There’s a certain kind of ending that feels too clean to be honest, and neverland [CHAPTER II] actively resists that. Instead of closure, it offers something far less comfortable — a sense of continuation disguised as an ending, where growth feels unresolved and reflection borders on relapse. On the final instalment of the neverland arc, SINCE 2000 don’t just revisit the themes introduced in CHAPTER I — they pull them apart, exposing the fractures underneath identity, healing and the illusion of progress. Released via Easy Life Records, the EP positions itself as the band’s most emotionally and sonically intense work to date, but what stands out isn’t just the weight — it’s the control. There’s a precision to how these ideas are handled, a sense that nothing here is accidental. Where CHAPTER I explored identity as something unstable, this second chapter treats it as something already broken, shaped by memory, trauma and the quiet persistence of unresolved experiences. It’s less about discovering who you are, and more about confronting who you’ve been. That intent is clear from [prologue II], which opens the record by repurposing fragments from one of the band’s earliest unreleased tracks. It doesn’t land as nostalgia — it feels closer to reprocessing, taking something formative and reframing it through a more self-aware lens. That interplay between past and present feeds directly into Running From My Crimes, where urgent instrumentation underscores lyrics rooted in guilt and avoidance. It’s a track that feels caught between versions of the band, using that tension to its advantage rather than smoothing it out. Nosferatũ stands as one of the EP’s most fully realised moments. It’s ambitious without overreaching, weaving melody into more intricate arrangements while anchoring itself in a subtle conceptual shift — this isn’t a breakup with someone else, but with a former self. That idea of self-destruction as transformation runs quietly through the record, giving its heavier moments a sense of purpose rather than excess. That purpose becomes more immediate on SHUDDERING. There’s a rawness here that strips away some of the abstraction, tackling addiction and internal conflict with a directness that feels deliberately unpolished. It’s tense, volatile, and built on release — the kind of track that prioritises impact over refinement without losing its shape. lost_BOYS expands the scope beyond the internal. As one of the band’s earliest demos, its inclusion feels deliberate, shifting the narrative outward to address alienation and the conditions that leave young people vulnerable to radicalisation. What gives it weight is its refusal to judge — instead, it leans into empathy, broadening the EP’s perspective without diluting its core themes. The intensity peaks with HELLelujah! (feat. Lo Rays), a track that feels deliberately overwhelming. It interrogates the weaponisation of morality and faith with an urgency that matches its scale, while the guest feature amplifies that tension rather than softening it. It’s confrontational without losing focus, pushing the record into its most expansive territory. By the time FALLout closes the EP, the focus shifts again. It doesn’t resolve what came before — it sits with it. Positioned as an epilogue, it occupies that quiet, uncertain space where healing begins but patterns remain, leaving the ending feeling intentionally incomplete. As a whole, neverland [CHAPTER II] works less as a conclusion and more as an aftermath. It closes the narrative, but refuses to simplify it, leaning into the discomfort of growth and the reality that change is rarely linear. SINCE 2000 don’t offer resolution — they leave you in the in-between, where the real work happens. Score: 8/10 neverland: [CHAPTER II] was released on 24th April 2026 via Easy Life Records. Words: Mia Gailey Photos: Daniel Blake

Not all bands age into their legacy—some continue to challenge it, and PIXIES remain one of the few that still feel unpredictable. There is something about PIXIES that resists settling. Decades on from their formation, their music still carries a sense of imbalance—melody rubbing against abrasion, control slipping into chaos. It is not just influence that defines them, but instinct. A band that never quite fits, and never tries to. Formed in Boston in 1986, PIXIES carved out a space that felt entirely their own. They were never cleanly part of the alternative boom they would later help define, instead building a sound rooted in tension. Fronted by Black Francis, alongside Kim Deal, Joey Santiago, and David Lovering, their chemistry has always felt reactive rather than calculated—songs that move like they are about to fall apart, but never quite do. That push and pull is central to everything they create. The loud-quiet-loud dynamic is not just a stylistic choice; it is the band’s foundation. Tracks begin in restraint, often uneasy, before breaking into distortion-heavy release without warning. It is a structure that would go on to shape bands like NIRVANA, but PIXIES remain the most unpredictable version of it—less polished, more volatile, and all the more vital because of it. Records like Doolittle capture that balance perfectly. Jagged hooks sit alongside off-kilter rhythms, while lyrics drift between the surreal and the deeply