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RADAR returns to Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse from July 31st to August 2nd, and if you’ve never been, prepare to have your expectations reset. What started as a new festival in 2019 has grown into one of the UK’s most beloved alternative gatherings, built on a no-clash schedule and a knack for booking whoever’s about to blow up before anyone else catches on. This year’s line-up is stacked across three distinct days. Friday is the heaviest of the bunch, closing out with THY ART IS MURDER after a relentless run of acts building towards it. Saturday belongs to SKINDRED, bringing their trademark raucous energy to close out the night. Sunday shifts gears entirely, easing into technical wizardry courtesy of ANIMALS AS LEADERS. Beyond the music, RADAR’s Music and Gaming Market returns too, alongside masterclasses and tabletop gaming stalls to break up the moshing. Whether you’re there for the headliners or hunting down your new favourite band, this is a weekend built for both. Here’s your guide to ten essential acts to catch, wherever your RADAR exploration takes you. THY ART IS MURDER Australian deathcore heavyweights THY ART IS MURDER headline RADAR's Friday for a UK festival exclusive, and it’s hard to imagine a heavier way to open a weekend. Since 2006, the Sydney outfit have built a reputation as being one of extreme metal’s most punishing live acts, with vocalist Tyler Miller stepping into the fold following 2023's Godlike. Tracks like Reign of Darkness, Holy War and Slaves Beyond Death are all pit-igniting staples. If your idea of a Friday night out is throwing down to brutal (with two zeros) riffs, RADAR is the place to be. SKINDRED Saturday’s headline slot goes to a band who’ve never needed an excuse to start a party: SKINDRED. The Welsh ragga metal royalty blend chaos with pure joy, and Manchester’s about to get a masterclass in both. Led by the irrepressible Benji Webbe, the band arrives fresh off their chart-topping ninth album, You Got This. RADAR can expect an all-killer-no-filler set featuring Gimme That Boom, That’s My Jam and the all-time classic Nobody. Following their massive secret set at Download Festival, expect dancehall grooves combined with industrial-strength riffs and a Newport Helicopter to finish off the night. ANIMALS AS LEADERS ANIMALS AS LEADERS offer something no other headliner this weekend can: virtuosity with zero vocals needed. The Washington D.C. trio have spent nearly two decades redefining what heavy music can sound like, combining jazz fusion and progressive metal into something entirely their own. Tracks like CAFO, Tempting Time and The Woven Web remain live staples, and watching the band reconstruct that technicality on stage is genuinely jaw-dropping. A rare UK festival exclusive at RADAR only, this is a spectacular exhibition of musicianship to send you home on a high. There's no better way to end the weekend than watching three musicians make the impossible look effortless. VOLUMES Stepping in for a CHELSEA GRIN cancellation, LA progressive metalcore outfit VOLUMES return to RADAR after their triumphant 2023 set. Bringing their dual-vocal, bounce-heavy riffing to Friday’s line-up on the back of last year’s Mirror Touch, RADAR’s crowd in 2023 will tell you exactly why this is a win, not a consolation. The band blend djent precision with nu-metal groove and a genuine flair for melody, with tracks like Erased, Adrenaline and Edge of the Earth showcasing a band who know exactly what they’re doing on a festival stage. RADAR made the right call, and VOLUMES are about to prove it live. VIANOVA Berlin’s VIANOVA are RADAR’s tech-metal ones-to-watch, and it’s not hard to see why. Formed by brothers Felix and Paul Vogelgesang alongside vocalist Alexander Kerski, the quartet fuse groove-heavy riffing with rap-inflected hooks and unexpected touches of 80s synth and R&B, refusing to sit neatly in any one metalcore box. Singles like Wheel of Fortune, Whatever Alright and the explosive Uh Yaya have built them a rapidly growing fanbase and glowing reactor coverage online. Don’t be surprised if half the crowd shows up in fluffy hats and orange sunglasses – a nod to the Hit It! album artwork that’s become something of an unofficial uniform. LUNA KILLS LUNA KILLS are proof that nu-metal's future sounds like nothing else on this bill. Hailing from Finland and fronted by the ferociously charismatic Lotta Ruutiainen, the quartet blend jazz-trained cleans with vicious fry screams over riffs steeped in video-game soundtrack euphoria. Following 2025 debut album Deathmatch and its singles love u and slay ur enemies, plus this year's blistering LOWER, the band have quickly become one of the most talked-about names in modern metal. If you want proof that heavy music can still sound genuinely fresh, LUNA KILLS' set is the one to catch. GRAPHIC NATURE Few bands wear their heart as visibly on their sleeve as GRAPHIC NATURE. The Kent-formed nu-metalcore outfit fuse 90s-indebted riffs with electronic flourishes, all built around frontman Harvey Freeman’s unflinching lyrics on mental health and isolation. Having just signed to Century Media and dropped new single Faceless, the band are stepping into a bold new era. For anyone diving in, Killing Floor, Something I’m Not and White Noise are the perfect place to start. Devastatingly heavy and disarmingly honest in equal measure, this is a set that hits as hard emotionally as it does sonically. UNPEOPLE UNPEOPLE’s festival reputation has grown faster than almost anyone else’s on this bill. The London four-piece have torn through UK and European stages over the past couple of years, and there’s a reason they keep getting talked about after every set they play. Live, they lean hard into scale, with singalong hooks stacked on top of riffs that hit like a truck, all held together by a sense of togetherness that comes through as much in the crowd as it does on stage. With tracks like smother, the garden and latest single friends, UNPEOPLE channel raw emotion into something cathartic to witness live. CLT DRP Brighton electro-punk trio CLT DRP are exactly the kind of chaos RADAR was built for. The band fuse punk, electronica and heavy pop into something uncompromising and entirely their own, tackling gender and identity with a wry, DIY edge. Fresh off new single WHAT IS SHE FOR?, their first release since 2024, and a year spent touring with Bob Vylan and Lambrini Girls, the trio are gearing up for one of their biggest years yet. Expect to hear disorientating riffs and feral energy in tracks like Until You Showed Me, NEW BOY and I Put My Baby To Sleep. ROZEMARY The newest wave in the North-West heavy music scene, ROZEMARY blur the line between technical metalcore’s precision and hardcore’s raw brutality, with post-hardcore melodies threaded through for good measure. Dubbed RADAR’s resident ‘baddiecore’ act, tracks like bleed me dry, starlit ballroom and no flowers bloom show a band already comfortable letting tenderness and heaviness sit side by side. Their new EP it’s harder now to breathe is out now, and digs even further into the tension that made their debut so compelling. ROZEMARY are exactly the kind of rising name RADAR exists to champion. Words: Adrian Chapman Cover Photo: Heather Patterson for Out Of Rage

