makeup was immediately eye-catching. Their gothic aesthetic was perfectly suited to Gulliver's old-world charm, setting the tone for the dark performance that was yet to come. The crowd moved closer to the stage, and the pit was transformed into a slightly less hazardous space. This was to be expected with their sound leaning more towards screamo-infused metalcore opposed to Divine Hatred's spin-kicking hardcore. That being said, Wristmeetrazor's music was no less emotive, as was quickly demonstrated after they launched into their opening track, 'Turn On, Tune In, Drop Dead.' What stood out most was the sheer energy and commanding stage presence Wristmeetrazor brought to their performance, with each member of the band giving it their all, owning every inch of the stage. Before long the American five piece had ripped through four tracks all pulled from their latest record, Degeneration, retaining the energy that divine hatred had worked so hard to establish. The second half of their set featured a few deeper cuts from some of their previous albums, most notably the song ‘Last Tango in Paris’ that they created in collaboration with ‘Knocked Loose.’ Before leaving the stage, vocalist Justin Fornof took a moment to praise the UK’s Northern hardcore scene, expressing his admiration for the standout performances by WitchEater and Torn Between. With that, another night of explosive moshing was concluded, as the crowd spilled out into the chilly January night. Words: Josh Bicknell Photos: Kieran Atkinson

It’s Friday night at Birmingham’s O2 academy and we are witnessing Welsh pop-punk rockers - Neck Deep, et al., perform on the first night of their sold out Dumbstruck Dumbfuck 2025 UK tour with supports The Wonder Years and One Step Closer. Charged with the all-important duty of kicking off the proceedings and setting the pace on this opening night of a much-anticipated tour, are Pennsylvania’s - One Step Closer, a band who have been making waves since their inception in 2016 and are tonight delivering their brand of melodic hardcore punk. Their presence is masterful; commanding the crowds attention from the moment they took the stage. The band’s aggressive style and raw energy quickly got the crowd moving. Vocalist ​​Ryan Savitski tantalizingly barked, “Don’t be a fucking pussy!” before they tear into “Blur My Memory”, with some of the crowd feeling hedonistically compelled to dive into the pit. One Step Closer's distinct sound blends traditional hardcore elements with a more modern edge that gives their music an emotional punch while still maintaining that intense, all-important energy. Their set comprised songs relating to emotional themes of alienation, self-doubt, and personal growth; all delivered in a fast, heavy, and aggressive musical style. It was clear that these sensual elements resonated deeply with the crowd whilst monitoring their animated facial contortions as they vehemently sang along. Tracks like "Leap Years" and "Dark Blue" showcased the band’s ability to build anthemic choruses during the breakdowns, and it didn’t take long for the crowd to get behind them, moshing and shouting along to every word. One Step Closer showed their natural prowess in owning the stage, rousing the crowd, and suitably creating the buzz that remained throughout the show. Next up, another Pennsylvanian band, active since 2005. The Wonder Years, a band known for their emotive, storytelling lyrics and their ability to balance personal introspection with a roisterous, punk-rock sound. The boys took Neck Deep on their first ever pop-punk tour back in 2013, Lead singer Dan Campbell beamed throughout with a massive grin calling on Birmingham to sing with him. Talking between songs about the inspiration behind some of the band’s lyrics, making the performance feel like a shared experience rather than just a concert. One of the standout moments was the band’s performance of "I Just Want to Sell Out My Funeral", which felt almost anthemic, with everyone in the venue shouting the chorus in unison. The crowd’s reaction was a testament to how well The Wonder Years connects with their fans. The band’s set was a masterclass in pacing and emotional range, shifting from moments of raw intensity to quieter, more reflective songs that allowed the crowd to catch their breath before diving back into the chaos. The joy in the room spikes with eager anticipation as multi-award winners Neck Deep finally take to the stage, bouncing out to the tour's nominal track “Dumbstruck Dumbfuck” as they work the stage, confetti cannons mark the start of a night of celebration. Since their self-titled album dropped last year, Neck Deep have kept themselves very busy, not least trekking across Europe on Sum 41's final stint. From the moment the lights went down the venue was filled with the sound of thousands of voices singing along to every word, and the connection between the band and the crowd was electric. Frontman Ben Barlow made sure to engage with the audience, constantly thanking them for their support and interacting with fans throughout