personal. There is no clean resolution, no easy centre—just movement, tension, and release. It is that refusal to smooth things out that has allowed the band to endure without losing their edge. Live, that instability becomes even more apparent. PIXIES do not recreate their songs so much as rework them in real time—stretching moments, tightening others, letting imperfections bleed through. It is not about precision; it is about presence. A set can shift in tone without warning, moving from eerie stillness into abrasive bursts of noise that feel immediate and unfiltered. That is what makes their appearance at BEARDED THEORY FESTIVAL such a natural fit. Festivals often lean towards spectacle, but PIXIES thrive in atmosphere. Expect a performance that does not rely on nostalgia, even with a catalogue that invites it. Instead, it will lean into contrast—quieter moments hanging in tension before giving way to something heavier, deeper cuts sitting alongside the band’s most recognisable material without clear separation. They have never been the safest booking, and that remains their strength. PIXIES exist slightly outside of expectation, unwilling to fully conform to what a headliner should be. At BEARDED THEORY FESTIVAL, that refusal will stand out. Not polished, not predictable—just raw, reactive, and unmistakably their own. Words: Mia Gailey

In sophomore EP sorry about the plague is where Brighton quartet KNIFE BRIDE dial up the theatre to craft a narrative that starts with moreish character building and finishes with raw vulnerability. Across its five tracks, there are polished fusions of angsty metalcore guitars and screechy synths that carry the cheek of Mollie Clack’s vocals well, as well as the religious imagery plastered all over the EP’s titles and lyrics which lend to themes of sinning, confession and forgiveness. Lead single alone at the altar opens the EP, with the synths bouncing along the instrumental in the first verse before moving easily into the first of many well-executed tempo changes in the bridge. As the name suggests, KNIFE BRIDE open with a defiant response to a breakup, excluding confidence as the synths accent the final bar of eight bar phrases throughout, then blending the styles together by repeating “my” remix-style in the breakdown to set the rock rave mood. Latest single crucify quickly follows and ups the pace of sorry about the plague; a proper look into the all-consuming character followed within the EP with all the cheek that would entail. The soundscape is chaotic with the synth running scales and static piled onto Sean Windle’s guitar in the first half while Clack’s character rejoices in watching a life go down in flames. In the second half, the religious imagery woven through the second such themed title stitches into synth harmonies that sound choral before breaking into whiny guitars that contrast the punchy bass and drums. For the midpoint there’s lillies, slowing back down and discussing wasting years in the beginning to hint that the big personality will be stripped back. This doesn’t compromise the moreish soundscape that builds from the slower tempo, incorporating some rap singing in verse two to go along with the Drum and Bass beats then finishing with an angry breakdown/bridge. By the final movement the vocals become accusatory, creating the first nod to the hurt that lies at the foundation of sorry about the plague. Porcelain is the penultimate and standout track of sorry about the plague from jump, with Sean Millsopp’s floor lead drumline traded between headphone speakers in the intros and instrumental breaks that adds welcome bounce to the final act of the EP, with said instrumentals coming back with the half time bridges and keeping heavy until the unapologetically metalcore final breakdown complete with an irresistible china lead. The lyrics are confrontational about ones flaws, shown best in “I was the poison/you thought I was the antidote”, emblemising the ‘confessions of a former messy girl’ narrative while the consequences of this play out in the ear. To finish: poisoned by god, where the façade finally breaks and the vulnerability finally shows through. From jump "desperate to be loved/desperate to be something new” is like a sigh of despair once alone performing joy to a group, with the synths now mixed akin to a piano as the chorus declares “and with my heart in chains I play the fool”. Poisoned by God calls out to a former lover for one more chance in a beautifully emo finish to sorry about the plague, where the different versions of “If you ever asked me would I do it again/I would always do it my friend” hide the heavy instrumentals building in the background to form the perfect final crescendo. sorry about the plague is a delightfully polished sophomore set of tracks for KNIFE BRIDE: the peeling the layers narrative is executed expertly while their desired sound is a distinct mix of hard rock, synth rock and metalcore. What was lacking was more of Windle’s scream, teased in a screech and blegh snuck into sorry about the plague that would be interesting to see let loose. Those seeing CALVA LOUISE in the week ahead have a treat in store if they make it early. Score: 7/10 sorry about the plague will be self-released on 24th April 2026. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: KNIFE BRIDE

