Pain can break you, shape you or become the raw material for something stronger. On The Pain Made Me Who I Am, Brazilian metalcore/deathcore force AXTY chooses the latter. Across 12 tracks, the band turns adversity, self-doubt, anger and resilience into an album that feels like controlled chaos. After steadily carving out a place for themselves over the last few years, AXTY releases their new opus through Napalm Records on August 21st. The band's own description of the album is perhaps the best place to start. AXTY explores how difficult emotions, adversity and pain can become foundations for growth and self-discovery. What makes this work is that the music never delivers that message in a neat or comfortable package. Instead, it is chaotic, abrasive, melodic and occasionally downright unhinged, full of highs and lows where you never quite know what is coming next. In that sense, the album becomes a fitting representation of life itself. From the first note, pain made me delivers exactly what its title promises. Dense, down-tuned guitar chugs collide with hip-hop samples, electronic touches and gritty production to create a heavy, industrial atmosphere with a futuristic edge. The vocals often sit behind the instrumentation, emphasising how important every element is to the track's cohesion. It is an unusual opening, but one that works. who I am comes out swinging and immediately establishes the album's identity. Early 2000s nu-metal influences add nostalgia to the aggression, while clean vocals and screams are carefully balanced against stop start structures and progressive touches. Then, just when everything seems serious, the unexpected The Office “God, no, please no” meme sample appears before an absolutely savage breakdown. Somehow, AXTY makes it work. Polyrhythmic deathcore passages collide with soaring metalcore melodies, while the drums occasionally resemble bursts of machine-gun fire. More than anything, the track feels like the band defining itself in real time. That willingness to mix seemingly incompatible ideas becomes one of the album's defining characteristics. dismay follows with an immediately catchy chorus, offering accessibility without becoming predictable, before selfish tears everything apart again. Manic guitars, sudden pauses, and thunderous drumming give the song an unstable momentum, while vicious screams push it into blackened deathcore territory. It is a perfect example of AXTY's controlled chaos approach. That balance between brutality and restraint becomes even clearer on everything is beautiful. After so much dense instrumentation, its unexpected acapella ending is striking. Everything disappears, leaving the vocals exposed and revealing just how much raw power Felipe Hervoso possesses. all I love turns that vocal versatility into one of the album's most entertainingly violent moments. The opening “Wait a minute” meme immediately signals that the band doesn't take itself too seriously, but underneath the humour is one of the record's strongest songs. Clean vocals create a memorable chorus before blistering drums with relentless double bass, erratic guitars and hypnotic rhythms explode into a wall of metallic violence. Even the additional sound effects somehow fit while some of the deepest screams on the album leave you needing a moment to process them. That ability to make brutality feel fun continues with closer. Hip hop and rap influences give the song a LIMP BIZKIT flavour, while its strained chorus brings an unexpected vulnerability. The final scream turns into an impressive vocal endurance test making us want to pull out our stopwatches. fragile and break continue the movement between melody and heaviness. On Break, sludge elements and dissonant guitars create a murky, uncomfortable atmosphere, making the instrumentation feel almost physically close. It adds another texture without disrupting the album's momentum. nothing but pain is another highlight. Rather than simply hitting at full force, the track builds tension like a band preparing a crowd for a mosh pit. Soaring vocals and heartbeat like drums keep the anticipation growing before everything slows down for the breakdown. When it finally lands, the impact feels even bigger. with me takes a more measured approach before gradually becoming increasingly sluggish and dragging, almost as if the music itself is struggling to keep moving. Everything culminates in end this, an appropriately bleak conclusion. AXTY has described it as one of the album's most pessimistic moments, centred around accumulated trauma, depression and intrusive, self-destructive thoughts. Alternative and nu-metal influences creep into the track, while its dissonant chorus creates an exhausted, dissociative atmosphere. The recurring “please end this” reinforces the sense of finality, while the opening line “so here we go again, another song about how I hate myself” acknowledges the cyclical nature of these thoughts. By its drifting, delirious conclusion, the album's central idea comes full circle. Pain has shaped the album but that does not necessarily mean it is being defeated by it. That is what makes The Pain Made Me Who I Am more compelling than any other heavy metalcore album. AXTY is not interested in making brutality their only selling point. Beneath the firestorm are pop melodies, infectious grooves, unexpected humour, vulnerable clean vocals and an impressive understanding of how to make an extreme song memorable. They may be one of those bands whose logo requires considerable dedication to decipher, but the music itself is surprisingly easy to connect with. Pain may have made AXTY who they are but on this album, they prove that they are still deciding what they want to become. Score: 9/10 The Pain Made Me Who I Am will be released on 21st August 2026 via Napalm Records. Words: Lysandre Pons Photos: Debora Camargo

