Coming a little later than usual, here’s the Out Of Rage March preview! We’ve still got bags of awesome gigs happening over the next month or so, have a read to see what might interest you! First up is the almighty Skindred, who are roaming the UK this weekend in pursuit of selling out not their first arena as a headline band! Having been staples of the UK live music circuit for two decades and counting, it’s a beautiful moment to see a band so loved get to finally take that next step and cement themselves onto the next echelon. Having already sold out both Manchester and Birmingham, the London Wembley Arena show is not far behind, so any ‘Dred fans who somehow haven’t got a ticket need to get that train booked to the Big Smoke and get your T-shirts ready for the biggest indoor Newport Helicopter ever! Not the only brilliant metal tour of next weekend, Conan are taking Wallowing on a sightseeing trip around the UK with local support at every stop. Combining the battle-axe stylistics of Conan’s brutally heavy doom with the demented sci-fi beekeeping of Wallowing’s abrasive sonics, the need for earplugs is going to be high. However, that should not stop anyone from going to see this exquisite tour lineup, as both bands are masters of their craft and excellent live performers to boot. Combine that with some stellar local acts and you’ve got yourselves an amazing night of crushing live metal that will not disappoint. To top off next weekend’s craziness, Hitchin’s own queer hardcore band and dear friends of ours Death Goals will be playing their only headline show of the year on Sunday 17th at Camden’s Black Heart in order to raise funds for Mermaids, a charity supporting trans and non-binary children and young people. Joining them on the lineup is the devastating one-two pairing of Good Cop and Victim Unit, two other queer bands penning riotous heavy music. The show is guaranteed to cause absolute chaos and if you are even remotely into your hardcore then you need to be in attendance. Get to the Black Heart this Sunday to see some awesome bands and support our trans and non-binary youth! For a slightly less intense, but no less fun show, the legendary DragonForce are making a return to us. Playing a coheadlining tour with Amaranthe, and being supported by Infected Rain, it’s the kind of tour that’ll have your fist in the air and head swinging back and forth whilst plastering the silliest grin possible right into the middle of your face. Aside from the Guitar Hero 3 infamy of Through The Fire And Flames, the bands have a huge back catalogue of brilliant music that is just waiting for tons of quite tipsy Brits to sing along in not so perfect harmony. Upping the intensity once more will be deathcore heroes Carnifex, who are taking a long weekend trip to visit our little country for a brief jaunt around the place. Rounding out the rest of what is a very heavy bill is Aborted, Revocation, and Vexed! All four bands bring something a little different to the table, with Vexed’s nu metally bounce being the most left field on this tour, whilst Revocation have a more progressive style of death metal compared to Aborted’s more technical and grinding style, and Carnifex’s blackened deathcore sound is a whole separate beast here. If you want maximum chaos, this is a tour you won’t forget quickly. For something that covers the punkier side of things, at the end of the month Manchester Punk Festival will be happening in, of all places, Manchester! Between the 29th and 31st of March, across seven of Manchester’s best small gig venues, there will be a slew of amazing artists playing all sorts of different styles of punk. Such bands as The Bar Stool Preachers can keep you smiling and bouncing with upbeat ska vibes, Witch Fever will get you headbanging to their uniquely grungy and Sabbathian version of punk, and incaseyouleave will give you all the room you need to scream and cry to their delicately powerful emo punk whilst Ikhras will pummel your eardrums into submission with some of the best new hardcore you’ll have heard in this country. Last on our preview for this month is the upcoming Dream State tour, which is happening from the end of this month into the beginning of next all the way through to the middle of April. They’re taking the sensational Graphic Nature with them around the UK, and they’re stopping almost everywhere other than London, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see them! Both acts will put on an awesome show, and the melodic Dream State will be a brilliant foil to their heavier nu-metally support. Words: Jake Longhurst Cover Photo: Kayleigh Fryer