VLMV, pronounced “Alma”, is a decade-spanning project fronted by composer Pete Lambrou. It’s hard to nail down exactly what category or box their music falls into - even Lambrou himself defines it as “ambient-ish post-something”. Ambient is definitely the name of the game here, even the post-rock acts that you can hear some level of influence from, like Sigur Rós feels like a reach to compare them to the second you look past the string arrangements. So naturally, new album There Will Come Soft Rains on the way once again evades comparison. There’s bits and pieces of gems from the 2000s wave of ambient in there but, still wholly feels like its own thing. This was immediately clear from the only single in the leadup to the album, Bodies Grown Pt. 1. Described as "...an analogue synth played into modular, which gave me something back in response I hadn't planned. Like we were having a conversation, or a duet” by Lambrou, the synth ebbs and flows over the course of nearly five minutes without vocals. It feels like some sort of call and response, with the soft sustain at the end of each phrase starkly contrasting the comparatively harsher tone of the first few moments of each note. The second half shifts into something more akin to post-minimalism. The synth plays over string arrangements now, the strings gradually becoming more present, and by the end of the song it feels like this sort of dance between the synthesised and the natural elements of the song, to ultimately manifest into something that feels wordlessly human. It feels like a disservice to talk about Bodies Grown Pt. 1 without discussing Bodies Grown Pt. 2, as the penultimate song, later on the tracklist. Immediately setting itself up as taking a different approach to the first part, with Lambrou’s vocals over a grand piano, and that’s the form the majority of the song takes, outside of a string section with a similar ebb and flow to Pt. 1. It effectively serves as the closer to the album too, with final track Somnolence in Reverse feeling more like a post-credits scene. That’s not a bad thing, of course, it’s an absolutely gorgeous instrumental piece, with skittery synths that hop about until coalescing just before a crescendo towards the end with strings, percussion and a strummed guitar, before fadeout. It might be the single most evocative soundscape on the album. Elsewhere, you get rhythm experiments over these ever-present, impenetrable synths constantly buzzing in the backgrounds of songs like on We Are All Explorers Now and In Absentia. Meditative and eerie exercises in atmosphere like The Pilot, a song that halfway into its nearly six minute runtime contains this section of chopped up and manipulated vocal samples that adds a completely new dimension to the atmosphere of the album. Or these almost-ballads like the aforementioned Bodies Grown Pt. 2 and I Am an Officer, another almost six minute track that almost feels like the emotional centrepiece of the album, letting you live with the track rather than trying to surprise you, in spite of the rhythmic switch-up and gorgeous string section during the outro. There Will Come Soft Rains is an album that, as unassuming as it may be, is a surprisingly difficult first listen. It’s one you need to approach without prior expectations (unless you’re already a fan of the group) and sit with it for a while. The more you do, the more its inherent beauty reveals itself. Score: 8/10 There Will Come Soft Rains will be released on 24th April 2026 via Pelagic Records. Words: Noise Leonard Photos: VLMV

There’s a fine line between staying true to your roots and becoming a parody of them — and over thirty years in, DFL still sound like they’d rather crash and burn than play it safe. Fuck It is exactly what the title promises: loud, fast, messy, and completely uninterested in anyone’s expectations. There’s no reinvention here, no attempt to modernise — just pure, unfiltered hardcore energy delivered with the kind of reckless confidence most bands lose within a few years. From the opening seconds, Fuck It throws you straight into the deep end. It’s abrasive, immediate, and over before you’ve fully caught your breath. That same momentum tears through Paddy Wagon and Watch Your Step, both of which feel like they’re being held together by instinct rather than precision. That’s always been the appeal of DFL — the sense that everything could fall apart at any second, but somehow never does. There’s grit in every corner of this record, and none of it feels accidental. Then comes Second Chances, and it hits differently. Still fast, still aggressive, but there’s a weight to it that cuts through the chaos. Monty Messex and Crazy Tom Davis sound less like they’re performing and more like they’re unloading something real. The line all the good ones are dead and gone doesn’t just land — it lingers. It’s a rare moment where DFL pull back just enough to let something honest bleed through, and it works. The abrupt ending only reinforces that tension, cutting the track off before it has any chance to resolve. Any sense of reflection doesn’t last long. WWFD and Bang slam the accelerator straight back down, dragging the record into full-speed chaos again. There’s a sharpness to the production that keeps everything from completely