At a time when queer voices have never needed be to heard louder, MANGO MANGO MANGO is continuing their charge with their latest album Cryptid Country, an album that speaks volumes in its striking messages and powerfully crafted instrumentals with barely a shout raised in its sensitive, richly low vocals. Hailing from Edinburgh, MANGO MANGO MANGO, created by Mags Gwynne, is a self-producing artist that refuses to stay in the lines of genres, blending EDM with alt and indie-rock into a unique outlet affectionately labelled as “cryptid-pop”. The heart of the music hasn’t changed though, with MANGO MANGO MANGO keeping the focus on queer identity and experiences, and Cryptid Country not only continues this thread but explores these subjects in the current society where it’s more oppressive and terrifying to simply live as yourself at no cost to the wider world. further and further from help is an immediate dive into the raw and distinctive techniques used, distortion giving way to theatrical synths, heavy panting, and the crush of bracken as MANGO MANGO MANGO fights for a clear path, dropping abruptly into a languid metronome and 80s synths and electronic drums under the lyrics “she’s looking for me”, beginning the subtle story of Cryptid Country that’s centred around a creature that replaces the artist but is unable to fully resemble their character, in a metaphorical display of “othering” that many in the LGBTQ+ community relate to. sick dog bursts in with distorted, aggressive guitar that pierces through the melancholy riffs and slow vocals periodically, a hint that it could shift into a fully-fledged rock track but continuously held back by Gwynne until the final minute of cinematic synths and riffs that explodes in power. dead name was one of the select tracks rolled out over the last year to unveil Cryptid Country, and it solidly represents the album in its message of queer identity and its musical approach of EDM rhythms and dramatic synth breaks as a monotone recording echoes out with “a person by name”. by a river mixes nature sound effects with gradually building synths, a technique heard in the album’s intro but this is the first full experimentation in the first of three interludes. let your guard down comes in with an undeniably indie sound that dances the line of sorrowful and upbeat, the only indication of the true emotion in the vulnerable lyrics “as much as I love you, I let my guard down”. Gradually building on the intro, Guts releases like a breath into Gwynne’s rich voice and clean guitar and builds back up again in volume and additional stacked instruments as Gwynne sneers at an unseen entity “you don’t have the guts like I do, to tell them all the truth”. quelle horreur steps away from the soft indie sounds back into EDM elements and steady beats as the vocals begin to layer over another and the POV seems to shift to the protagonist destroyed earlier in the story as they beg to be brought back to life. Second interlude starsong feels like a wordless lament of stirring guitar harmonies over a backdrop of echoing strings, descending into crashing drums and distorted howls. my enemy goes full throttle with a racing industrial beat and synth mix, fun to hear but somewhat drowning out Gwynne at first until they layer vocals at higher octaves and accentuate their lyrics against the undulating synthwaves. With a catchy, upbeat progression that feels almost anime-esque, lowpinklight is an interesting and enjoyable exploration of sound effects and staccato paces that doesn’t tie itself to one set genre or cadence, better to be appreciated as an experimental venture. Sirens fall into more of a video game sound effect pattern on recruit over Gwynne’s soft voice before it levels out to a consistent note and the vocals rise and fall in a show of emotional turmoil. dontwannathink’s opening bars feel like a tense 80s horror movie soundtrack with its heavy bass synth spitting at the pace of a racing heartbeat and Gwynne’s lone voice cutting through the near silence, until more synths and a beefier electronic beat combine to pad out the track as their vocals rise in pitch and desperation proclaiming “I don’t wanna think about it”. Ending out as a juxtapose to how Cryptid Country started, final track big coat begins with stripped back acoustic guitar and Gwynne’s fuzzed voice until it reaches the middle of the track and merges into a soundscape of hopeful synths and glitchy effects, one final experimentation to represent the chaotic feeling of knowing yourself in a world that others you. Score: 7/10 Cryptid Country will be released on 21st August 2026. Words: Julia Stark Photos: Isaac Reynolds

There is a sense of dislocation running through PHOEBE BRIDGERS' Lost Weekend. Not just the feeling of being lost, but the feeling of watching your life change around you while trying to understand where you fit within it. After six years away from releasing a solo album, PHOEBE BRIDGERS returns with a record that feels less concerned with providing answers and more interested in sitting with uncertainty. Across sixteen tracks, Lost Weekend explores grief, love, memory, identity and the strange process of becoming someone different without quite realising it is happening. Opening track The Outside immediately establishes the album's uneasy atmosphere. Rather than relying solely on the stripped-back arrangements that have become associated with PHOEBE BRIDGERS, the song introduces a more atmospheric sound, allowing electronic textures and layered production to sit alongside her familiar guitar-led songwriting. It feels deliberately distant, almost as though the listener is observing events from somewhere outside of them. That sense of separation becomes one of the album's defining characteristics. Lost Boys provides a more immediate introduction to the record's emotional world. The return of Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker adds another layer of familiarity, but the song never feels like a simple attempt to recreate BOYGENIUS. Instead, it feels like PHOEBE BRIDGERS acknowledging the relationships and experiences that have shaped her while continuing to move forward on her own. The result is nostalgic without becoming overly sentimental. One of the album's biggest strengths is its production. Lost Weekend is noticeably more adventurous than Punisher, with ambient textures, distorted guitars, orchestration and unusual sound design appearing throughout the record. PHOEBE BRIDGERS’ voice remains at the centre, but the arrangements often seem to exist around it rather than simply supporting it. Bobby is perhaps the clearest example of this. Its hazy, almost shoegaze-like atmosphere gives the song a dreamlike quality, while the contrast between the warmth of the instrumentation and the uncertainty within the lyrics makes it one of the album's most memorable moments. The Governor's Waltz takes this experimentation even further. Built around a haunting piano melody, the song feels almost like a fairytale being told from inside a dream. Its surreal imagery reflects the album's wider fascination with feeling disconnected from your own life. Rather than explaining exactly what PHOEBE BRIDGERS is experiencing, the song creates an atmosphere that allows the listener to inhabit that uncertainty themselves. If there is one track that best represents the emotional centre of Lost Weekend, it is Still Standing. The song captures the complicated relationship between grief and survival, recognising that continuing to exist does not necessarily mean having everything figured out. There is no dramatic declaration of having moved on. Instead, PHOEBE BRIDGERS finds something powerful in simply acknowledging that she is still here. The arrangement gradually grows around her, giving the song a sense of quiet optimism without ever abandoning the melancholy that defines the