As one of the founding fathers of heavy metal, Judas Priest should need no introduction to anyone in the alternative scene. Continuing to evolve throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s with smash hits like ‘Breaking The Law,’ ‘Electric Eye’ and ‘Painkiller,’ the band have cemented their legacy and then some. It’s astounding, then, that a group with nothing more to prove still sound so impassioned and dedicated on their 19th studio album, ‘Invincible Shield.’ Despite the band’s pre-release comments that their next output would be a more progressive outing for the group, fans should feel right at home with ‘Invincible Shield.’ Throughout its 53-minute runtime, Halford and company harken back to the best and brightest moments of their long and storied career, catering to any and all Judas Priest enjoyers. Fans of 1990’s ‘Painkiller’ should be pleasantly surprised by the return of aggressive thrash riffs and fry screaming on tracks like ‘Panic Attack,’ or ‘As God Is My Witness,’ while casual listeners may prefer more classic cuts like ‘Devil In Disguise’ or ‘Sons of Thunder.’ Thankfully, these sounds are still as exciting today as they always have been as slick modern production and shockingly strong performances keep the album sounding both polished and frantic every step of the way. Whether it be Halford’s soaring lead vocals, Tipton’s ever-impressive lead guitar work or Travis’ thunderous percussion, every member of the band could be mistaken for a counterpart 30 years younger. That’s not to say, however, that Priest are resting on their laurels with this one. ‘Escape From Reality,’ with its doom metal adjacent riffs and monstrous chorus, feels pulled straight from a Black Sabbath album, though Ozzy would surely have struggled to hit the high-notes that Halford continues to nail at 72 years old. The record’s epic closer ‘Giants in the Sky’ is similarly intrepid for the band, incorporating more blues-based scales and a personal lyrical theme. The metal gods may have little left to prove in 2024, but their continued dedication to evolving their sound is admirable and shines through on every track. ‘Invincible Shield’ sounds like Judas Priest’s victory lap as they celebrate their legacy and impact while continuing to look into the future of the very genre they helped pioneer. If this turns out to be their last album, it will have been a worthy - even wondrous - conclusion to their legendary story. Words: Jay Kirby

Finnish nu-metal band Blind Channel are back with their 5th LP, ‘EXIT EMOTIONS.’ Fusing elements of pop and hip-hop into a more alternative sound, the group found rampant success with their previous record, ‘Lifestyles of the Sick & Dangerous’ and its Eurovision single ‘Dark Side.’ Less than two years later, this new album continues to solidify the group as a force to be reckoned with. Blind Channel make a statement on the opening track ‘WHERE’S THE EXIT,’ urging the listener to ‘get the fuck up right now;’ with overdriven guitar riffs and a gigantic chorus, the song makes this a very easy command to obey as they kick the album off strong. None of the cuts on ‘EXIT EMOTIONS’ ever outstay their welcome— even the longest song fails to break the four-minute mark— but instead speak of a band who have refined their rage-fuelled, hook-centred style of songwriting into a filler-free experience. 3rd single ‘DEADZONE,’ as a prime example, mixes claustrophobic trap beats and rapping in with a chorus sure to get entire arenas singing along, and does so with the confidence of a group on the rise. ‘EXIT EMOTIONS’ may not be a sweeping reinvention of the band’s sound, but it hardly needs to be as tracks like ‘XOXO’ and ‘KEEPING IT SURREAL’ keep things fresh, modern and all-around exciting. That’s not to say that every creative decision throughout the album’s blistering 35-minute runtime is a success. ‘NOT YOUR BRO,’ with its oddly-placed synthesised vocal samples and half-hearted breakdown, stands as a notably weak addition to a generally consistent album. The record also teeters on the edge of melodrama at times, with the Nickelback-esque hard rock riffs of ‘HAPPY DOOMSDAY’ and the heavy-handed lyricism of lead single ‘FLATLINE’ bringing the second half of the album down a touch. These criticisms are, however, only minor blemishes on what is otherwise an extremely polished and electrifying release in the nu-metal sphere. While ‘EXIT EMOTIONS’ hardly reinvents the wheel, it sure does keep it turning fast and pointed somewhere exciting. The group have continued to use their performances at Eurovision and Download as a springboard, delivering a record sure to please any fans of the genre. Vocalist Niko Vilhelm claims that “it’s this feeling of never being enough is what drives us forward.” With this new release, it’s safe to say they can finally lay those fears to waste. Words: Jay Kirby Cover Photo: Christian Ripkens

Coming straight out of the very same area of the world that birthed Knocked Loose, Louisville’s Volcandra are bringing fantasy styled blackened melodeath to the eardrums of all who will listen. Their second album ‘The Way of Ancients’ flicks through the whole lexicon of metallic sounds, with soaring, epic moments that feel like flying, icy licks and screams, and rivetingly heavy moshpit-guaranteed riffs. Those epic moments start off right out the gate, with the very first song ‘Birth Of The Nephalem’ introducing the album with an almost jubilantly heavy sound. With lyrics about characters and lore from the Diablo games, the band are leaning heavily on the fantasy side here, and any fans of swords and/or sorcery in their metal will be able to get their fill here very easily. The song comes out to a good and healthy five minute run time, which is a pretty regular length across the album, but that time goes by quickly with the enjoyment felt through each riff, growl, and set of blast beats. Lead single ‘Fouled Sanctity’ follows, which immediately gets to grips with putting a grotesque look on the face of the listener as a series of gruesome riffs whirl through the song, and the band have said as much - “We chose ‘Fouled Sanctity’ as the first single because it takes no time cutting to the chase. From the very first riff you know you’re in for a ripper.” They don’t hold a single punch with this one, and the lyrics paint a suitably nightmarish picture too, with plagues and razed buildings featuring amongst all sorts of wicked tales. ‘Nemesis Confession’ took up the baton with further aggression being shown off across the next five minutes, including some of vocalist Dave Palenske’s most visceral screams across the whole record. Lyrically carrying on similarly to the previous song, the fantasy setting and twisted imagery convey a depraved atmosphere that perfectly matches with the music underneath it all. As the song fades into the next, ‘Maiden Of Anguish’, the story of her rise and subsequent defeat weaves over yet more brutal metal. Whilst there are no individually weak parts in this track, its placement in the album makes it feel a little more forgettable due to the fairly similar sound of this song to the ones before and after it, although that is not to say each song doesn’t stand up of its own accord. ‘Seven Tombs’ follows, and marks itself out by taking its time over the intro before breaking back to this well-established sound of blackened melodeath, even though it has the shortest run time on the album. With each song being a new step in the journey of this album, this feels like the post-dilemma quest in a movie and progresses the story whilst still staying true to the lyrical style employed elsewhere. Track six is ‘The Blackened Temple’ takes a little more of that epic feel, and by the end feels like a sprawling expanse of a song. With rolling riffs and pummelling drums all under guttural lyrics, even though this song is just over four minutes long, it is a brilliant example of what this band can accomplish. The penultimate track on the album is ‘Not Even Death’, which has all manner of diabolical lyrics and punishing riffs. Many individual moments here wouldn’t sound out of place next to Cryptopsy, whilst others have been dragged straight from the depths of ‘90s Norway. The final song on the album is the title track, and clocking in at almost eight minutes long it is the longest piece on the album. Mixing all the black metal and death metal influence they’ve showed off thus far with even more melodies, this song feels not too far from Iron Maiden in their heyday with a galloping pace, uplifting melodies, and fantastical lyrics. Make no mistake, there aren’t any operatic Bruce Dickinson-esque wails to be found, but the Volcandra apple has not fallen too far from the Iron Maiden tree here. Volcandra should be immensely proud of the despicable sonics they’ve concocted here. Icy black metal, technically astute melodeath and classic heavy metal stylistics meld brilliantly across what is an incredibly listenable album. There might be a little fat left that could have been trimmed, but even that still melts in the mouth to leave a satisfying taste and certainly doesn’t upset the whole experience. ‘The Way of Ancients’ comes out on March 1st via Prosthetic Records. Words: Jake Longhurst Photo: Patrick Ballard

Edinburgh husband and wife duo Hand Of Kalliach released their debut album to seemingly deaf ears - what was a stunningly beautiful album full of deft riffs, haunting melodies and a wonderful blend of heaviness with Gaelic folk music went sadly almost unnoticed by a lot of the heavy music world. For album two, John and Sophie have levelled up and now have the backing of LA's Prosthetic Records to help them reach the audience they deserve. 'Corryvreckan', the title of the album, is taken from the whirlpool that lies somewhere in the Western Scottish isles where the goddess Kalliach (or Cailleach) lives. To signal the coming of winter, she arises from her slumber to wash off her plaid and casts it across the land in it's new bright white. This is intrinsically linked to the festival Samhainn, which is the title of the bands first release. Album two weaves the Scottish folk tales into songs that can put you into a trance as you're affixed by their beauty, yet in a mere moment erupt into a maelstrom, ripping your breath away and leaving you in awe of their sheer power. Kicking off the album is a perfect example of this glorious juxtaposition that the duo are already masters of. 