If you’re finding yourself wondering, “Who are LOATHE?” then let us give you the rundown of one of the most exciting modern bands of the moment. Fusing mainly metalcore and nu metal, whilst also sprinkling other genres into their repertoire, their sound makes a very present, volatile experience for their listeners. Their live shows are a sight to behold, as they whip between full-blown metalcore madness and soul-wrenching drawn-back magic that will have you headbanging one minute and uncontrollably sobbing the next. As the band stands today, the members consists of vocalist Kadeem France, guitarist and vocalist Erik Bikkerstaffe, bassist Feisal El Khazragi and drummer Sean Radcliffe. Raised from the underground scene in Liverpool, the band set out from the get-go to do something new and different. In 2015, their first EP, Prepare Consume Proceed, was self-released initially until the following year, when it was reissued after the band was picked up by SharpTone Records. Not only was the EP their first label release as a band, but it was also the first release for the label. Very early on in their career, the band donned masks to keep their identity and to create a ‘hive mind' entity and a bit of a buzz around what they were doing. The masks didn’t last long, though, as they felt too gimmicky and were criticised for being too close to the masks worn by the likes of SLIPKNOT. The masks also overshadowed the unique sound they were brewing, and losing them meant that their walls were down physically and artistically. The Cold Sun was released in 2017, their first full album. It was hard-hitting, raw metalcore, with the start of their exploratory toned back segments really starting to take shape. Babylon… in particular was a standout track; the sensitivity and vulnerability are powerful, even when it comes to that breakdown, you can feel the emotion emanating from it. In 2018, they released a split EP with HOLDING ABSENCE, who at the time were also under the SharpTone Records label. Knowing what we know now, this was a great collaboration of two of the fastest-rising bands of the past few years. Released just before the pandemic, LOATHE’s second album, I Let It In, and It Took Everything, really changed everything for the band. It was heavy, it was shoegaze, it was gut-punching, it was melancholic. Despite its comparison to Deftones, it was a very highly regarded album, with album of the year reviews coming left, right and centre. There was no publication that didn’t have this album in its top ten. LOATHE had so perfectly honed their sound. Tracks such as Screaming and Two-Way Mirror really solidified their place as one of the best new bands. Even with the rerecording of Is This Really You? with SLEEP TOKEN a while later brought a new audience to the band and allowed them to keep evolving. Following the success of I Let It In And It Took Everything, they released a twelve-track ambient album almost exactly a year later, The Things They Believe. The complete opposite of what you would expect for a band at their height. Described as a soundscape and reflection of the lockdown period that works as a companion of sorts to I Let It In, And It Took Everything, the album is dark in atmosphere, but the atmosphere it creates is what makes it worth listening to. It’s an important listen to truly understand LOATHE’s lore. Although it’s not what the fans expected, the band’s decision to release it put a new perspective on their most celebrated album (so far). The long-awaited fourth album, A Stranger To You, is currently set for release in July. It will feature their track Gifted Every Strength that came out last year, alongside the new single Revenant. At their core, LOATHE are a metalcore and nu metal band, but there’s much more to them than that. Their ability to defy genres and mash together things that many would rather be left alone, they do it anyway, and create a fresh, nuanced sound that sets them apart from other bands of their standing. Words: Danielle Henderson Photos: Izzy Sheldon

There’s a particular kind of gravity to FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND. It’s the kind that straight back to the first time Juneau blew the speakers off your bedroom wall, or when Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation felt less like a debut and more like an invitation into a world where post‑hardcore could be serrated one second and soft‑spoken the next. They were the band you found on your friend’s headphones in the middle of maths class, or buried on a compilation CD you got with a magazine, or in the humid crush of a show where you felt every drum beat in your chest. Born in Bridgend in 2001, FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND climbed fast, burned and faded away, but then came back, and, in the latest twist, kept moving even after their original frontman stepped away. Watching them now, it’s not just the nostalgia that compels you, it’s the fact they are a band always in motion - evolving, rebuilding and choosing to live. Back at the start, they didn’t arrive on the scene quietly. They emerged from the remnants of past bands, building an undeniable early identity of melodic metal, emo, and post‑hardcore. Releasing their 2002 EP Between Order and Model cemented and sharpened their sound, before debut release Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation became their statement. It went certified Gold in the UK, becoming a landmark record of the 2000’s, and is still climbing in the plays across streaming platforms today. It was the type of album that made young people feel understood, and adults feel something they’d forgotten how to name. The band's early years were defined by urgency, with three guitarists weaving tension, Ryan Richards’ screamed vocals ricocheting off Matt Davies‑Kreye’s melodic lines and lyrics that read like they had been ripped straight out of diary entries of any school notebook-turned-diary. With Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation as the spark, the 2005 album Hours was the burn, as a record that fully leaned into melody, but still kept its signature bite. Follow-up album Tales Don’t Tell Themselves pushed the sound even further, with a more melodic, conceptual rock pivot, which ultimately split fans but showed how the band were evolving as they grew. A run of four independently released records followed with Memory and Humanity, Welcome Home Armageddon, Conduit and Chapter and Verse, following the release of which FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND parted ways. Throughout their time, across the records, FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND shapeshifted; it wasn’t always neat and tidy, or even unanimously liked, but it was always driven by intent and an allergy to stagnation. When they finally reunited in 2019, it wasn’t for a victory lap, it was for a series of benefit shows honouring their late friend Big Stu. That emotional catalyst reignited something within the band, though it simmered for a while, until leading anniversary tours, festival appearances, and a renewed connection with fans who’d grown up but never fully moved on. Heading out on tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary for Casually Dressed in 2023 proved the songs still hit with the same tenderness and energy, with fans waiting on baited breath for new music. However, what came next was a surprise. Davies‑Kreye made the amicable decision to step away from the mic for good. His departure was rooted in life changes rather than band drama, but left fans wondering what could realistically happen now? Remaining members — Kris Coombs‑Roberts, Darran Smith, Gavin Burrough, Ryan Richards, and Rich Boucher — announced they would continue writing new music and were soon joined by Lucas Woodland of HOLDING ABSENCE for the live shows. FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND are a band that always endures because they have always been more than the sum of their eras; a band that truly captured the ache many of us felt growing up, the unwavering sting of self-reflection and the catharsis of shouting lyrics that said what you were too afraid to speak in your own voice. Their discography is a map of emotional evolution; from the rawness of Juneau, to the widescreen ambition of Raise the Sails and to the emotional ferocity of History. And now, with a new chapter unfolding, and fans waiting patiently but excitedly for new music, FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND stands not as a relic; they’re a living part of so many people’s musical DNA. FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND headline 2000 Trees Festival on Friday, 10th of July. Words: Lou Viner-Flood