record. However, Lost Weekend is not without its weaknesses. Its commitment to atmosphere can occasionally work against it. At sixteen tracks and just over fifty minutes, there are moments where the record feels more like a continuous emotional landscape than a collection of individual songs. While this creates an impressive sense of cohesion, some of the shorter tracks towards the end can feel more like fragments than fully developed compositions. Never Going Back!, Other Plans and Lost Parade are interesting additions to the album's narrative, but their placement together slightly disrupts the momentum before the final run of songs. That final stretch, however, quickly restores the album's emotional weight. I Can't Wait feels both intimate and expansive, while As Above builds towards one of the record's most affecting moments. By the time Lost Weekend (Reprise) arrives, the album feels less like it has reached a conclusion and more like it has simply reached the point where PHOEBE BRIDGERS is ready to stop looking for one. The reprise gives the record a circular quality, suggesting that some experiences do not disappear simply because we have learned how to live with them. What makes Lost Weekend particularly compelling is that PHOEBE BRIDGERS does not attempt to recreate the success of Punisher. Six years is a long time in music, and the artist returning to this album is clearly not the same person who made her previous solo record. Her work with BOYGENIUS, the changes in her personal life and the experiences of loss and grief that followed have all left their mark. Rather than hiding those changes, she allows them to shape the record. At its core, Lost Weekend is an album about learning how to exist within uncertainty. It is vulnerable without feeling deliberately confessional, experimental without losing sight of the songwriting that made PHOEBE BRIDGERS so compelling in the first place. While its slower pace and occasional lack of momentum may make it less immediately accessible than Punisher, repeated listens reveal an album that becomes increasingly rewarding as its details settle in. Six years after her last solo release, PHOEBE BRIDGERS has returned with a record that feels deeply personal, sonically ambitious and, perhaps more importantly, completely her own. Score: 9/10 Lost Weekend was released on 14th August 2026 via Dead Oceans. Words: Con Macadam Photos: Frank Ockenfels

A monumental ten years has passed since Be Nothing. by BOSTON MANOR was released. The debut album that helped anchor the Blackpool pop punk band on the maps contains tracks such as Laika, Lead Feet and Forget Me Not - as the fanbase has grown over the years, these tracks have been in demand with fans excited to hear them performed live. Since 2016, BOSTON MANOR have developed their artistic flair across four studio albums, evolving through a diverse range of alternative rock sounds. In celebration, BOSTON MANOR have released Be Nothing. 10 Year Anniversary. Formed of four acoustic versions of fan favourites, these tracks showcase a modern and matured take whilst preserving the original pop punk atmosphere. Stripping back from the hammering drums from the original track, Lead Feet opens with mellow strumming. The softly spoken lyrics create a vulnerable atmosphere as the narrator processes how a mistake that changed the trajectory of their life. The repetition of “there’s no words” within the bridge obtain some understanding and hopelessness. Rage is still felt within the last chorus which contradicts the gentle instrumentals. A gut wrenching rendition of another fan favourite, Laika, follows. Guilt flood the lyrics with amplified themes of financial strain, self sabotage and loneliness. Through Henry Cox’s layered vocals, the pain of leaving someone is evident. The track slows down for the bridge with a focus on guitar strums. Using the line “as lonely as Laika, Up there all alone”, isolation is more evident within this acoustic rendition. Taking a more playful start, Forget Me Not shares the reality of Alzheimer's with uplifting strumming. The contrasted lyrics spotlight the frustrations that the narrator experiences with not remembering birthdays. The synths during the bridge grip onto the positive memories experienced with the person. Drowned In Gold was released as a single after the release of Be Nothing. The overlooked single finally gets its moment to shine and make itself evident to newer fans. With a wide array of choices throughout one’s life, the acoustic rendition takes a lighter approach. No anger is present through the bridge as the verse “This time I’m bulletproof, you won’t take me alive” tackles the situation with acceptance. Growth is followed with understanding that life is hard, an incredible way to end the EP. Whether you’d call it a celebration is debatable, but listening to the gut-wrenching EP makes one thing clear: BOSTON MANOR’s Be Nothing. was a defining record. One that would ultimately change the trajectory of the band and cement its place as a timeless album. Many of the themes explored through the album are still prevalent ten years on and carry the same emotional weight. Their ability to revisit nostalgic tracks and reshape them through a more mature and fully developed sound is remarkable. Score: 10/10 Be Nothing. 10 Year Anniversary was released on 14th August 2026 via Pure Noise Records. Words: Theviya R Karunaharan Photos: Niall Lea

Rather than being overfed or put to work by a beloved granny, a visit to this GRANDMAS HOUSE treats us to a post-punk/classic rock sound that borrows from the evolving decades of powerhouse punk and disillusioned grunge, lovingly packaged into the Bristol band’s debut album Baby You’re A Winner. Chock full of gritty riffs, masterfully crafted rhythms, and vocals that mingle from syrupy to coarse in such a way Debbie Harry and Stevie Nicks would appreciate, GRANDMAS HOUSE weave stories throughout the album exploring the light and dark of what it means to be human, the mundane and the memorable of being alive and connecting to the world around you. Baby You’re A Winner captures the best essences of the last 60 years of rock and bring it into the modern era, creating an album that feels timeless in an age where we’re constantly running out of time. Title track Baby You’re A Winner begins with an eerie voice before Zoë Zinsmeister punches through with a bassline that could melt titanium, the track giving away the fluctuating rhythms and vocals crafted to oppose each other that run prevalent on this album. DOG is full of bark and bite, lead vocalist Yasmin Berndt snapping at the hoops that have to be jumped through for mental health support and medication, the breakdown slowing to a sluggish pace reminiscent of the wash of medication that dulls the senses before the band rush back in. Blue Oblivion stands out as the first “sad” track on the