'Three Seas' allows the beautiful folk influence to set the scene, as the lyrics introduce those titular three seas at the corner of which Corryvreckan is found, where Kalliach is gradually rising from the depths of the sea to make herself known and spread her cloak over the land as snowfall. The instrumentals are entrancing, John's guitar work is splendid alongside his drumming, and Sophie makes light work of the bass. However, the pair shine most when the vocals come to the fore - both of them have exquisite control over two wildly different vocal styles as Sophie has one of the most beautifully haunting and ethereal singing voices I've heard, and John can summon a gruff roar fit for the battlefields of the Celts and Picts that counterbalances Sophie perfectly, giving them a ridiculously broad range of sounds between the pair. Following up from the certifiably epic album opener is 'Fell Reigns', which lyrically continues from the previous song but keeping up a more consistently heavy sound throughout, where the third song 'Dìoghaltas' is a song of vengeance sung predominantly in Gaelic. Song four 'Cirein-cròin' showed off a side to the band that wasn't so obvious on album one, with an almost Amon Amarth-esque style of melodeath happening that does rear its head again later in the album, fitting the theme of the song as Cirein-cròin is the name of a Scottish sea beast that shares some similarities with the Norse Jormungandr. This sense of musical evolution through the album is phenomenal, as each song has its own identity whilst all still satisfying the Hand Of Kalliach manifesto, that being their unique brand of folky melodeath with vastly differing vocals and Gaelic inspired lyrics. Now we reach the midpoint of the album with 'Deathless', the fifth track of nine. Sung from the perspective of an onlooker witnessing Kalliach's ascent before being dragged into Corryvreckan's gaping maw, all to a soundtrack of riffy melodeath. 'The Hubris of Prince Bhreacan' shares the same Amon Amarth-esque sensibilities but with a tale of pride and hubris, with a mortal man taking one step too far and finding himself at the bottom of the sea, wedded to Kalliach and becoming one with the rocks she lies within. His name is tied to the whirlpool, as the Gaelic name for the watery feature is Coire Bhreacain or 'the cauldron of the plaid'. Seventh comes 'Unbroken You Remain' which precedes the penultimate, and shortest, track on the album 'The Cauldron'. Track seven has lyrics that may or may not relate to the Prince on the song before, but can definitely be taken as an uplifting song, and when in a dark moment could catch you unawares with their deceptively irresistible power. As alluded to earlier, the whirlpool is referred to as the cauldron frequently, and track eight once more returns to the rise of the wintry witch goddess through the cauldron to bring about the change of the seasons, in under three minutes of thrilling Gaelic metal. The most powerful track on the album is unquestionably the final song 'Of Twilight and the Pyre' - instantly instilling a sense of wonder from the delicately plucked strings of the introduction, and more of Sophie's haunting vocals singing about the coming of winter once again, as a primal drumbeat enters below the gentle sounds of strings and singing. John joins the fray with both guitars and voice at roughly the halfway mark and bolsters the song taking it from a beautiful lullaby feel to a muscled up chant, almost ritualistic in its hypnotic nature. Hand Of Kalliach have outdone their lofty standards with 'Corryvreckan'. Their sophomore album is rife with gorgeous melodies, intoxicating soundscapes, and stunningly written lyrics. Whether on your first listen or your tenth, there will be something else hidden within this wonderful new release for you to uncover, as you dig your way into the sonic world that has been woven here. 'Corryvreckan' comes out on February 23rd 2024 via Prosthetic Records. Words: Jake Longhurst Photo: Matthieu Gill

On the last day of the year, Out Of Rage gave to me a wonderful Manchester gig. Headlined by local grunge/post-hardcore band BLYTHE, supported by Wigan’s Shrouded, and openers Tape It Shut providing fast paced political punk rock from Reading. In Manchester’s Northern Quarter, the perennially punk venue Aatma served perfectly for an evening of raucous guitar tone, screaming about the government, and enjoyment of amazing music. Tape It Shut walked on stage at twenty to seven, opening their set with a spoken word piece before realising a guitar wasn’t plugged in right! With what came to be some fairly trademark humour, they made light of it and blasted into their first song - one thing that linked each and every track they played was an innately political tone, whether overtly calling out the government or more subtle use of lyrical themes. Blasting through a healthy tracklist in about 40 minutes, the band were a jolt of energy and immensely enjoyable to watch! Mixing in queerness, anti government rhetoric, punk rock and fun made their show a brilliant way to start off the event. Up next were the much more local Shrouded, from neighbouring Wigan rather than leafy Berkshire. With a sound that draws heavily on both Deftones and Royal Blood, they mixed grungy tones with lightning riffs and licks, and incredibly powerful vocals from singer Matt Barber. Largely sticking to the aforementioned sound, they did change tack to a more melancholic song midway through that had a more nuanced sound and showcased their songwriting ability through its restraint. An excellent outing for the Wigan outfit, they impressed everyone and will definitely be ones to watch for the local scene. Finally we were greeted with the sounds of Manchester’s BLYTHE. If Alice In Chains were female fronted and had a little more post-hardcore influence, then you’d have a pretty good estimate for how BLYTHE sound. Having seen none of the three acts playing on the night I was naturally reserved on how good the show might be, but all three smashed it, and BLYTHE as headliners did a stunning job. With harsh vocals and driving drums, the band powered through a hypnotic set, finishing with their two released singles ‘Aphid’ and ‘Mannequin’ before saying their goodbyes. The evening had been a smash, and after many drinks and enjoying our New Years Eve, we all went home with the kind of grin you can only get after seeing amazing live music. Words: Jake Longhurst Cover photo: Kayleigh Fryer