For anyone looking to explore the modern era of pop-punk, NECK DEEP is one of the first bands worth adding to your playlist. Hailing from the city of Wrexham in Wales, this five-piece group has become one of the iconic names in the genre over the past decade to become something of British Pop Punk royalty. The band’s iconic sound blends energetic guitar riffs, emotionally honest raw lyrics, and infectious melodies into tracks that appeal to both longtime pop-punk fans and a new generation of listeners. Formed in 2012, NECK DEEP vocalist Ben Barlow collaborated with guitarist Lloyd Roberts and began writing songs together, sharing them online. What started as a side project quickly evolved, gained momentum, and became something altogether bigger thanks to the folk on the internet jumping on their first track What Did You Expect. These early songs garnered attention from fans around the world and a fan base started building almost instantaneously and hasn’t stopped growing since. 2012 and 2013 quickly brought upon the EP’s Rain In July and A History Of Bad Decisions on the label We Are Triumphant. A whirlwind of support slots, trips to America, and releasing the latter album as a “pay what you can” scheme resulted in the band landing in the laps of Hopeless Records. What came from here is a trajectory that only pointed up. Their debut album, Wishful Thinking was released in 2014 and introduced listeners to a youthful, fast-paced sound inspired by classic pop-punk acts like KNUCKLE PUCK and STATE CHAMPS whilst showcasing the band's own core identity. Tracks such as Growing Pains and Losing Teeth highlighted their knack for writing unforgettable hooks alongside lyrics that explored themes of friendship, loss, and growing up in a small town. The band's true breakthrough came with their second album in 2015. Life's Not Out to Get You is widely regarded as one of the defining pop-punk records of the 2010s and an album that truly helped reignite the genre altogether. Packed with iconic fan favourites like Can't Kick Up the Roots, Gold Steps, and the fan dubbed “pop punk sad song” December, the album balanced hope with self reflection. The uplifting message woven throughout the album encouraged listeners to embrace challenges rather than be consumed by them, helping it resonate far beyond the stereotypical audience to hit mainstream charts. 2015 also brought change to the band with line up shifts to allow Sam Bowden to step into the role of lead guitarist following Roberts departure. Rather than doing a copy and paste album, NECK DEEP continued to evolve their sound. Their third album The Peace and the Panic hit the shelves in 2017 and tackled even more themes of grief, anxiety, and uncertainty whilst maintaining their energetic sound. Songs like In Bloom displayed a more mature approach to songwriting whilst Motion Sickness takes listeners right back to the core of their pop punk sound. 2020 took a curveball with the release of All Distortions Are Intentional, a concept album that marked another striking creative shift. An album that divided opinion among fans, many praised the band's creativity to experiment with storytelling and a more polished style. The project showed that NECK DEEP were not just content to stand still creatively, they wanted to push themselves to create something more. Lineup changes again left the drummer being replaced by Matt Powles and bassist Seb Barlow stepping into the band. Taking a drastic step into DIY, the band broke away from Hopeless Records to form their own label alongside their former one TB Records. Their self-titled album, Neck Deep was released in 2024 and saw the band reconnect with the fast, punchy style that first shot them to recognition. Combining high-energy anthems with thoughtful lyrics, the record showed audiences how the group has matured while remaining true to the spirit of pop-punk. Songs such as the otherworldly Take Me With You and anthemic Dumbstruck Dumbfuck allowed the band to showcase all the best things that had learnt over the years to channel them into a record that will stand the test of time. It served as both a celebration of their journey and a confident statement about where they are today. One of NECK DEEP’s greatest attributes is their ability to write songs that feel relatable and comforting. Whether they are discussing mental health, relationships, self-doubt, or finding a positive during difficult times, their lyrics often mirror experiences that listeners can resonate with. Combined with outstanding live performances and a true connection with their fanbase, the band has built a reputation as one of the bands keeping the pop punk genre alive. After more than a decade since forming, NECK DEEP continues to prove that pop-punk has never left; it just needed the right band to reignite it. By honouring the genre's roots while embracing growth, they have earned their place among its modern-day leaders. Whether you're discovering them for the first time or revisiting an old favourite, NECK DEEP offers a soundtrack of your youth, hopes, and futures, with the kind of songs that stay with you long after the final chorus. At 2000Trees, they headline the Saturday. Words: Laura Davies

Tucked into the iconic North Wales venue, Llangollen rocked on Friday night as Texan pop-punk legends BOWLING FOR SOUP joined forces with folk-punk favourite FRANK TURNER AND THE SLEEPING SOULS for a huge co-headline show, bringing their Bowl My Bones Tour to TK Maxx presents Live at Llangollen Pavilion. Thousands of fans attended for an evening packed with pop-punk, folk and alternative rock, complete with massive singalongs, plenty of laughs and a setlist full of crowd favourites. Photo by Cuffe & Taylor AMERICAN HI-FI got the night underway, warming up the crowd with an energetic opening set which carried throughout the venue and over the surrounding hills. A surprise highlight was drummer Gary Wiseman from BOWLING FOR SOUP joining their opener as a friend to play The Geeks Get The Girl. “The best thing about touring with your friends is getting to play with them,” said frontman Stacy Jones. A great reminder of how close knit a tour can be and the connections that last a lifetime. Handing over to FRANK TURNER AND THE SLEEPING SOULS. Making his first appearance in Llangollen, Turner had the audience singing along from the outset with favourites including I Still Believe, Photosynthesis, 1933, Recovery and a rousing finale of Four Simple Words. Getting the crowd involved in a circle pit is no easy feat but Turner encourages with confidence that's easy to