album, a lament of crushing feelings that swings like a pendulum between stripped back drums and catchy guitars to back the yearning lyrics “now you’re in my head”, and a chorus that smashes through with crust punk instrumentals. Drummer Poppy Dodgson kicks off The Table and lends her rich vocals to harmonise with Berndt’s husky tones and Polly Jessett’s riffs that vary in pitch and snap in with sudden hooks, the theme seeing the end of a relationship and the push-pull of letting it die or salvaging it. Hurricane may be the most addictive track on the album thanks to its memorable, boppy beats and rapid-fire guitar strums over Berndt’s low calls of “he wants more more more” harmonised with Dodgson’s clean higher vocals in a complementary style. Dance blends genres together from classic 70s rock and indie-punk, creating a sound that feels like THE ZOMBIES and BLACK HONEY both had a say in its direction, yet it works seamlessly with a gunslinger riff ringing through the verses and indie saxophone and trumpet blast in. Next Big Hit (Choo Choo) drags back in heavily distorted post-punk vibes with racing bass and riffs over forceful drums, the lyrics scoffing at the treatment of women in music with an unseen but familiar subject of “hair slicked back” standing in the way of the freight train that is women deservedly taking up space in the industry. Taxidermy takes a more grunge approach in its rumbling and harsh instruments as Berndt and Dodgson give opposing pitches and get wickedly creepy over a love interest, proffering that they want to “wear you like a coat” and “don’t want to let you go”. Diving back into a sound that’s near western gunslinger on Soaked, like the spirit of AMERICA (the band, not the country) is channelling through them, there’s an eeriness to the vocals that wars with pleasing guitar notes, a marker of how fantastically the album has been mastered to accommodate such conflicting pitches and rhythms into unforgettable tracks. I Miss That House feels as if they’re rushing to get their words and feelings out but simultaneously like they’re holding back in pace, the final chorus breakdown of tandem guitar riffs and Zinsmeister’s grounding bass feeling like a psychedelic trip you feel compelled to sway to. How It Is deals with the grief of losing someone and everything else continuing as normal, the world around you carrying on while the unfinished actions of someone’s life remind you they’ll forever be stuck in this incompleteness, an echo of the incomplete feeling now existing inside your heart. Where each track stands alone as its own story to tell and we’ve explored a wealth of genres, closing track Spring is deliberately stripped back as a moment of hopeful reflection as Berndt and Dodgson echo each other in “I can’t wait for Spring to come around”. It’s a final moment that makes you sit and smell the proverbial flowers as you remember that Spring will come around again, you just have to push through to smell the soft rains and feel the sun’s gradual warmth once more. Score: 8/10 Baby You're A Winner will be released on 21st August 2026 via Brace Yourself Records. Words: Julia Stark Photos: Marie Dutton

Following 2024's EP My World and breakout single Sick Ride, Brazilian punk rock sensation KAREN DIÓ is back with her second EP, Fugaz. Having supported the likes of LIMP BIZKIT, WARGASM, and playing at Download Festival, she has made a name for herself with an energetic, cut-loose presence. DIÓ is developing her unique sound with an album of passion, love, and belief that anything is possible. In the midst of an impressive show run, KAREN DIÓ is bringing a headlining tour to the UK this September, which will be one not to miss. Opening track Euphoria is reminiscent of a 2000’s coming-of-age movie opening title; it’s fun, playful, and full of energy. Encompassing the pop punk genre, it highlights the thrill of the job and what that means to DIÓ. It’s about not letting fear stop or hold you back from doing what you love. An incredible opening song, the intense guitar definitely makes it a track to blast in the car, windows down. Continuing with the movie feel, Free Yourself portrays the first moments of independence and freedom. Released as a single prior to the album launch, Free Yourself is full of fantastic riffs, and gutsy vocals. Channelling a great sense of nostalgia, it plays on the teen tropes of discovering character; ‘Do you feel alive? The world is ours’. The punchy punk vibes don’t stop there; Choke is the epitome of finding your voice. Focussing on the themes of immigration and feminism, the track explores freedom of speech and identity. Primarily delving into how certain opinions are harmful to the survival of others, this is a powerhouse; ‘You will get what you deserve for everything you said, so choke’. Beginning with an intense bass, Crawling draws inspiration from the post-punk revival. It brings energy with inspired instrumentals and sombre lyricism about the heartbreak of longing. This juxtaposition is reminiscent of hope and sadness. The raw, devastating vocals amplified by the intense screams only add to the pain conveyed in the song. With arguably one of the catchiest choruses in the album, the competitive nature of Rat Race spotlights the importance of being true to your ambition. Almost reminiscent of a cheer, it creates a feeling of optimism in difficult times. A film's final battle, the prominent bassline acts as the heartbeat of self-actualisation in a cut-throat world. Fugaz, on the other hand, addresses the importance of living in the moment and letting things go. The final song on the EP, this track tells the listener to not hold onto the past, and is one of the most poignant of the album. Melodically slower and softer, it pulls focus to the present. After all, ‘time is something I can’t exchange’. Drawing on some Brit Punk inspiration, this is an EP fuelled by nostalgia. A fun, exploratory album, Fugaz engages with every aspect of living. The title itself meaning ‘fleeting’ further emphasises the necessity to live in the present. Catchy and bouncy but with a hard bite, it embraces change and channels awareness of both the self and the world. From the thrills of Euphoria, to the necessity of letting go, KAREN DIÓ has ultimately created an anthology in the fluidity of life - what we do with it is up to us. Score: 8/10 Fugaz will be released on 21st August 2026 via Hopeless Records. Words: Beth Goulter Photos: Jude Harrison