What a brilliant year for music- 2023 has come up with some amazing albums and we wanted to share with you our favorites. As it is approaching the end of the year, it is time to do what everyone else does and write a list to be perused, and judged, by everyone else who does exactly the same thing. These albums have been nominated by you, and then editorially ranked with lengthy discussions, numerous voting rounds and luckily no arguments (…yet) Here are the actual top 20 albums of 2023. Our list is obviously the best one because we wrote it. 20. Burner - It All Returns To Nothing One of the finest heavy debuts in a long while, London’s Burner have not pulled a single punch. ‘It All Returns To Nothing’ is a stellar piece of work, mixing death metal with hardcore and little bits of metalcore to create one singular chaotic, angular, aggressive vision that is at violent, impactful, and thoroughly enjoyable. [JL] 19. Killing Me Softly - Autumn Lost in Silence The latest addition to our list comes from heavy hitting newcomers Killing Me Softly. Released at the start of December this debut was sure to throw all album of the year lists off course. There will be a lasting impression from this album as it demonstrates the musicianship of those who created it and is a monument to the craft of hardcore music. Melodic components serve to stir up the aggression that comes naturally with their style of music. This should be on the radar of deathcore fans as much as their targeted hardcore community. It is a bold and thrilling album that features moments of enchanting despair interspersed with cathartic screaming. Definitely a band to keep your eye on. [DU] 18. As Everything Unfolds - Ultraviolet As Everything Unfolds ‘Ultraviolet’ is an album brimming with grinding riffs and pulverizing vocals that still somehow finds space for uplifting, celestial choruses. The South Buckinghamshire band have given the world even more reasons to believe the hype surrounding them, not that any more were needed. They’ve grabbed the attention of the scene and showed everyone that female-fronted metal is the future, and that the future is now. [AL] 17. Carly Rae Jepsen - The Loveliest Time Carly Rae Jepsen has done it again, blowing everyone else out the water. ‘The Loveliest Time’ is intrinsically linked to her previous LP ‘The Loneliest Time’ and serves as something of a B-sides album. Don’t let the term B-sides fool you though, because this album is incredible as a stand-alone release. Carly’s B-sides are more comprehensive than the majority of pop artists at their best - she is a pop goddess, and has yet again proved why she has earned that title. [AL] 16. VEXED - Negative Energy When VEXED released ‘Negative Energy’, it exploded out with the power to cause serious collateral damage to anyone within earshot. After the release of their debut ‘Culling Culture’ in 2021, they took that hate to the next level with thick intricate riffs and chunky demonic screams. This album has the most brutally honest lyrics of the year, putting a knife to nepotism, mental health and trauma in the most cathartic way possible. [AB] 15. ten56. - Downer The success of ten56.’s debut ‘Downer’ comes down largely to how they dominated the live music scene this year. One of the most addictive and exciting bands touring at the moment, they are guaranteed to get one of the biggest and most inviting pits of any festival weekend. Their sound is deep and dangerous, their vocals incredible, and they are absolutely one to watch. [AB] 14. Dying Wish - Symptoms Of Survival Coming late in the year, at the beginning of November, Dying Wish had a lot of brilliant releases to compete with in order to squeeze into any end of year lists. Lucky for them that they managed to provide us with a half an hour offering of hardcore that is awash with pain and suffering, and yet also full to the brim with the stubbornness to survive, and the strength to carry on. ‘Symptoms Of Survival’ is full of exactly that, and if Dying Wish keep writing like this they will do far more than just survive. [JL] 13. Code Orange - The Above Code Orange are in need of no introduction, however for a band who seem to always be lumped into one category they have a very consistent pattern of sonic evolution. Their latest LP does exactly this, as it takes a hard left turn away from the maximalist production and electro drenched hardcore soundscapes of 2020’s stunning Underneath to become a more subtle, back to basics album. That said, this is an unbelievable release with massive change throughout, allowing the entire band to flex their creative muscles in all manner of new and interesting ways. ‘The Above’ is yet another brilliant example of why Code Orange are a cut above. [JL] 12. Pupil Slicer - Blossom Extreme metal bands and nerdiness have long gone hand