derailing, thanks in part to Fletcher Dragge, but it never feels overworked. Instead, it enhances the impact without dulling the edges. Tracks like No U Don’t and Heavy Is The Head keep things tight and aggressive, refusing to waste time or overcomplicate anything. What stands out across Fuck It is how deliberate the chaos feels. This isn’t a band struggling to keep up — it’s a band choosing to stay raw. There’s a difference, and you can hear it in the way each track hits fast, burns out, and makes room for the next without hesitation. Nothing lingers longer than it should, and that brevity becomes part of the album’s identity. By the time Tour Talk closes things out, Fuck It has done exactly what it set out to do — no more, no less. Nine tracks, no filler, no polish, no compromise. It doesn’t try to stretch beyond its limits or present itself as something grander. Instead, it thrives in its own volatility, leaving an impression through impact rather than scale. What makes this record land isn’t growth — it’s refusal. DFL aren’t interested in evolving for the sake of it, and they’re definitely not chasing relevance. Instead, they double down on the raw, chaotic energy that defined them in the first place. For some, that’ll feel limiting. For others, it’s exactly the point. This is a band that knows who they are and has no intention of softening that identity. And honestly, there’s something refreshing about how alive this album feels. Too many bands at this stage smooth out their edges, lean into nostalgia, or start playing it safe. DFL do the opposite. This still sounds like a band that could fall apart at any second — and that tension is exactly what keeps it exciting. Fuck It doesn’t care if you keep up. It just hits, fast and hard, and disappears before you can ask for more. Score: 7/10 Fuck It will be released on 24th April 2026 via SBÄM Records. Words: Mia Gailey Photos: Rich Zoeller

There’s no grand reinvention here, no desperate lunge toward relevance. What THE AMITY AFFLICTION deliver on House of Cards is something far less marketable and far more vital: clarity under pressure. Not polished, not pretty—just brutally, unavoidably clear. Where Not Without My Ghosts felt like a band proving they still had teeth, House of Cards is what happens after the fight is over and the bruises have settled in. This is the sound of survival without the victory lap. From the opening moments of VIDA NUEVA, there’s a sense of tension rather than release. It doesn’t explode—it simmers. That restraint becomes a recurring weapon. KICKBOXER follows with more bite, leaning into that familiar Amity push-and-pull between crushing instrumentation and melodic lift, but there’s a weight behind it that feels earned rather than formulaic. The title track, HOUSE OF CARDS, is the thematic spine. Fragility isn’t dressed up here—it’s exposed. The band has always flirted with collapse as a concept, but this is the first time it feels fully realised. Nothing is stable, and that’s the point. The structure of the record mirrors that idea: songs hit hard, then recede, like emotional aftershocks rather than neatly packaged singles. HEAVEN SENT and BLEED tap into that classic Amity duality—anguish wrapped in hooks—but there’s less interest in immediacy this time. These aren’t tracks begging for repeat listens; they demand it. The melodies don’t hand themselves over easily, and when they do, they carry more weight because of it. Where the album really sharpens its teeth is in its middle stretch. BREAK THESE CHAINS and BESO DE LA MUERTE feel suffocating in the best way—dense, oppressive, and unwilling to offer relief. This is where the band’s commitment to instinct over structure becomes obvious. These songs don’t follow expectations; they follow feeling, even when that means abandoning traditional payoff. SWAN DIVE is one of the record’s most striking moments—not because it’s the heaviest, but because it’s the most resigned. There’s a quiet devastation running through it that hits harder than any breakdown. That same energy bleeds into SPEAKING IN TONGUES, which feels disoriented and fractured, like trying to articulate something that refuses to be understood. By the time AFTERLIFE and REAP WHAT YOU SOW land, the album has fully shed any expectation of catharsis. These tracks don’t resolve—they linger. Consequences, not closure. It’s a subtle but important shift from earlier releases, where even the darkest moments carried a sense of release. Then there’s ETERNAL WAR. Easily one of the heaviest cuts the band has ever put out, but more importantly, one of the most honest. There’s no metaphor left to hide behind. It’s blunt, suffocating, and completely committed to its own weight. This isn’t aggression for the sake of it—it’s survival instinct turned outward. What makes House of Cards isn’t just its subject matter—it’s the absence of illusion. There’s no redemption arc stitched into these songs, no neat framing device to soften the impact. Frontman Joel Birch has always written from a place of lived experience, but here it feels stripped back even further. No performance, no distance. Just confrontation. Sonically, the band feels locked in. Dan Brown’s production doesn’t overreach; it sharpens. Joe Longobardi’s drumming provides a physical backbone that keeps everything grounded, while Jonathan Reeves adds depth without diluting the band’s core intensity. There’s a sense of trust running through the record—nothing feels second-guessed. That’s ultimately what defines this album. Not evolution, not regression—trust. Trust in instinct, in emotion, in the idea that not everything needs to be resolved to be real. More than two decades in, THE AMITY AFFLICTION aren’t trying to outdo their past. They’re confronting it, sitting with it, and choosing to move forward anyway. And House of Cards doesn’t promise that things will hold together. It just shows you what it looks like when they don’t. Score: 10/10 House of Cards will be released on 24th April 2026 via Pure Noise Records. Words: Mia Gailey Photos: Tom Brown