the set. After their classic, balladic but heavy “December”, they come back with a mighty encore, spanning three belters, finishing off with fan favourite “In Bloom”. With all the energy and enthusiasm you’d expect from one of pop-punk’s biggest acts, the band’s mix of catchy hooks, heartfelt lyrics, and high-energy punk-rock sound made for a perfect headliner, and they delivered one of the most exciting and electric performances of the night. Fans left knowing they had witnessed something special, a night that perfectly captured the spirit of punk rock. Each band brought their own unique flavour to the table; creating a diverse yet cohesive show that kept the crowd engaged from start to finish. Whether it was One Step Closer’s hardcore aggression, The Wonder Years’ emotional storytelling, or Neck Deep’s anthemic punk-rock, the show delivered in every way. Words and Photos: Kieran Atkinson

Making animals of their crowds, the supergroup ‘Better Lovers’ have stormed through Manchester on their UK tour with unrelenting force. Endless amounts of crowd surfers even when the band wasn’t playing is a testament to the energy of the band that they bring to each sweat-soaked show they play. Exploding onto the stage with ‘Lie Between The Lines’ the boys immediately made sure they got up close and personal despite the barricade with plenty of visits to the barricade and of course on top of the crowd. Greg Puciato turned said crowd into a choir for the chorus of ‘Sacrificial Participant’ Each member of ‘Better Lovers’ demonstrated incredible crowd work with everyone attending hanging onto to every word, note and command of the stage, as demonstrated by guitarist 'Jordan “Goose” Buckley’ standing on a monitor turned upwards screaming, “CIRCLE PIT, CIRCLE PIT!” into Puciato’s microphone. For a band that began playing with only one original song written and now touring their first album, ‘Highly Irresponsible’, the hype is very real with this collection of veterans in the rock and metal circuits. Adding to the marketing of the new albums vinyl and merch variants, the band had also teamed up with ‘spookyvibesfx’ to release a ‘Better Lovers’ themed Night Terror Overdrive guitar pedal that was used on the recordings of the album. A chance for guitarists to have the beautiful and vibrant artwork of ‘Highly Irresponsible’ on their boards, at least for those who got their hands on the limited run of them before they all very quickly sold out. The experience under the belts of all members of this outfit is apparent through the pin point accuracy of every note and tempo change, demonstrated incredibly through song eight of the set, ‘The Flowering’. Every song in the set felt like a test of the crowds endurance, with the only respite being fifteen seconds of the intro to ‘God Made Me an Animal’ an it’s calmer forty second bridge section. ‘Better Lovers’ are an all or nothing band that will try their very best to annihilate everyone in their vicinity. Following ‘Love as an Act of Rebellion’ all bets were off and it was time to rip into their debut single ’30 Under 13’, clearly a measure to finish off survivors of the set, and that they did. Crowd surfing was the only escape from the never-ending chaos of which there was an endless supply of from the first to last note Electrifying-chaos is an under statement to describe the nature of a ‘Better Lovers’ show. They definitely are a must-see band who are most likely going to have a long and exciting life ahead of them. Words: Andrew Magennis Photos: Nik Bryant

If you’re looking for a new fix of rockin' and rollin' hardcore metal, this up-and-coming band may be just what you're looking for! This collection of talents came together in 2019 - from bands such as Outcry Collective, Polar and Hildamay - and have been infiltrating the underground scene since 2022. The band have cultivated a heavy style that's in the vein of Every Time I Die, Beartooth and Underoath, and hit similar lyrical themes too. This EP covers a wide variety of concepts, from fighting your inner demons to the pressures of modern day life in an unforgiving society. The EP is comprised of 6 songs; the previously released 'To The Core', 'Under the Wire' and 'Two Of A Kind' to be accompanied by new songs 'Cut The Rope', 'Double Barrelled' and 'Which Way The Water Flows'. The EP kicks off hard and heavy with 'Cut The Rope', one of the brand new tracks to come with this EP. It showcases the band's genre and energy with a building mesh of distorted guitars and booming drums. The lyrics, sung by Steve Sitkowski, explore the themes of living in a broken society and how common people can band together in tough times, injecting an encouraging message to fight for what you believe in. The second song “To The Core” starts much faster, jumping straight into action, whilst the subject matter flips and becomes an homage to true rockstar tropes. As the chorus kicks in, an added layer of melodic harmonised vocals accompany the main raspy aggressive vocals, bringing a distinct difference to the last track. It's also worth noting an impressive scream from the main vocalist at around the two and a half minute mark, which is one of the stand out moments on the EP. 