join in with. A message of love and kindness is clear throughout the set, with personal links to mental health struggles and support that we can all offer each other: for example the wall of death instead being the ‘wall of hugs’. Taking a moment to soak it all in, Turner told the crowd, “This is my first show in Llangollen. That means I’ve played 3,162 warm-up shows just for this gig. You guys rule!” Photo by Cuffe & Taylor BOWLING FOR SOUP closed out the night with a hit-filled set, opening with Almost before tearing through fan favourites High School Never Ends, Ohio (Come Back to Texas) and Today Is Gonna Be A Great Day — also known as the theme song to Disney's Phineas and Ferb. Packed full of swagger, jokes and larger than life personalities, BOWLING FOR SOUP commanded the stage from start to finish. Not afraid to let themselves be led into the first few lines of songs completely out of their genre if nothing to amuse themselves and the crowd. With a variety of pyrotechnics, inflatable beach balls, a guitar giveaway and enough confetti to cover the pit twice, it’s no wonder why BOWLING FOR SOUP are great live. Photo by Cuffe & Taylor Speaking backstage ahead of the show, frontman Jaret Reddick said, “It’s so great to be here in Llangollen, and my goodness, what an amazing venue, what an amazing crowd and what an amazing night. We’re really glad to be here.” One of the standout moments of the night came during a venue-wide singalong to FOUNTAIN OF WAYNE's Stacy's Mom, with AMERICAN HI-FI frontman Stacy Jones joining BOWLING FOR SOUP on drums. The band rounded off the night with Girl All The Bad Guys Want and 1985. With an endless amount of crowdsurfing, full crowd singing along to every word and fans of all ages packed into the Llangollen Pavilion it’s clear to see why BOWLING FOR SOUP are still rocking us and stages all around the world. Words: Tyler Whiting Photos: Cuffe & Taylor

Even a brief mention of TURNSTILE these days instantly evokes all kinds of feelings and sentiments. Where discussions can be stretched on their relationship with hardcore as the genre and the scene, most people would agree that no matter what TURNSTILE do, they do it absolutely brilliantly. The Baltimore natives have built a community far beyond their geographical and musical origins, crossing the generational divides with movement and rhythm. At the end of the day, they will keep being a manifestation of two simple things: love and connection. The hardcore punk network of Baltimore, MD, was always quite tight-knit, but precisely that was what allowed it to thrive even more. Formed in 2010 in these exact communal and DIY spaces, TURNSTILE were originally situated well within those rigid genre boundaries, with fast-paced heavy riffs that invite as much movement and moshing as physically possible. The band took big inspiration from their predecessors, the likes of BAD BRAINS and INSIDE OUT, and they have always been equal participants in the culture ever since starting out. TURNSTILE released two EPs — Pressure to Succeed (2011) and Step 2 Rhythm (2013), followed by a debut LP record Nonstop Feeling in 2015, beginning to tour successfully with it. After another EP called Move Thru Me was put out the following year and was already rising in charts, we began hearing the first signs of a shift in the air with the legendary Time & Space album (2018). Everything that TURNSTILE have been doing up until this point was slowly leading to the creation of their signature sound, which shone the most prominently on this record — and, as a foreshadowing, that we can also clearly hear in the two that follow. The essence of hardcore is getting extended with flowy melodies, the riffs last longer, and the production is cutting off the sharp edges, making the songs appear more well-rounded but no less punchy. Finally, we get to the album that truly changed it all — GLOW ON (2021). In over a decade of existence and non-stop creation, TURNSTILE have evolved enormously, arriving where they were always meant to arrive. Blending in the dream pop synths, shoegaze effects and even some rhythm and blues, the album still keeps the core at its core. No other band could have written it, and this alone should speak volumes. GLOW ON did cause some inevitable criticism, which has to this day been following the band around, although they choose to simply and eloquently ignore it. However paradoxical it may be to the spirit of the movement, the hardcore fanbase does involve a degree of gatekeeping and overly aggressive protection, which we can all understand the reasons for. Still, TURNSTILE have powered through and has since proved that letting your creativity flow along with the melodies can lead to the most beautiful places. And does it all even really matter if most people still tune in, listen, and rejoice? NEVER ENOUGH (2025) is a continuation of their story, but certainly not a pure repetition thereof. If anything, the band has now completely submerged itself into their new sound and evolution, and found a strong and steady footing within. Both albums also contain much more mature lyrics and introspection, which adds to the growth aspect even further. The level of acclaim and success that GLOW ON, but especially NEVER ENOUGH, have brought on is truly extraordinary for the guys who started out as a grassroots hardcore band, what seemed like yesterday. It is getting to play sets at some of the biggest festivals across the board: from the dearest to heart Outbreak, to the Glastonbury and Coachella for the popular girls. It is winning two awards at none other than GRAMMYs — Best Rock Album with NEVER ENOUGH and Best Metal Performance with BIRDS (those higher-ups do think anything that sounds slightly more atypical than alt-rock is suddenly metal). This is not all a result of TURNSTILE selling out and just catering to the big mainstream events. It is the big mainstream events inviting them after seeing their impact and how generational they are. It is a result of the band’s hard work and grit, and coincidentally evolving into a music style that unites people from all walks of life. If TURNSTILE can teach us a lesson, it is that sometimes it might be worth expanding your safe space. Seeing them live and seeing how buzzing the room always is, without a miss, it is abundantly clear they did not forget where they originated from. The pit grew bigger and bigger, but instead of leaving people out, it invited them in — from age 3 to 83, from a die-hard mosher to someone who will try stage-diving for the first time, and is guaranteed to get addicted. People contain multitudes, and TURNSTILE is for the people. Catch Turnstile supporting Tyler, The Creator this summer at All Points East. Words: Mariia Bulkina