It's a gorgeous sunny Wednesday here, and while our eyes are busy taking in the beautiful sun, we're keeping our ears occupied with a wide variety of recent musical drops. Here's what we've been listening to lately: The Band CAMINO - Holly! THE BAND CAMINO is set to release their fourth studio album NeverAlways (Vol.2) in May. The album opener Holly! is their newest single and it’s bringing exactly the indie rock we’re expecting from a band like THE BAND CAMINO. It’s a feel good anthem, a song that feels like a warm summer day. While it’s really repetitive and simple, their catchy chorus is making up for it. A playful guitar solo and a more restrained bridge add just enough variation, giving the track shape without disrupting its momentum. It’s not a reinvention, but it doesn’t need to be. Holly! feels like a reminder of what THE BAND CAMINO does best, and is a promising glimpse into the tone of NeverAlways (Vol. 2). Words: Hannah Martin Burglar - Star-Crossed Blending their mixed genre backgrounds into a poignant indie-rock sound, BURGLAR bring the emotive track Star-Crossed that weaves between floating, dream-rock similar to BLACK HONEY and crashing alt-rock. A stripped back intro featuring Eduardo's tones is gradually joined by Willow's harmonious notes and an understated drum beat, Eduardo conveying the feeling of baring all to the listener through touching lyrics like "make it go away, I don't wanna hide it". Each instrument added rises in volume until the bridge where they're all vying to be heard best, yet complement each other. BURGLAR's dual vocals echo their instruments progression, building in emotion and strength with each section, until Star-Crossed fades out to its lone acoustic guitar riff, the track's emotion spent. Words: Julia Stark Dead Pony - Freak Like Me From vocalist Anna Shields' first lines sitting atop a steady beat, DEAD PONY’s new single Freak Like Me suddenly catapults you into an electro rock feel with vocals being distorted over guitar riffs and heavy drums. Creating a catchy song with lyrics such as “you wish you could be a freak like me” leads to singalong moments and a perfect blend of pop punk and nu metal. Whilst this song starts as something soft and melodic, it certainly doesn’t end that way with DEAD PONY showcasing their heavier side with a chaotic yet perfect breakdown to tie the song together. Words: Laura Davies Graphic Nature - Faceless GRAPHIC NATURE have finally opened a new chapter, after 2 years of music drought they've released the brand new single Faceless. With the promise of this only being the beginning of a new era for the band we can expect more to come. The track slaughters your ears with their unique industrial, nu-metal sound, lead vocalist Harvey's voice rips through the track, his screams clean and gritty. The instrumental is complete chaos and is accompanied by a horror themed music video that really captures the corrupt core of the song. The band have a London headline show prepared for next week so grab your tickets if you want to hear this insane tune live! Words: Amy Smyth HAWXX - Feral Mother HAWXX have released their third single ahead of their upcoming album The World Splits Open, out 26th June 2026. Unlike their last release, Macho Bullshit, this track feels more cinematic, with folky elements woven throughout. This pairs beautifully with the breakdowns and Anna Papadimitriou’s vocals. The Londoners are able to show a new side of their music. One that feels more cinematic and, in a way, more polished than their previous songs. The folk-inspired build-up creates a safe atmosphere, allowing the breakdown to hit perfectly, and with even more impact than usual. Combined with the beautiful vocals, this creates a unique track that builds excitement for the upcoming album. Words: Hannah Martin Lip Critic - Talon After their breakout 2024 album Hex Dealer, the New York group LIP CRITIC are ready to release their second full-length studio album. The concept of a group like LIP CRITIC with a significantly larger budget is a slightly terrifying one, and they prove why on third single Talon. Intense, zany, somewhat offputting but brilliant in spite of all that. An incredibly fun song from an incredibly fun band, and with UK tour dates lined up for early July, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you missed out on what this group are doing. Words: Noise Leonard Millpool - Decide MILLPOOL are a London-based four-piece group, currently only having one release to their name - last year’s One Last Midnight EP. Like many of their London