'Under The Wire' opens with an addictive guitar riff as well as bringing back the more melodic side of the band, which is then followed by a section that's not quite rap metal, truly showcasing the band's versatility just in the opening moments. The lyrics of this song discuss the personal demons that an individual might face, and the members have stated before how they'd like to help listeners expel their personal demons as they strive to do this themselves through songs just like this one. Next on the roster is 'Double-Barrelled', which follows the themes of the last song but with a much more melodic chorus that's reminiscent of early Don Broco albeit with much more distorted instrumentals and an added layer of screaming that blend together very pleasantly. 'Two Of A Kind' opens differently to the rest of the EP, with a more melodic style of screaming in the verses rather than the chorus, like they've opted for in the other tracks. For the chorus, the song then breaks up the beat that's absolutely perfect for headbanging, and you can almost see how a live show would look going into that chorus. The EP closes on the track 'Which Way The Water Flows', which certainly feels like it'll be the one with the most sticking power right now. The song comes in fast and heavy, then gradually builds into a chorus that will be stuck like glue in your head once you've finished listening, and you may even want to put it straight back on! Going into the chorus is an impressive drum fill from drummer Nick Jones, followed by a repeating phrase of guitar riffs leaving not an ounce of stillness in the instrumental. This chaos then slows down to a much calmer, borderline lo-fi guitar solo accompanied by synths for a slow outro to the EP. State Of You are absolutely a band to keep a watchful eye on going into 2025, their rise into the scene has been anything but slow and we expect they'll continue this through the year! To accompany the release of this EP, State Of You will also be hosting a release party at The Black Heart in London on January 25th. 'On A Knife's Edge' will be released on January 24th via Silent Cult. Words: Amy Smyth Photos: State Of You

The long dry January is almost over, and with it comes a new acoustic album from Pet Needs! After a fantastic year of touring following their February release of the album “Intermittent Fast Living”, this alt/punk four piece from Colchester, Essex took themselves away to the tiny Welsh village of Borth along with Mike West to create an acoustic record of all their favourite tunes from their previous three albums. Featuring four songs from each title, this is as full of the bands personality as it gets. Starting with 'Outline' from their 2021 debut album 'Fractured Party Music', you are immediately introduced to an acoustic single that shows acoustic doesn’t have to mean slow and brooding, but can in fact take everything from a loud, punk perspective, unplug it and become a raw, vulnerable hit. The other singles from 'Fractured Party Music' are 'Scratch Card', which shows off some extraordinary guitar and banjo work, and later in the album comes a personal favourite from both that record and this album, 'Punk Isn’t Dead (It’s Just up for Sale)' which is already available to listen to on all the usual streaming platforms! This then flows seamlessly into the final song of the record, 'Overcompensating'. Before the mid-point, you’re treated to the single 'Ibiza in Winter' from their 2022 Frank Turner- produced album 'Primetime Entertainment', which slows down to give you something to sing along with at the top of your lungs. Completely changing the pace at the mid-way mark, there is 'Fear for the Whole Damn World', which may well be the most emotional song on the album. The lyrics are the stand-out throughout this song, complimented by the beautiful piano playing. This blends perfectly into 'Lost Again' where they pick back up the guitar and turn up the volume for an incredible start to the second half of the album. From their most recent record 'Intermittent Fast Living', the band chose to feature the single 'Fingernails' to really get you out your seat and up dancing. 'The Burning Building' has some guitar work which really needs to be commended alongside the passionate vocals from lead Johnny Mariott. The two other singles from 'Intermittent Fast Living' chosen by the band for this album are 'The Age That You Were' and 'Self-Restraint'. This album sums up the collective effort the group have put in over the last few years, whilst also giving them some breathing space to get creative and enjoy their own work in other ways. If you’re a fan already, you’re going to love what they’ve done with this, and if you’re new to Pet Needs, this is the perfect album to summarise their last 3 records and show you what they’re capable of. 'Kind of Acoustic' is out on January 24th via Xtra Mile Recordings. Words: Laura Hughes Photos: Pet Needs