in hand, but rarely in such an artistically powerful statement. ‘Blossom’ was written with Final Fantasy XIV at the heart of it, and amongst the most obvious examples of this is the song entitled ‘The Song at Creation’s End’ - directly referencing Hydaelyn’s words during her trial. Musically, the album jumps from abrasive grindcore to ethereal dream pop and hits almost everything in between the two at some point, with the band doing justice to every single genre they have used. Pupil Slicer’s ‘Blossom’ is without doubt an extreme metal masterclass. [JL] 11. JPEGMafia, Danny Brown - Scaring The Hoes ‘Scaring The Hoes’ presents the most dangerous and the most off-the-wall collaboration from JPEGMafia and Danny Brown. This album is unpredictable - sonically, it provides a minefield of wicked sampled sounds, a collage of everything the GTA6 soundtrack needs to be. This album provides an insight into the twisted and cultural genius of the future of rap. [AB] 10. Squid - O Monolith Post punk with a jolt of OK Computer-esque sonics, ‘O Monolith’ is a delightfully emotive and connected piece of music. The LP takes in a huge array of sounds and let’s each take shape whenever feels right, ranging from grunge to Latin to conventional pop. For an eclectic, free flowing, provocative and meaningful listen, no need look any further than Squid’s most recent album. [JL] 9. Sleep Token - Take Me Back To Eden From the darkness came ‘Take Me Back To Eden’, an alluring triumph from heavy music enigma Sleep Token. A eulogy to pain and pleasure, ascending the band into global stardom this year upon its release. Dominating award season this year and pushing the capabilities of both the band and the genres it is associated with, this record is a masterclass that calls out to the void, and in return the universe has screamed back. [AB] 8. Buggin’ - Concrete Cowboys With their UK debut at Outbreak Festival this year, hardcore partycrashers Buggin’ tell you how it is straight from the pit. Fast paced, fun and looking for a fight, ‘Concrete Cowboys’ is for anyone who needs to let off some steam. A perfect album to two-step in the living room to with no judgment. [AB] 7. Drain - Living Proof In May, Drain unleashed 25 minutes of pure rage and fun. Living Proof establishes itself as a record that is instantly captivating with furious and complex grooves that appeals to both hardcore fans and the wider metal community. Despite it being a textbook hardcore album there’s an element of joy running throughout. [DU] 6. END - A Sin Of Human Frailty Hardcore supergroup END brought out an onslaught of raw, unfiltered emotion and intensity with The Sin of Human Frailty. There is definitely a feeling of unease and fear. With a blend of industrial, brutal death metal, and hardcore, END has a sense of darkness that many other artists in their genre lack. This is definitely not an album for the weak of heart. The band delivered a sonic assault from start to finish. With unrelenting speed and aggression, beats and crushing riffs, insanely chaotic and intricately composed guitar parts, it's a combination of various influences from members' past works in the metal and hardcore communities resulting in an outstanding album. [DU] 5. Graphic Nature - A Mind Waiting To Die Nu metal is back and it’s better than ever. Combining the hooks and drop tuning of nu metal with the uncompromising attitude of hardcore, Graphic Nature’s latest is full to bursting with riffs, breakdowns, and all the heavy goodness you could want. Without overstaying its welcome, it shows the bags of potential that the band have, and also makes you want to get out the baggiest jeans possible and put on a red baseball cap. [JL] 4. Guilt Trip - Severance Bringing Manchester’s crossover sound to vivid life on their most recent full length, Guilt Trip have expertly fused beatdown, hardcore and more into a muscular album that pulsates with fury. Every second of ‘Severance’ makes you want to let every ounce of anger out in the largest moshpit you could possibly imagine. If their recent shows with Malevolence are anything to go off, they’ll be sending people to A&E with broken noses and bleeding eardrums for many years to come. [JL] 3. Svalbard - The Weight Of The Mask With ‘The Weight Of The Mask’, Svalbard have delivered a musical experience that will thrust you into a different astral plane. The intricate instrumentals are wrapped into an ethereal experience that alternates between angelic clean vocals and colossal screams. The album is extraordinarily heavy, not only musically but emotionally, and you can feel the pain in every second yet also the sense of hope that shines through each song. Svalbard have graced us with yet another masterpiece, that transcends our earthly realm. [AL] 2. Paramore - This Is Why Paramore’s ‘This Is Why’ presents a dazzling new era for the Nashville pop-rock trio. The album embraces anxiety to justify a cruel world backed by an uptempo beat. It is brooding, introspective and intensely powerful, capturing color in the chaos. This is the same Paramore that set the world on fire fifteen years ago, but the final ‘Riot’ from Hayley and the gang comes at a time when the world really needs a spark to bring them out of the post-pandemic darkness. [AB] 1. Jesus Piece - …So Unknown And finally, we’ve made it to the end of our list. Jesus Piece have created an album that brought together so many of our contributors in belief of its brilliance that it couldn’t have been any other choice. With the aggression of hardcore but the uncompromising heaviness of death metal, and a little bit of slam groove, ‘…So Unknown’ is an astounding offering from one of Britain’s best heavy bands that is a call to arms aimed at every single other even remotely hardcore oriented band, telling them to up their game. Jesus Piece are clearly at the forefront of British heavy music, and are more than deserving of the top spot on our list for this year. [JL] Jesus Piece take on Manchester's Canvas earlier this month. Photo: Nic Howells If you want to take a deep dive into our albums of the year, we have made a handy Spotify playlist. Cover photo: Nic Howells Writers: Amber Brooks, Alex Long, Jake Longhurst, Danika Ulrich Final Order Voting Panel: Amber Brooks, Kyrill Borzenko, Kayleigh Fryer, Alex Long, Jake Longhurst, Danika Ulrich

As an enormous fan of Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes, this is both a very easy and very difficult review for me. On the one hand, I will naturally have a tendency to sway in favour of them due to enjoying their stuff, but on the other I want to make this review as unbiased as possible. This will be my attempt at showing you my enjoyment as a fan, whilst keeping the review as fair as possible. Starting out, a song that the band debuted live many months ago during an excellent performance headlining 2000 Trees, is the song ‘Honey’. Starting the record off with a nice riffy hook, the band feel to be on fairly familiar territory here, as lead guitarist Dean Richardson deftly sends out lick after lick. However, the punk rocking sound abruptly fades as lead single ‘Man of the Hour’ comes next, and the melancholic piano lead jumps in. This seems to be the song to really start the theme of the album - in a variety of interviews, Frank has mentioned that this album is an incredibly personal project, believing it to be the first time himself and Dean have truly written an album for themselves rather than the fans or the events of the world. Having mentioned the death of the rockstar before, this song fits perfectly into a discussion of that very idea, whilst a haunting piano ballad writhes underneath every lyric. Photo: Brian Rankin The third song on the album is called ‘Can I Take You Home’ and embraces parts of both the previous songs. Combining the haunting feel and piano driven melody of ‘Man Of The Hour’ but bringing more of the riffs and sexiness of ‘Honey’, this already feels like an extremely cohesive album. Lyrically, there are yet more ongoing themes. The album title ‘Dark Rainbow’ feels ever present in all sorts of metaphors, phrases, and more, from the opening line “Stood in the sun, way after dark” of ‘Man of the Hour’ to “Lost in the night, just before dawn” in ‘Can I Take You Home’, there are constant references to light, darkness, and a plethora on colour too. To carry on discussing the song at hand, it is a plea to the subject of Frank’s desire, after having spent time together and whittled the hours away he would like to take them home, possibly for the last time, but that is purely hypothetical judging by the tone of the song. Suddenly, we take a sonic left turn into country americana territory, and not a moment too soon as we’ve reached a song entitled ‘American Spirit’. Clearly overflowing with a heavy blues influence, and even allowing for the occasional touch of cowbell, this is the sound of a band enjoying their influences and still painting on their own irresistible brand of sultry guitar music. Having fun seems to be at the centre of this song, with an upbeat feel and a chorus all about dancing, having a good time, and that titular “American spirit”. Shifting out of country and blues, into punk laced alt rock, we’ve reached song five ‘Happier Days’. This really feels like a song of yearning, all about the desperation of craving happiness out of life after seemingly years of being beaten down - chorus lyrics “Happier days are so hard to find... and I hope, I hope, that we’ve been through the worst” are all but spelling it out. Even with the punk feel of the song, there’s still room for a solemn break midway through to let you sit and just feel the mood of the track, before breaking out into the outro. ‘Brambles’ comes next, and as the other single we’ve had available for a while now, we’ve long become accustomed to Frank’s croon over Tom Barclay’s funky, rhythmic bassline. Telling a timeworn tale of how love leaves its brambles dug deep in your skin, and asking for love, it’s all too easy to hear the pain in Frank’s voice as he changes the end of the chorus from “I want love”, as it is the whole way through, to “I need love” at the very final pass. Then comes song seven, ‘Queen of Hearts’ has taken on that melancholy feel of earlier in the album and given it a more despairing undertone. With more piano, anyone reading who is yet to hear the album may be able to tell that this is by far the furthest the band have strayed from the sound they created on ‘Blossom’ and ‘Modern Ruin’. This doesn’t change in eighth song ‘Sun Bright