contemporaries, they make quirky and often atmospheric almost-post-punk with some jazz instrumentation, in this case a saxophone. So it’s nice to seem them back with new single Decide, combining shouty vocals with this sort of tension and release between each segment in the song. The tone on the guitars is absolutely to die for as well. The group played the famed George Tavern a few days ago - so if you’re around London and hear about them playing, it’s worth giving them a go. Words: Noise Leonard Mouth Ulcers - Closer To You An insanely catchy riff found in MOUTH ULCERS’s post punk single, Closer To You, is capturing red eyeshadow wearing vampires lurking around. The instrumental layering creates an eerie ambiance, featuring a minimalist melodic bassline and steady, driving drums. An atmospheric vocal delivery, by Zac Watson, compels listeners to dance and enjoy as the lyrics play on the themes of devotion. Touching souls that are craving a sense of nostalgia, MOUTH ULCERS are keeping fans excited for their upcoming EP release, Silent Pictures, coming out in July. Words: Theviya R Karunaharan Red Alleyways - Disillusion From a muffled intro of distortion heavy guitars and Brandon Bishop's crispy drums, RED ALLEYWAYS' second single Disillusion snaps into clarity with a sound that fluctuates between indie, pop-rock and alt-rock. Vocalist Sophia Gainsford leads us through each genre with her matter-of-fact singing of "baby, that's just life, innit?" and hypnotic layered vocals sweeping in the background, while guitarist and bassist Kyle Dodds and Jaydee Johnson harmonise over conflicted minor and major chords, all building to a rise in pitch and power as Gainsford seems to finally lose her patience. Disillusion feels like a disgruntled pep talk you've been through already - whether it's to someone who just won't get their shit together or to yourself, is open to your interpretation. Words: Julia Stark Seahaven - February Flowers It may be a sunny April, but the winter blues are crushing in SEAHAVEN's latest track February Flowers, from their upcoming self-titled album Seahaven. With a reverberating guitar riff that echoes with yearning in the distance, singer Kyle Soto serenades in a way that isn't powerful in volume but carries weight in the hopefully desperate words. The instruments and rhythm are minimalist and at times deceptively upbeat, but heartbreakingly emotive, the bass understated before getting its spotlight on the second verse, whilst the drums roll steadily in the background. February Flowers is the feeling of reaching out to a loved one knowing they won't reach back. Words: Julia Stark South Arcade - Superman Feeling like it’s thrown straight from the early noughties, SOUTH ARCADE’s new single Superman is a Y2k fever dream. Fresh off supporting FIVE SECONDS OF SUMMER where this single debuted to arenas of new and existing fans, Superman has won the band listeners already. Feeling both nostalgic and modern at the same time and giving you that upbeat yet angry feel, the band are bringing their classic vibes whilst also blending catchy choruses with head banging breakdowns. Vocalist Harmony Cavelle’s anger fuelled lyrics alongside the bands Nu-Metal inspired sound make this a rage anthem for a generation. Words: Laura Davies THEATRE - The Fall Taking the Irish music scene by storm is elusive folk-rock band THEATRE and their latest track The Fall, mysteriously the only song currently offered online despite amassing a fanbase with multiple shows over the last few years. Starting slow and dreamlike, the instrumentals feel purposefully out of sync in a controlled chaos as the singer's vocals echo in an subdued way. THEATRE all come crashing together for the chorus, the vocals rising to a prolonged call, the rumbling bass and thundering drums keeping pace while the clean and distorted guitar riffs war against each other on the breakdown. The Fall is deceptively powerful, shifting from an understated dream to solidified vision as it falls to a faded end. Words: Julia Stark THROWN - split Set to return to the UK in June for Download Festival, THROWN have released their first single in 2 years! split is 2 minutes of modern metalcore madness, with different electronic samples mixed in with these distorted guitars riffs, You struggle to know what's coming next. The beat switches up for the choruses of the song going from a head banger to a two stepper and flipping back and forth, the breaks of silence are hard hitting and back breaking. This Swedish hardcore foursome did not come to play with this single and as it marks the start of a new era we can't wait to see what they could possibly follow up with! Words: Amy Smyth VANA - In Your Name Pretty metal artist, VANA, is back with the cinematic single In Your Name. Blending crushing metalcore riffs with dark pop vocals, the track navigates how far a person is willing to stay in a toxic relationship driven by their devotion. An eerie atmosphere is created with the steady clean vocals paired with organ-like synths in the first chorus. The second half leans into an industrial metalcore sound that flows effortlessly from the opening pop and R&B atmosphere. The layering of clean vocals with razor slashing screams emphasises the push and pull dynamic of the relationship. With a heart wrenching