The heat inside Foundry feels less like weather and more like the kind of pressure that builds in a room when everyone knows they’re about to be hit square in the chest. PUP (an acronym for Pathetic Use of Potential) has that effect on people. Before they even step out, the crowd is already vibrating: people clinging to the barrier, older fans grinning like they’ve survived this chaos before, everyone braced for the kind of night where catharsis comes loud and fast. Opening for the Toronto based band were North‑West trio GEN AND THE DEGENERATES, who’ve built a reputation on sharp humour, emotional honesty, and gloriously chaotic live shows. Fronted by Genevieve Glynn‑Reeves, they wasted no time in getting in the faces of the crowd, with their unapologetic presence. On paper, this show should not work: the drummer is off his ADHD meds, one guitarist is performing with a foot broken in two places, and Genevieve has already joked about the ever‑present risk of a wardrobe malfunction, plus they forgot to set up merch entirely. It’s the kind of pre‑gig disaster bingo that would flatten a lesser band. Instead, they turn it into fuel. They rip through Hotter on the Internet, Girls, and Wahoo with a feral looseness that feels intentional, like they’re daring the night to fall apart. Sex Symbol becomes a sweaty, defiant celebration of body autonomy; Girl God Gun lands with raw, non‑binary fury with Genevieve climbing off the stage to get up close and personal, and Anti‑Fun Propaganda closes the set as a snarling, anti‑capitalist rallying cry. Every flaw becomes part of the charm, every near‑miss part of the thrill. It’s messy, loud, and gloriously human. With their new album Earthly Delights out in January, GEN AND THE DEGENERATES are a band not to be missed. Off the back of breaking the stage at their show the previous night, PUP came out swinging and ready to tear the place apart. Walking onto the stage to DONNA SUMMER’s Hot Stuff (perhaps a gentle nod to Sheffield and The Full Monty?), the band were greeted by a baying crowd, who were ready to sing along, crowd surf and just take it all in. PUP tear into their set with the precision of a band who’ve spent over a decade turning anxiety into anthems, and the crowd responds as a mass of bodies moving as one, every lyric launched back with full-throated conviction. It’s sweaty, frantic, communal, and exactly what a PUP show should feel like. Thirteen years as a band, ten years since their debut, and Sheffield greets them like they have been overdue for far too long. They play along with instant singalongs, the kind that erupt before a note is played, and vocalist Stefan Babcock grins like he knows exactly what kind of night this is going to be, alongside bassist Nestor Chumak, guitarist Steve Sladkowski, and drummer Zack Mykula. “This world is a piece of shit”, he tells the room, “but in here we can look out for one another. Go off, but take care of each other. Give help”. It lands with the same weight as the inevitable Yorkshire chant that follows - heavy but triumphant. They open the run with the raw early chaos of Guilt Trip, My Life Is Over and I Couldn't Be Happier, and Dark Days, three punches from the debut that immediately turn Foundry into a choir. Concrete follows with serrated bite, then Free at Last and Closure bring the room into full communal roar. Paranoid, Morbid Stuff, and Kids arrive like a victory lap for the album that made them festival staples. Totally Fine twists the energy into newer tension before the night drops into Hallways, introduced with Stefan’s deadpan “Welcome to the sad portion of the set!” exclamation. Scorpion Hill swells into its usual heartbreak. Shut Up starts as a fragile solo moment and detonates when the full band crashes in. Sleep in the Heat and Old Wounds hit with familiar Dream Is Over ferocity. Familiar Patterns lands with an extended drum loop intro, and Reservoir gets pulled out after someone yells for it. Stef points into the crowd, Who said that, before launching straight in. The surprise is Pine Point, played only a handful of times before this tour, stretched with an extended outro and chorus reprise that turns the room reverent. Penultimate track If This Tour Doesn't Kill You, I Will is dedicated to the bands best friends, and DVP closes the set with the urgency of a band who still refuse to slow down. PUP do not do encores. They never have. Instead, they finish like they started, loud and honest and shoulder to shoulder with the people who showed up. It feels less like a performance and more like a promise kept. It is the kind of night that reminds you why live music matters. No theatrics, no fakeout walking off the stage only to come back minutes later, just a band meeting a crowd at full intensity and proving they are still one of the most vital acts around. Words: Lou Viner-Flood Photos: Kelsey Tomlinson

This weekend saw London packed to the brim thanks to METALLICA’s final tour dates, colour-bursting London Pride, and the continuing beautiful weather (or as we like to call it, Satan’s holiday home) - this heated, vibrant energy of London was felt at full force in the Electric Ballroom, Camden, with a crowd spilling out all the way to the entranceway to see Nashville emo band FREE THROW on their immense world tour for all-hits-no-misses album Moments Before The Wind. Gig-goers could be seen bopping and beaming to the interim music before anyone had even taken to the stage, the excitement rippling through the humid air as the lights darkened. POOL KIDS are still riding the high of their so-far momentous year, their infectious energy not waning for a second and the crowd giving it back at a resounding force. Seeing their exhilarating live performance, it’s easy to figure out why the math-rock band have swiftly made a name for themselves with dynamic movements matching their rousing sound, as drummer Caden Clinton brought thumping, tempo-morphing beats on Dani and bassist Nicolette Alvarez gamboled across the stage from the first notes of Last Word. Vocalist and guitarist Christine Goodwyne delivered impressive high-kicks to rapturous applause before she aimed the mic at the crowd to bellow back That’s Physics, Baby, lead guitarist Andy Anaya full-body headbanging through every song emphatically as he struck every curated note and sang in tandem with Goodwyne on heavy hitter Talk Too Much. With their energy spilling off the stage it only made sense for Goodwyne to follow it into the crowd, singing along with the front row and leaping into a brief crowdsurf, before clambering back onto the stage and powering through Conscious Uncoupling as the crowd whirled round joyfully. Decidedly limbered up and sweatier than a marathon runner, the crowd split almost immediately as SATURDAYS AT YOUR PLACE paced out onto the stage to welcome and launched into cross my heart, its nostalgic midwest emo riffs and vocalist and bassist Esden Stafne’s pining vocals capturing the crowd’s attention. Guitarist Mitch Gulish jumped and kicked excitedly through the set as he shredded on i’d rather be in michigan, grinning proudly at the crowd as they sang along to loon mobile pt 3. Gabe Wood thrashed at his drumkit and led a scream-a-long in the background for it’s always cloudy in kalamazoo, tucked away toward the back of the stage but giving so much energy it felt like he was playing in the pit. The three-piece didn’t have to throw themselves about the stage to make it clear what their punchy vibe was, choosing instead to insert a hop, skip, and a jump at times and gaze appreciatively as the crowd shook the floor and belted out to what am i supposed to do? and future, spinning like a tornado to fast-paced cross my heart before crowdsurfers started flinging themselves onto sturdy hands. A calm settled over the crowd as i give in began, people placing arms round shoulders in solidarity for the emotive song that build up to a cathartic crescendo, before SATURDAYS AT YOUR PLACE closed out with one final pit and shouting match for tarot cards. Before the lights had even dimmed, enthusiastically wild screams drowned out the interlude music, the audience barely able to contain their eagerness to see FREE THROW. It wasn’t long before the five-piece rocketed out with waves and ecstatic smiles and the crowd were able to unleash full chaos to opener MissingNo, surging forward to the