Golden Happening’, which dials up the love factor and expresses the power of someone’s love through the beauty of nature, particularly the sun. Yet again, the parallels to the album title are felt through so much allusion to the light of the sun, and the spaces left without words. Reaching the final few songs shows a bit more of the sleaze factor coming into play now, as ‘Superstar’ tells about intertwining lovers before Frank asks the listener if they’ll “... let me be your superstar”. Getting grittier again, the guitars have been turned on and turned up for this and for penultimate song and single ‘Self Love’ which is as simple a title as you could ask for. The chorus says it how it is saying “If I ever fall in love again, let me love myself”. This feels arguably the most like it could have been on a previous album, with a sound that would fit in very nicely with almost anything off of ‘End Of Suffering’. However, this all changes for the last song. The title track is comfortably longer than any of the previous tracks, by at least a minute for all bar one. Instantly, I’m struck by one of the most bombastic non-guttural vocal performances we’ve heard from Frank Carter as of yet with soaring choruses, crooning verses, and a perpetual splash of wretched emotional pain streaking through the entire song. Telling the audience about “three little words” that come into mind in all sorts of situations, from “each goodnight kiss” to “when you look in my eyes” and when you “want me to stay”, these three little words are “all [he] know[s]”. Finishing the album with an emotive title track is exactly how they finished ‘End Of Suffering’ and this song does have a lot of the same DNA of that exact title track. Whilst we can only assume who the subject of those three little words may be, it seems well within the realms of possibility that Rose, Frank’s daughter, might well be the subject of this song too, although we won’t know without asking the man himself. As the song fades, we’re treated to a softly sung outro that almost could be a lullaby, before the very last lyric of the entire album that wraps up the entire experience - “A Dark Rainbow”. For an album as full of colour, darkness, pain, and recovery as this, the title fits as well as you could ever hope for. In making an album that felt like it was for them, Dean and Frank have given us an immaculate example of writing music that comes from within. Whilst not being chockful of breakdowns, screamed gutturals, dirty riffs and mosh material, ‘Dark Rainbow’ is a captivating listen that will echo around your head long after the last note has played out. Words: Jasmine Longhurst Photo: Brian Rankin

Words by Nika Ulrich Are you a big music lover but don’t want to be an artist? Long for the stage but definitely not a musician? A career as a band manager can be ideal for you if you have a strong interpersonal skill set and a passion for music. Artist management is well suited to socially adept and well organised people who can handle all the paperwork and negotiating needed to assist a band or artist in connecting with and finding its audience. A manager's job might encompass a wide range of responsibilities, from contract negotiations to marketing, so every day can be rewarding and challenging in different ways. An artist manager at the start of a bands career could be building their online and social media presence, putting them in touch with venues, radio stations and festivals. They assist in building the band's brand. The manager of the band searches for chances to record music by communicating with record labels or the studios themselves if the band are wanting to stay independent (like my band are). Having skills in a music background, web design, marketing or graphic design can be a helpful thing to have when you’re managing a band in the early stages of their career to develop their brand. You don’t have to do a degree in music management, I spent most of my career working in live events before deciding to take bands on. You’ll be surprised how much you can learn about helping an artists career thrive working elsewhere in the industry. Working at a venue can teach you what touring bands require and what represents a positive working relationship between a band and their manager. You can learn how music distribution operates and what drives people to purchase songs by working at a record store. Along with introducing you to musicians and other professionals, gaining experience in places like those can help you master fundamental marketing skills like website design, digital marketing, social media, and promotion. You can start interacting with artists if you are active in your local live music scene. Attending local shows regularly will introduce you to up and coming musicians without a manager and if you think you're the appropriate fit, you might be able to land your first act as manager. It is tiring work being on call 24/7, sometimes you’ll feel like what you’re doing is amounting to nothing. But, when you start to see the success form for your artist it will all be worth it. About Nika Nika currently works as a band manager in the North West. When she isn't assisting headline bands on stage at Download festival, she helps run gigs at The Live Rooms in Cheshire.