track added to VANA’s discography, this is an emotional tune that belongs in playlists. Words: Theviya R Karunaharan Venus Grrrls - Eve Alternative rock quintet VENUS GRRRLS are back with new single Eve. A catchy track filled with yearning towards women as one comes to terms with their bisexuality. The pulsating song is filled with grungy riffs paired with the energetic drums. A sensual atmosphere crystallises in the chorus’s closing line, where Grace Kelly’s vocals soften into a hushed, spoken register. A slow burn of anticipation builds through the layered spoken-word bridge before it storms into the high energy release. Why not take a bite of both? It’s the perfect bisexual anthem. Words: Theviya R Karunaharan Waterparks - PROWLER "Wait, Waterparks? If this is heavy metal, I’m going to be so fucking pissed" - the intro snippet from a podcast already tells us there’s something interesting. Even if not exactly heavy metal, WATERPARKS sure do take us for a ride in the Prowler. Teased earlier in the tour, the track is a response to some of the parasocial relationships and idolisation that the fans engage in. A tale as old as time, Awsten Knight is not trying to stop it, but at least highlight how much of a burden it can be to bear: "I’m a singer, not a savior". As the vocalist noted himself, Prowler might be the band’s proudest work of the last three years. Along with the single, we received the long-awaited album announcement. The opening track will feature Mark Hoppus along with many others, so there is definitely something to look forward to before July 24th. Words: Mariia Bulkina Editor: Naomi Colliar Duff Photos: Various Artists

PORTRAYAL OF GUILT’s …Beginning of the End feels less like a collection of tracks and more like a deliberately mapped collapse, where each song doesn’t just follow the last but actively mutates it. Released via Run For Cover Records, it pushes their blackened hardcore and industrial-leaning sound into something more structured, more suffocating, and more controlled in its intensity. Rather than relying on chaos alone, the album is built on progression through erosion — every track feels like it is degrading the one before it. The record opens with Backstabber, which hits with direct, serrated force—no introduction, just impact, immediately setting the tone. That aggression then tightens and distorts in Human Terror, where density takes precedence over speed and repetition starts to act like a destabilising force, with riffs wearing themselves down in real time. By the time Heaven’s Gate arrives, the violence has cooled into something more clinical; it still cuts, but it’s been reshaped into structure, almost detached from emotion entirely. Under Siege locks everything further into place, creating a sense of containment where nothing feels able to expand or release. From there, Ecstasy becomes deliberately deceptive; instead of catharsis, it strips emotional texture away until all that remains is motion without feeling, reinforcing the album’s refusal to resolve tension. Death from Above shifts the pacing into something militarised, more forward-driving but still trapped within its own mechanical loop, advancing without ever escaping the pressure around it. At the record’s emotional and structural core, God Will Never Hear Me stops implying despair and fully inhabits it, but still through restraint rather than explosion—slow, grinding repetition that feels like acceptance rather than expression. That space is then bent by Camber of Misery Pt. IV (Feat. Slim Guerilla), where the feature doesn’t disrupt the atmosphere but warps it slightly, adding a new texture that is absorbed rather than separated from the whole. The final stretch begins with Total Black, which strips everything down to pure atmosphere, where form starts to dissolve entirely. Object of Pain briefly reintroduces fragments of structure, but they arrive distorted and unstable, like corrupted remnants of earlier ideas. By the time The Last Judgement arrives, there is no climax—only dissipation. The album doesn’t end so much as it thins out, as if it’s collapsing into silence rather than resolving. One of the most striking elements across the record is how consistently it resists traditional release, instead choosing to sustain tension until it becomes its own form of atmosphere. That approach gives even the heaviest moments a sense of restraint, where impact is felt less as explosion and more as pressure accumulating over time. In that sense, the album feels closer to a continuous environment than a set of individual songs, with each transition deliberately designed to feel unavoidable rather than abrupt. This is where the industrial influence becomes most apparent, not as decoration but as structure, shaping how repetition and distortion function across the entire runtime. It ultimately reinforces the sense that nothing here exists outside the system it creates entirely at. Ultimately, …Beginning of the End is PORTRAYAL OF GUILT refining their identity into something more deliberate and oppressive. It trades unpredictability for sustained pressure, using structure as its own form of violence. What emerges is not just an album of heavy moments, but a sustained environment of decay that never fully releases its grip. Rating: 9/10 …Beginning of the End will be released on 24th April 2026 via Run For Cover Records. Words: Mia Gailey Photos: Craig Murray