rushing riffs and beats as vocalist and guitarist Cory Castro shifted from classic emo-rock melodies to hoarse shouts on the breakdown. While this tour was in celebration of latest album Moments Before The Wind, FREE THROW peppered in beloved classics like Pallet Town and Tongue Tied, their joy at playing their favourite tracks alongside their celebrated new work evident in their expressions and in the way they performed, clearly giving their all to play as perfectly as possible while still having the time of their lives on A Hero’s Grave and Mike Nolan’s Long Weekend. Crowdsurfers appeared in unstoppable droves for addictive Two Beers In, the frenzy of the fans reaching a towering high as they scrambled for purchase on an animated audience, their final chance to let loose in the form of steady and triumphant Hey Ken, Someone Methodically Mushed The Doughnuts. The crowd rolled around like crashing waves, a push pull motion to the compelling rhythms and affecting lyrics as we journeyed through the band’s career to arrive at the here and now, tracks like The Outlaw Star and The Waters Of Life a clear sign the band have kept to their musical roots yet grown their sound into something expansive and entirely true to themselves, without losing their signature marks. Words and photos: Julia Stark

After years defined by burnout, fractured identity and the weight of expectation, Patty Walters stepped away from music entirely, only to rediscover the part of himself he thought he had lost. That reconnection, first with himself and then with Ben Langford‑Biss, Ali Testo and Patrick Foley, lit the fuse for AS IT IS choosing to exist again on their own terms. What follows is not nostalgia, but a reclamation. It is four brothers rebuilding the thing that once saved them, clawing their way back to the spark that first pulled them into a room thirteen years ago and finally letting it save them again. The album lunges forward with ⁠I’m So Alive!, signalling the start of a more upbeat, positive vibe to the band, but with lyrics that contradict a little more with each line. It is the epitome of a pop punk song, complete with saxophone and choir backing vocals. A bold but impressive opener. AS IT IS at their most stark and unfiltered comes through via ⁠Ruin My Life feat. Murray Macleod from THE XCERTS. A track built on raw storytelling, pulling every buried truth to the surface with a clarity that stings and tracing the bruises of identity, pressure and emotional collapse without flinching. Musically, it leans into the band’s love of earnest, stage commanding rock, letting each line land with the weight of lived experience. From this emerges a portrait of reckoning in real time, a moment where survival becomes self‑recognition. Do You Remember? is their most nostalgic and self‑mythologising track yet. Co‑written with Max Helyer of YOU ME AT SIX and penned as a candid look back at fourteen years defined by chaos, camaraderie, and the kind of hard‑won connection that only comes from weathering every high and low together, the track features choruses of voices asking the key question, “We fucked it up and called it art - do you remember?” backed by heavy pop punk guitars and energetic drums. Confronting the ever worsening political climate in vocalist Patty Walters' home country, Live, Laugh, Love Los Angeles is a track that unpacks Patty’s relationship with the USA and having to watch from afar as tensions rise, where “you’ve got no cash for the ambulance” and “you can’t afford to live, you can’t afford to die”. It’s a track infused with their bright riffs and even an unexpected saxophone. As the band have clearly stated themselves alongside the release of the single - fuck fascism. Sitting on the album as one of the most quietly devastating tracks is Marilyn. The band describe it as a song about recognising how a near‑stranger’s goodness can shape you early on, and how hindsight sharpens that impact. That meaning threads itself through the track’s warm, melodic foundations, where Patty Walters leans into a gentler vulnerability. What emerges is a reflective portrait of growth, built on memory, gratitude and the belief that people never truly disappear while their values live on in those they’ve touched. ⁠Watching the World Go Bye presents itself as a love song, with the expected ups and downs with Patty stating “I don’t wanna leave the world behind, unless you do”. Throughout the album, AS IT IS carve out moments of reckoning, drawing a hard line between who they were and who they refuse to be anymore. Lose Your Way & Find Yourself becomes the point where healing stops being hypothetical and turns into a daily choice. Its slow‑burn intensity reflects the year of work, therapy and reconnection behind it, each lyric landing like a step toward clarity. It’s catharsis with teeth, the sound of a band rebuilding themselves from the inside out. Last at the Party pulls the tempo down in an expected, but still gutting way. Echoing the mood of Still Remembering from okay, it sketches someone clinging to any scrap of social contact just to avoid the silence waiting at home, desperate not to be “the last at the party.” Turn to Dust snaps back to that earlier upbeat, self‑sabotage energy, with Patty and Ben trading lines over gang vocals built for a live room; it’s the kind of track that’ll hit like a brick on stage, tears guaranteed. If I Ever Lost You circles back to the slower pulse, but lands even heavier. Patty’s verses trace the fallout of leaving behind a life and a love, while Ben’s entry cracks open the reality of the hiatus and the weight Patty was carrying; “I forgot where I was when I got the call from Dot, it’s a lot, needs to stop, can you save a life for an art?” It’s devastating, full stop. After the heartache from the previous track, ⁠Not Anymore delivers another blow, with just acoustic guitar and Patty’s voice; a simple, but poised. ⁠What If It All Works Out is the perfect ending to the album; defiant and apologetic, with Patty confessing he never stopped to ask the question “What if it all works out?”. The gang vocals throughout the track and the gentle drums, with the guitar, makes for a special combination. In choosing to make As It Is their self‑titled statement, the quartet cement exactly what this era represents. Not a reset, not a rewrite but a return to the truth that built them, sharpened now by experience, healing and a level of honesty they once had to bury just to survive. These songs carry the weight of who they were, the clarity of who they are, and the hope of who they might still become. It is connection without compromise, purpose without pressure, and joy without apology. It is the band choosing each other, their art and themselves again. In doing so, they have created a record that feels less like a comeback and more like a homecoming. Score: 10/10 As It Is will be released on 17th July 2026 via FLG. Words: Lou Viner-Flood Photos: As It Is