There is something very immersive about DEATHRACE. The intro sets us up for a show with the sound of footsteps and coughing before the music properly begins, creating the unmistakable feeling of a band about to walk on stage. It feels like the lights are off and we are preparing for the first note to hit. And that turns out to be the perfect summary of the album. Because DEATHRACE, due for release on August 21st via Long Branch Records, doesn't simply sound like a collection of songs. It sounds like a live show condensed into an album. The German metalcore quintet RISING INSANE hits their most radical chapter yet as a culmination of years spent building towards exactly this point. They are unafraid and holding no punches with tracks packed with raw power, primal riffs and instinctive aggression. The title track DEATHRACE immediately puts everything into motion. Fast, aggressive and packed with energy, it sets the tone with drums firmly at the forefront, marking the pace while everything moves at breakneck speed. Sharp transitions and a constantly shifting structure give the song a sense of forward momentum that perfectly embodies its title. It is essentially the musical equivalent of flooring the accelerator. That feeling continues with COUNTDOWN, with an anthemic chorus made to feed and empower a crowd. Where DEATHRACE throws the listener into motion, Countdown gives that momentum something to rally behind. It is the kind of chorus that feels written to be shouted back by hundreds of people at a festival. Then comes OUTRAGE, co-produced by Steven Jones (BLEED FROM WITHIN), opening with maximum impact before revealing one of its greatest strengths: its contrast. Its rhythm carries a distinct punk energy, while the chorus is remarkably catchy and melodic. It hits hard without becoming monotonous, deliberately leaving enough breathing room for the chorus to feel enormous when it arrives. RISING INSANE has described the song as being about the feeling of being trapped inside your own head, unable to escape old thoughts and experiences. It becomes an outlet for that frustration, a desire to tear oneself free even while knowing that it isn't quite that simple. TRAUMATIZED takes a different route. Its opening carries an almost nu-metal feel before gradually picking up speed and introducing clear punk influences on the way to the chorus. It is one of the album's most genre-fluid moments, combining different influences into something that still feels cohesive and polished. It also carries an emotional weight that makes it stands out and feels like a sucker punch. The fluctuations in rhythm and vocal delivery make the sense of vulnerability and strain tangible. There is aggression here, but also something much more fragile and human underneath it. DARK, featuring ACCVSED, pushes that aggression further. The atmosphere becomes heavier and more ominous, with vocal fry and increasingly brutal delivery creating the feeling of an ongoing battle. It is less about catharsis and more about confrontation, dragging the listener deeper into the album's darker territory. The collaboration with ACCVSED also adds another texture to the record without disrupting its overall flow. NARCISSIST initially slows things down, opening with languid, almost doom-like clear vocals. Gradually, the intensity creeps in, with high-impact screams cutting through the calmer passages. That slower burn makes its eventual impact all the greater. DIRT refuses to let the momentum disappear. Gritty and frustrated, it carries a tangible sense of determination while leaning heavily into RISING INSANE's melodic strengths. Even this deep into the record, there is absolutely no sense of filler. A deceptively sharp opening gives way to one of the album's heaviest moments, accompanied by outstanding vocal work and an impressive range of delivery. The album still finds new ways to surprise. Then comes GREY, one of the album's longest and most immersive compositions. It builds a slow-burning wall of sound, incorporating heavy post-hardcore rhythms alongside haunting contributions from David Schneider (THE BUTCHER SISTERS). The song is powerful and relentless, but it somehow also gives itself room to breathe. And then comes that guitar solo. It is the kind of moment that can genuinely leave you speechless, cutting through the heaviness before driving the track towards a spectacular conclusion. ERROR, featuring Steven Jones (BLEED FROM WITHIN), turns into something darker. Brooding and heavy as an anvil, the collaboration introduces a towering weight that gradually crawls beneath the skin before breaking open into catharsis. The track's subject matter, doubt, insecurity, feeling broken, and becoming trapped inside your own thoughts are fully laced inside its rhythm, the psychological tension running throughout. Finally, GOOD ENOUGH featuring CASKETS brings the album back to one of its most emotionally exposed points. The song dives headfirst into psychological struggle, personal doubt and the exhausting, cyclical pursuit of self acceptance. It feels hectic in a way that is running on fumes and strained, exhausted from trying to keep moving. The extensive use of vocal fry reinforces that sensation. It is also fitting that it is the song that closes the record, already being a major turning point for RISING INSANE even before the album drop by its streaming success. It feels as if the entire album has been constructed for a crowd. You can almost see the audience jumping during DEATHRACE, shouting back during COUNTDOWN, going completely feral during OUTRAGE and holding its breath during GREY. The listener is an integral part of the record. That makes DEATHRACE infectiously catchy and empowering. RISING INSANE understands that heaviness doesn't have to mean sacrificing immediacy. Their riffs are primal, their rhythms physical, their choruses memorable and their transitions constantly keep the listener engaged. The record grabs you and keeps pulling. That live show mentality is supported by the band being already on the road around the album cycle, with European dates stretching through the end of 2026. But ultimately, DEATHRACE is an album about movement. It accelerates, crashes, slows down, rebuilds and accelerates again. Its aggression is matched by melody, its darkness by moments of cathartic release, and its personal themes by the sense that they are meant to be experienced collectively. The album doesn't simply ask you to listen. It asks you to get in the car, buckle up and hold on. Score: 8/10 DEATHRACE will be released on 21st August 2026 via Long Branch Records. Words: Lysandre Pons Photos: Katharina Sterl