BRING ME THE HORIZON released their first album 20 years ago and despite a complete change in genre, they decided to re-record it just for its anniversary. The album is complete deathcore madness and being 20 years old it has its imperfections and blemishes. But the new version has repented that all, not only is it now perfectly polished music but the quality of the vocals, riffs, drums and everything in between has proliferated. Straight into the first track Pray For Plagues is one of the most iconic songs in BRING ME THE HORIZON's 20 year history and they made it better. Those that know the album well will clearly be able to hear the added depth and sharpness of the song, sonically it’s been taken from something quite flat and dull to something just perfectly mixed and mastered. One of the main differences being lead vocalist Oli Sykes’s vocals, there’s a clear deliberateness to each turn he takes in the song and intent behind every note. Tell Slayter Not To Wash His Dick comes up next instantly opening with intense deathcore beats. In this track you can really hear the difference in Oli’s vocals as he switches for certain lines to his more natural shouting voice like we’ve heard in recent albums, mixing it together with his deathcore screams and deep growls. Before the breakdown about 2 minutes in, Oli shouts “move” which he really tears his inner demon out for, flaunting the depths his voice can reach. Each track seems to unintentionally highlight a new difference in the rerecord. In For Stevie Wonders Eyes Only (Braille) there are many guitar shredding riffs on the higher end where you can cleanly hear each note as well as half time break downs which a piercing snare shots through with a booming hit of the bass drum underneath it. You can hear both ends so clearly where as in the original the distinction between the two was lost in the noise. A Lot Like Vegas is one of the shorter tracks on the album, it leans slightly more into the metalcore sound that you can hear in their songs like Antivist. It adds some variance to the solid deathcore onslaught but now with the rerecording sounds much more like something the band could release in current day. It’s a song in which it strikes you that no matter how far the band have come sonically, they really have stayed true to that sound in some ways and really are the same lads from Yorkshire. Most of the songs on the record are true to the original only with a brand new level of production. However the band did decide to rename the fan favourite Liquor & Love Lost, returning it to its original title Dragon Slaying. Fifteen Fathoms, Counting is also a track to note, a break in the noise for really beautiful slowed acoustic guitars and shallow drums. Much like the original, it's soothing and leans more to their emotional side that you can see in later albums with songs like Doomed and Follow You. It's much easier to tell from the rerecording but the album really has all the building blocks that slowly stacked their way to what Bring Me The Horizon is today. All the emotions, the lyrics, the genre switching and the undertones are like small tastes of what the band later grew to become. Of course the re-recorded tracks in the album ends with the ever famous Off The Heezy, the track is metal onslaught that leaves a brilliant sour taste in the back of your throat. It's a song that seeks revenge and that's exactly what they're doing with this re-recording. It feels like two fingers up to anyone that doubted the band along the way or their skills now that they've shifted genres. The album closes with the brand new song Dehumanized in which the band return to their deathcore sound with strong graphic imagery, taking a stance in the loudest way possible. The track came as a shock to everyone just to hear the band returning to their roots and with the re-recorded album it is the cherry on top to complete it with something that is so new yet fits in so perfectly. It's hard to mend something that both fans and non fans are so used to and have been listening to for so many years without people rejecting modernity. But online reactions have seen this re-recording widely accepted and appreciated, impressing everyone with the sheer difference in quality. To celebrate its release and the band's 20th anniversary, they played two insane sold out no barricade shows for Outbreak , in Manchester. Two shows with stacked line ups and we cannot wait to see the carnage at these shows. Score: 9/10 Count Your Blessings | Repented was released on 10th July 2026 via Sony Records. Words: Amy Smyth Photos: Bring Me The Horizon

Five years can feel like an eternity in the music world, but if Dear God proves anything, it's that THE PRETTY RECKLESS has made every second count. Rather than trying to recreate what made their previous albums successful, the band has delivered a record that feels like the natural next chapter in their journey. It's familiar enough to satisfy longtime fans while still showing growth, maturity, and a willingness to explore new emotions. From the opening moments of Life Evermore Pt. 2, the tone is set beautifully. There's a rawness to the track that immediately draws the listener in. It doesn't rush into the heavier moments of the album but instead creates an atmosphere that feels reflective, almost haunting, preparing the audience for what's to come. It acts as the perfect introduction to an album that's built as much on emotion as it is on hard-hitting rock. Without question, one of the album's standout moments is For I Am Death. From the very first listen, it has all the qualities of an instant classic. Every element of the song works together seamlessly, from the powerful guitar work to the thunderous rhythm section, but it's Taylor Momsen's vocal performance that truly elevates it. She moves effortlessly between vulnerability and aggression, delivering every lyric with conviction. It's the kind of song that reminds listeners exactly why THE PRETTY RECKLESS has built such a loyal following over the years. If there's one track that defines this album, it's this one. When I Wake Up serves as an important moment within the record because it bridges the gap between the band's previous material and where they are today. There's a familiarity to it that longtime listeners will immediately recognise, carrying forward the signature sound that has become synonymous with THE PRETTY RECKLESS. At the same time, it never feels repetitive or overly safe. Instead, it demonstrates how the band has evolved without losing the identity that made audiences fall in love with them in the first place. One of the album's greatest strengths is its emotional honesty. Rather than relying purely on heavy riffs or catchy choruses, Dear God allows space for its lyrics and performances to breathe. Love Me is a perfect example, feeling like a song searching for something that's been lost while balancing vulnerability with strength in a way that feels incredibly genuine. The emotion never feels forced, and that's what makes it resonate. The album's title track, Dear God, is another standout and it's easy to understand why it lends its name to the record. The song builds patiently before opening up into something immense, with Taylor Momsen delivering one of her strongest vocal performances to date. Her ability to move seamlessly from softer, intimate passages into soaring, powerful choruses is genuinely captivating. It's emotional without becoming overdramatic and powerful without sacrificing the sincerity that runs throughout the album. From a lyrical perspective, Spell On You is among the album's finest moments. The songwriting is exceptional, painting vivid emotions while remaining incredibly memorable. Combined with its infectious rhythm and driving beat, it's one of those songs that invites repeated listens, revealing new details with every play and rewarding listeners each time. What impresses most about Dear God is how cohesive it feels. Nothing seems out of place, and every song contributes something meaningful to the overall experience. Rather than feeling like a collection of individual singles, the album unfolds as a complete body of