CRAWLERS have traversed rough tides over the last year, but with a clear horizon shimmering ahead of them the trio of best friends begin a new journey together, setting off to the hardened rhythms and uplifting words of knockout EP Turn Off The TV. Having established their musical skill on their previous album, The Mess We Seem To Make, their EP sees the trio now prove their ability to weave striking tracks seamlessly while providing their own self-catharsis on raw lyrics and sensational instrumental hooks. The Warrington-based unit already know how to play the music industry game, but more than that they’ve learned to pick themselves up, dust off, and come back swinging. Turn Off The TV is a symbol of them laying down new, stronger foundations whilst also placing the fragments of their past in, sealing the cracks with the vulnerability and steadfast friendship so evident in the EP’s sound to create a base built on the hardships they went through together. Opening track and first single released Afraid To Die isn’t the fear of dying, but the fear of everything you’ll leave behind. Borne from vocalist Holly Minto’s personal bouts of depression, she found a way to combat the self-isolation was through appreciating the small things in life that make it worthwhile. “I went on a great run one morning, and then Amy showed me how to make this really good porridge, and then Liv asked if we were gonna grab some drinks later. I realised I’d hate to die because that would mean I wouldn’t get more of this.” That sense of struggling and powering on comes through in the increasingly strengthening bass from Liv May and Amy Woodall’s addictive riffs, the track stripping away to a lone Minto’s lament before coming to the realisation “I’ve changed my mind”, the instruments steadily piling back in for a stirring, goosebump-inducing breakdown of defiance and triumph. Stay Alive sounds like it should be a follow up to Afraid To Die, but instead it looks at the absurdity and anxiety brought on by the current state of the world, Minto singing without pause a litany of issues that are wilfully ignored in favour of comfort, accentuated by riffs and a racing drum beat that sounds like manifested anxiety. Cool sounds exactly like its title, a mix between DON BROCO’s instrumentals, YONAKA’s attitude, and TINY’s range, a self-aware takedown of trying to mould yourself into everyone else’s expectations while the real world problems persist around us, in a Mean Girls-esque theme. May’s bass is thrillingly relentless as the melody gathers in volume and rage until Minto breaks the rose-coloured tint of appearance to scream “the world is fucking burning and you think I’m gonna play it cool?” All We Have Is Us ends this short but sweet reintroduction to CRAWLERS continuing in the same vein as the other tracks, the lyrics baring all their exposed hurts and still questioning humanity’s reliance on things that separate us further with each passing day, the instruments colliding together for the chorus and Woodall spearing through with resonating hooks, creating a sound that’s full of desperation and hopeless hope. CRAWLERS welcomes in a new era that sees them writing for themselves and their truths. Score: 8/10 Turn Off The TV was released on 14th August 2026 via Nettwerk. Words: Julia Stark Photos: Jess Meade

“200 STAB WOUNDS?” A passerby smiles tentatively at the name as excited fans gathered to see the death metal legends, the band gaining such acclaim they've been upgraded to the upper floor of The Dome, London, all the better for people to lose their shit on a night guaranteed to give us whiplash. MUTAGENIC HOST didn't ease us in, they grabbed us by the throat and hauled us around, Swarm thundering out across an already full room. By Genestealer, there's a sizeable pit colliding with the stage wall and vocalist Ash Moore is already drenched in a relatively cool room, the heat from guitarists Jack Thompson and Sami Tuohino and bassist Dan Bulford’s searing, lightning-fast riffs on Harvest and Enforced Bodily Terror raising the mercury to high levels. Stage divers clambered up and cannonballed out during Hive Unintelligence, reminiscent of Outbreak Fest, as drummer George Kinsella-Pearn braced himself for the onslaught of cymbals and double pedals. Moore gave a proud shout-out “to these three fuckers” leading the charge for the front row headbanging and pits, before he soared into a semi-graceful dive and pushed his way to the centre of the mosh pit for Chimeric Vestige - if you can't beat ‘em, join ‘em. It feels like mere seconds before CELESTIAL SANCTUARY stepped up to the plate and started swinging, vocalist and guitarist Thomas Cronin quickly demanding a fresh pit be opened with a reminder of etiquette before snapping into Blood and Gormless, drummer James Burke demolishing the kit with his eyes closed. “We came here to play fucked up songs and do fucked up shit, London are you with us?” Cronin demanded in between stage changes, briefly explaining what a headbang is and insisting we all need to be injured by them before Puddles was over, before spitting water over the ecstatic fans like an unholy blessing. Stepping to the front of the stage throughout their set, Cronin commanded attention for the most part, but it was hard to look away from guitarist Matt Adnett absolutely shredding solos on 2026 single They Worm Their Way In, played so fast the sweat rains down from his hands. A sudden “oh wah ahahah” from bassist Jay Rutterford akin to Down With The Sickness was met with surprised laughs from the band, before Cronin encouraged the crowd to “find your friend and boost that fucker over” for closer Biominerlization (Cell Death). The lights suddenly plunged us into darkness and hungry screams as 200 STAB WOUNDS ascended to the stage. Not a word was spoken in the first 2-minutes, instead the intro sound giving way to Symbolic In Glory as the mosh pit whipped into a frenzy. Security were put to endless work and delivered non-stop as crowdsurfers tumbled overhead for Fatal Reality and Defiled Gestation, the pit taking a particular battering during Masters Of Morbidity to the point the band crew resorted to perching at the back of the stage to watch out for the crowd. Not the biggest talkers, an observation echoed later in the set by lead guitarist and vocalist Steve Buhl, 200 STAB WOUNDS instead connects with the audience through gestures, facial expressions, and Buhl and bassist Todd Thompson squatting low as they tore through unrelenting solos on Hands Of Eternity. Asking for more energy, Thompson stuck his middle fingers up at the crowd and nodded appreciatively as they enthusiastically returned the gesture as they hurled into Itty Bitty Pieces. “This one is for this guy,” Buhl points to the grinning bassist and Release The Stench gains the biggest crowd roar of the night, drummer Owen Pooley delivering an onslaught of tremendous beats. There’s a moment where Buhl politely checked in and asked whose first time it was seeing them, a call met with wild response from the returning fans who welcome the newcomers into the fold. This whole interaction feels a symbol of the true camaraderie of death and heavy metal, where all are welcome to experience eardrum bursting notes together. The heartening moment quickly melted into the pits gaining further speed, guitarist Raymond MacDonald signalling with his hand to keep that circle pit moving for Skin Milk. Having created an indoor, muggy heatwave with the sheer intensity of their set, 200 STAB WOUNDS delivered one more chin-cracking track with Tow Rope Around The Throat, the stoic expressions plastered on their faces in contrast to the feverish smiles and shouts of the crowd. It’s evident why these giants of death metal were upgraded to the upper floor to bring a sharpened edge to their performance - it’s a miracle we didn’t collapse the floor through to the downstairs stage. Words and photos: Julia Stark

The first time GLITTERER was showcased in the UK, it was while Ned Russin was still performing entirely solo. One man, his laptop, and his guitar against the world. Based out of Washington, D.C, GLITTERER has never fit a specific mould, but four albums and three Ep’s down the line, their latest full-length, Erer - released last November - was the moment that Russin felt this project at its most complete “I think doing the band by myself was an interesting challenge, but it isn’t what I wanted to do forever. I always wanted a collaboration.” He admits. For Erer, Russin brought on the likes of Nicole Dao, Colin Gorman and Robin Zeijlon. Nicole’s tenure with GLITTERER is the longest, having joined just after Life Is Not A Lesson in 2021. Colin, however, did play drums on that album too, so to some extent most of the current lineup has been in the orbit of the project since the early days. “The scope of things in the past 6 years has really impressed me. It’s dumbfounded me. This is not the world I existed in before,” he adds gleefully. “I trust everybody, and I think they understand what the band is obviously very well. It feels very in place and fortified, solid. It feels great.” Ned speaks enthusiastically. After seeing their third-stage headliner set at Outbreak, it's easy to notice the synergy between the group, the small ways they play off one another to create magic. “When you play songs, it’s almost like you’re tapping into your former self, those moments where you don’t feel like you’re writing. I’m not playing an instrument; this is just kind of coming out of me. Which, of course, isn’t true, but it’s how it feels. It makes me remember how in awe of music I am. It doesn’t feel like my song. It belongs to the listeners.” Their passion peeks through in their performance, their demeanour and the words they speak. This is a band that captures the very essence of DIY, going from Ned’s bedroom in Bushwick, New York, all the way to a full room of people across the pond in the UK. Given the changes in lineup, for any project there’s always going to be a transitionary period, especially as far as converting from being solo and going into a band. Ned is a very keen songwriter, with years under his belt and a full array of emotional catharsis that he now shares with his band members. “Giving up control is only as difficult as you make it”, he begins. “When we’re all offering strong opinions and working for the good of the song. It’s great. It’s my preferred way to write, but it does add a lot of frustration. But I think that’s better than people being passive,” he adds. A pervasive fact you’ll find throughout our conversation is his passion - not just for the band but for music and songwriting as a whole. Ned is very quick with the recommendations to see at the festival this weekend. “We’re very lucky to have many old dear friends. I was here Friday hanging out with BALANCE AND COMPOSURE, TIGERS JAW, JOYCE MANOR…” The list goes on. Still, his connection to alternative music extends beyond GLITTERER, most notably to his time with TITLE FIGHT, the band he started when he was twelve years old, but also his other creative projects such as DISENGAGE, BAD SEED, STICK TOGETHER, BIG CONTEST and LIBERTY, a rich tapestry of noise that culminates in the songwriter he is today. A lifelong passion for music has made him one of the most hardworking in the scene, to the extent that he started his own label. Purple Circle Records, to distribute his music with GLITTERER independently. But seeing Outbreak go from a community centre, to a large room with a PA, all the way to Bowlers Exhibition Centre captures an important part of Ned’s journey. “It feels like it kinda changed overnight. It’s still kinda crazy to see a festival based around underground alternative music in this capacity.” Outbreak is measured in its moments, and over the years, the festival, sharpened by the very edges of the music scene, has provided a pivotal platform for hardcore and alternative music in the UK. A no-barrier push point for artists like TUNSTILE, SPEED and TRAPPED UNDER ICE to break European soil on their own terms. In its fifteenth year, the festival pushes the limits of music promotion, in recent years extending far beyond Manchester to lethal collaborations at All Points East, and even a steady roster of local shows. “It’s crazy for me to think decades later, still hanging out with the same people, still playing music, shooting the shit, having a good time and enjoying each other's company. Enjoying what we love doing. That is a very profound feeling for me, and something I take really seriously. I think we all care a lot about this, and to share it with people I got to know and met through touring when I was 18 years old, and still be here with many of those same people, it’s a very profound feeling.” Even still, the evolution of GLITTERER is somewhat in its infancy, especially in its current lineup. Erer is their most profound record to date, and that is on top of three other records full of eclectic, bouncy, synth-poppy goodness. For Ned and the gang, the sky is the limit, the passion is evident, and from here it’s only going to get better… or betterer. Words: Spencer Cunningham Photos: Conrad Newton for Out Of Rage Cover Design: Robert Halls Editorial Lead: Amber Brooks With Thanks To: Mitch Stevens and Revenant Earth Shoot at Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester

Heavy and extreme music can sometimes feel paradoxical in nature; there’s something inherently fun about it despite its generally offputting nature to most. For example, there’s something like CONVERGE’s Concubine, a track that runs for just over a minute. Within that 80 seconds, there’s so much to pick apart with the performances, production and dynamics to the point where your tenth listen will still produce different results to your first, and even then occasionally that won’t matter - sometimes that short burst of pure rage is all the catharsis you need. That’s the magic of mathcore, and LIVING WEAPON are here to put us under its spell once again. Coming off well-regarded 2021 EP Paradise, we’ve been aching to hear more from them. It feels cruel to leave us with six minutes of music over five years, though its worth noting that in that time, band members Jon Lhaubouet, Jeremy Martin and Anthony DiDio have been releasing music as part of VEIN.FM and also, notably, FLESHWATER. Anyone familiar with FLESHWATER’s style might be surprised that there’s any crossover between the groups at all, because the new LIVING WEAPON album, Death In The Family is nowhere near being an alt-metal record. The First Element wastes no time whatsoever, launching straight into an almost formless riff, the only melodically recognisable aspects being a few chugs and a high-pitched notes. Parts of the track are underpinned by glitchy spoken word vocals, guitar feedback and gut-wrenching, resounding drums. It’s a controlled chaos of course, with the constantly changing meter that leaves the listener completely lost, yet intrigued. Immediately striking, and yet so much detail throughout the relatively short runtime. Dead Like You is starkly ferocious from start to finish, but the second half’s bitcrushed drums and sliding guitar noises coming from out of nowhere that wouldn’t feel out of place on a FRONTIERER record is what makes it stand out. The isolated sounds of bass-y sustain lead you to never really knowing when the track ends. This is an album that keeps you on your toes just three songs in. Any perceived weirdness on Dead Like You is nothing compared to the most outwardly experimental cut on here though. Parthenogenesis is an instrumental cut that will leave listeners confused, maybe a tad scared, but certainly intrigued. It’s built around a synthesiser that doesn’t seem to follow any kind of traditional melody, with the drums somehow matching its odd rhythms. It almost feels like jazz, just devoid of any of the instrumentation you’d expect from it. An entire album of this would be fun, no doubt, but thankfully it doesn’t feel out of place compared to the more standout cuts on Death In The Family. Speaking of which, In Loving Memory is a sludgy hellscape, with distorted bass, a bpm set to a crawl, and this overwhelming feel of evil permeating the extremely short runtime, feeling like its building up to some kind of climax. Lo and behold, it segues straight into closing track When No Light Compared, the only song on here that manages to go over three minutes. It makes sense too, it’s probably the most fully-realised song on here, and also the most traditional. There’s a great moment about a minute in, when another layer of guitar joins over the riff being played. It’s a short moment striking nonetheless. It’s not the only trick they bring out for the grand finale though, the final minute feels like the song tearing itself apart, with the return of the bit-crushed drums leading into a fadeout of nothing but guitar feedback, odd, high-pitched synthesised noises, and a general feeling of dread. LIVING WEAPON’s debut is an extremely exciting debut record. The title immediately conjures up LES RALLIZES DENUDES’ Heavier Than A Death In The Family, which isn’t entirely fitting (how could it be heavier than itself?), but close enough in the sense that it’s heavy, but in quite an unconventional way at points. It’s insanely relistenable too, in part due to the 23-minute runtime, but predominantly down to the sheer amount of detail in the songwriting. Yet another fantastic effort from some of the most prolific artists in the Boston hardcore scene at the moment - perhaps even their best. Score: 9/10 Death In The Family will be released on 14th August 2026 via Closed Casket Activities. Words: Noise Leonard Photos: Alec Swenor

After blasting their way onto the hardcore scene with back-to-back singles, DEAD RETINAS went semi-quiet, still delivering live shows and hinting at new ideas that lay dormant and hungry to be released over 6 years. The 4-piece explode into the airwaves once more with their pulverising EP Gloom, an EP that speaks to specific but important issues not usually covered in the heavy scene in a sound that contains all their fury and energy over deafening instrumentals. The Manchester hardcore punk group undeniably let loose on Gloom, treating it more as an outlet for the emotions heavily weighing on them rather than a project on precision and technical prowess. This doesn’t deny the fact they have a quality to their sound that’s equivalent to demolishing a house with your best friends and your bare hands, the red-mist rage as you tear down walls and strip back the facade. Metaphorically representing a society constructed in a “don’t call attention, don’t ask questions” mindset, DEAD RETINAS chooses to stand proudly in the bare-bones and scream about everything we’re told to ignore. F.A.O. (Collarbreaker) launches an immediate assault of hardcore punk riffs that follow similar patterns in alternating keys against a backdrop of shattering drums, almost drowning out the vicious screams of vocalist CJ as they make it very fucking clear that consent is needed regardless of how you dress or act, a breakdown of cymbals and guitar feedback fuelling the lyrics “They compromise, ostracise ourselves, with glee in our heads and hearts”. Slowly building in with dark riffs and ominous drums, Sleeping Giants tears its way in like a tornado, speed and destruction underlying the delicious rhythms from the guitar and bass. Delving into personal territory about a cocktail of medication making CJ feel “detached from reality”, the gradual layering of voices feels like that detachment of trying to make sense of everything and instead losing your grasp on it all. Taking a more punk approach to its intro in its rhythms and key, Blink quickly molds into a frenzied pace of hardcore drums and screams against captivating punk-metal guitar hooks and a bassline that thunders through your bones, the lyrics attempting to scream at a wider world that doesn’t care about climate change or that we can’t turn it back, “Coastlines can’t break the rise of the tide”, its message as grim and foreboding as its feedback outro. Fading straight in from its predecessor, Cantilever plunges back into dark and heavy tones with a riff fighting to break through the chaos as CJ shifts from guttural screams to desperate yells, their fraught emotion coming through in waves as they scream about the pitfalls of community that never truly had your back, the instruments slamming together repeatedly until they fade into feedback over fuzzed, melancholy notes. Discourse Of Fools races in with an overpowering sense of heavy metal as the hardcore punk keeps the foundation of the track sturdy, the instruments keeping to their pattern of crushing drums and uncomplicated but affecting riffs, a sudden piano section holding back the anger but keeping the mournfulness, before it falls back into a tumultuous cacophony as CJ screams “Fool, Idol, Dead on arrival”, a heartbreaking look at how HIV stigma still results in unnecessary prejudice and death. DEAD RETINAS return brings a crystal-clear message to all - they refuse to hold back and refuse to let you remain in the dark. Score: 7/10 Gloom will be released on 15th August 2026. Words: Julia Stark Photos: Dead Retinas