work, rewarding those who experience it from start to finish. That sense of flow has become increasingly rare, and THE PRETTY RECKLESS deserves credit for crafting an album that feels carefully constructed from beginning to end. There's also a confidence running throughout the record. The band isn't chasing trends or reinventing itself simply for the sake of change. Instead, THE PRETTY RECKLESS doubles down on what it does best while allowing room for creative growth. It's a reminder that some of the strongest albums come from artists who know exactly who they are. For longtime fans, Dear God will feel like a rewarding evolution. For newcomers, it's an excellent introduction to everything that makes THE PRETTY RECKLESS such a compelling band. It's packed with huge moments, heartfelt songwriting, and outstanding performances while never losing sight of the emotion at its core. After several listens, one thing becomes clear: Dear God isn't just another album in THE PRETTY RECKLESS catalogue. It's one of the band's strongest releases to date and a record that deserves to be experienced in full. It captures everything that has made THE PRETTY RECKLESS so beloved while confidently pushing its sound into the next chapter. Score: 8/10 Dear God was released on 26th June 2026 via Fearless Records. Words: Jack Norris Photos: The Pretty Reckless

There’s a particular kind of restlessness that defines THE PLOT IN YOU, a tension that’s lived in the project since Landon Tewers first broke away from BEFORE THEIR EYES back in 2010. Over the years, the band has evolved from brutal metalcore to wounded post‑hardcore to dark alt‑metal, never settling long enough for anyone to pin them down. Their upcoming full‑length release, The Volume Series, feels like the most honest expression of that instinct yet. It’s a record built slowly, in fragments of a four-part project, across years of touring, burnout, and emotional excavation. When vocalist Landon talks about how the project came together, there’s no grand concept, no master plan. “On the last album, anything that wasn’t a single just didn’t get attention,” he says. “We wanted to try something where we could treat every song like a single.” Instead of locking himself away for a month to force an album into existence, he wrote whenever the moment felt real. “It gave me the freedom to do it when I actually felt like doing it, rather than any pressure,” he explains. “And getting to play new songs every tour kept things fresh - testing the waters, seeing what works live.” That looseness shaped the emotional DNA of the record. Across the series, certain themes echo through loud and clear - cycles, repetition, and the sense of returning to the same emotional rooms even after you’ve sworn them off. But Landon insists none of it was planned. “Oddly enough, not very intentional,” he says. “I’ve been trying to let things come out naturally instead of sticking to a concept. A lot of the songs talk about different things, all condensed into one. They apply to different parts of my life.” Writing, for him, is a kind of overlapping excavation of ideas, rather than a single one. “It’s always been therapeutic,” he adds. “Each song being its own idea has been really inspiring.” Some of the record’s sharpest edges come from looking outward. Divide, one of the series’ most pointed tracks, was born from the post‑COVID fracture that tore through friendships and families. “Everybody in my life was super divided on everything, like politically, socially,” he says. “It was irritating. Nobody was getting along. It was just an observation of that, as someone who just wants to enjoy friendships without everything turning into an argument.” Forgotten, one of the emotional anchors of the project, is a meditation on erasure, speaking not just of people, but of entire stories. “I have friends back home with addiction,” Landon says quietly. “Sometimes I’ll hear someone from my hometown has passed. It’s really sad thinking about how many people suffer in silence without resources.” The song resonated more deeply than he expected. He admits he was pleasantly surprised by how people reacted to the track, “Sometimes songs just skip over people’s heads, but that one connected. It’s one of our favourites to play live.” Reinvention has always been the engine of THE PLOT IN YOU, but The Volume Series pushes that instinct further. “We went into it with the mindset of trying as many different things as possible and not playing it safe,” Landon says. “Some songs don’t even sound like they belong on the same album, which was the intention.” He laughs when talking about the risks. “Forgotten was a huge gamble; an all‑out heavy single with a big‑budget video. And Spare Me was another one that was super heavy with a high‑pitched, upper‑range chorus. But pushing boundaries keeps it fun.” Despite the band’s evolution, one thing hasn’t changed: Landon still writes everything. “I’ve always been the only songwriter,” he says. “I have a very specific idea in my head, and I change my mind a lot. It would be taxing on someone else. It’s easier for me to connect to what I’m singing if I have full control.” But he’s quick to emphasise that the band is still a machine with multiple moving parts. “Everyone serves their purpose. We’re a well‑oiled machine.” Photo: Tyler Whiting for Out Of Rage His vocal identity, from the venomous screams, the wounded croons to the radio-ready hooks, has become the band’s signature. But he doesn’t overthink it. “I almost always write the instrumental first,” he says. “Whatever the instrumental calls for, that’s where I go. I experiment a lot. After almost 20 years, I’ve built different ways of conveying emotion.” He’s aware that fans split into camps: the ones who want the heavy stuff, the ones who want the melodic stuff. “It’s cool seeing both sides connect to different parts,” he says. Writing about personal conflict without romanticising it is a tightrope, and Landon admits he doesn’t always get it right. “Sometimes I probably do romanticise it unintentionally,” he says. “But I try to be as honest as possible. People gravitate toward authenticity. Sometimes I realise things about myself as I’m saying them, like, I didn’t even know I felt that way until it came out.” He lights up when talking about other artists. “I love BILLIE EILISH’s last record,” he says. “There’s a heavy band called VILLANOVA who are a perfect gym band. I don’t get much time to listen for enjoyment, but those have stuck with me.” Whilst playing at Download recently, he caught THROWN and BREAKING BENJAMIN’s performances, both of which left a mark, but says, “Mostly we hid in the green room playing video games.” As for what comes next, he doesn’t offer a genre or direction. He offers rest. “I’m taking a breather,” he says. “It’s been tour, write, record, nonstop. I need to live some life. After this tour, I’m in rest mode. No music.” He laughs, but there’s relief in it. In the end, THE PLOT IN YOU haven’t outrun their restlessness; they’ve learned to sit with it without letting it consume them. The Volume Series isn’t a declaration of identity; it’s a place where the band stops breaking themselves open just to prove they can. For a project built on emotional violence, the most radical move now is choosing not to bleed. The Volume Series will be released on 10th July 2026 via Fearless Records. Words: Lou Viner-Flood Cover Photo: Wyatt Clough Photo Design: Robert Halls Live Photos: Tyler Whiting Editorial Lead: Amber Brooks With Thanks To: Hayley Connelly and Good As Gold