There’s a particular kind of tension that only exists in bands who still feel like they have something to prove—not in a performative sense, but in the way every note sounds like it’s being dragged out of them in real time. That’s exactly where ROMAN CANDLE operate on this full-length: a record that doesn’t just document growth, but captures the friction it took to get there. Emerging from Las Vegas’ desert underground, the four-piece have always leaned into emotional extremity, but here it feels more controlled, more intentional. Not cleaner—never that—but sharpened. Where earlier material like Discount Fireworks thrived on volatility, this album feels like it understands when to hold back just enough to make the impact land harder. Opening track Blasphemous Act sets the tone with a slow, uneasy burn before rupturing into something far more urgent. It’s a statement of purpose: restraint as a weapon. That sense of push-and-pull runs throughout the record, particularly on This Band Has Led Me To Places I Wouldn’t Go With A Gun, where the band weaponise repetition and pacing to create a suffocating emotional loop. It’s not just heavy—it’s exhausting in a way that feels deliberate. Can We Watch Something Happy? stands as one of the album’s defining moments, and not just because of its backstory. Pipe Ferrari’s vocal performance here feels less like delivery and more like confrontation, teetering between collapse and control. There’s a rawness that never tips into self-indulgence; instead, it feels grounded, painfully specific. That specificity is what gives the band their weight—these aren’t abstract emotions, they’re lived-in, named, and impossible to ignore. Musically, the band thrives in contrast. Jonas Vece’s guitar work shifts between serrated chaos and unexpectedly delicate passages, often within the same track. Fire In The Night Sky Forever is a prime example, balancing angular aggression with moments that almost feel reflective, like the calm after something irreversible has already happened. Meanwhile, the rhythm section—Sergio Lopez and Alex Dupuis—anchor everything with a sense of physicality that keeps the songs from drifting. There’s heft here, but it never feels static. Tracks like Bite Harder Than You Bleed and Nothing Is Original lean further into the band’s hardcore influences, delivering some of the record’s most immediate moments. But even at their most direct, there’s an undercurrent of unease that stops things from feeling straightforward. It’s this refusal to settle that makes the album compelling—it’s constantly shifting, never letting you sit comfortably for too long. The back half of the record leans more introspective, without losing intensity. My Silence Costs More Than You Can Afford and For Once My Hands Are Still trade explosive catharsis for something quieter but no less heavy. These tracks feel like aftermath—what’s left when the initial emotional surge has burned out, leaving something colder and harder to process. Closing track How To Be Considered When You’re Not In The Room feels less like resolution and more like acceptance of ambiguity. It doesn’t tie things up neatly, and that’s the point. The album isn’t interested in clean endings; it’s interested in honesty, even when that honesty is unresolved. What makes this record stand out isn’t just its intensity, but its sense of purpose. There’s a clarity to what ROMAN CANDLE are trying to do, even when the music itself feels chaotic. Every moment feels earned, every shift intentional. It’s a record that understands the power of restraint as much as release, and uses both to devastating effect. At twelve tracks, it never overstays its welcome, but it leaves a lasting imprint. This is a band stepping fully into their identity—not refining the edges away, but sharpening them. Score: 7/10 Unadulterated will be released on 24th April 2026 via Sumerian Records. Words: Mia Gailey Photos: Roman Candle

When a frontman leaves a band that once felt like a fortress, many would expect his next steps to be a repetition of his previous success, playing it safe and settling back into familiarity. Ex-BLIND CHANNEL Joel Hokka’s debut, under the name HOKKA, chooses to do the complete opposite: Via Miseria IV is a record that looks back without living there, trading the past for something darker, more considered, and theatrically alive. Joined by legendary guitarist Pauli Rantasalmi (THE RASMUS) and “wonderkid” drummer Jimi Aslak, HOKKA delivers an album that feels like a triumphant rebirth and a deliberate step forward from the shadows. Joel Hokka arrives at this record bruised by the aftermath of sudden success - years of relentless touring and the dizzying machinery of big-time rock left him burnt out and unsure of his place in the world. Those experiences are the driving force behind Via Miseria IV, informing a voice that sounds both raw from the fall and steadier for having learned how to stand alone. The record wastes no time establishing this new era with opening track Blackbird. It is a defiant mission statement, leaning into the intense personal struggles Joel has faced, with lyrics like “crawl back from the graveyard”. Knowing the history there, the track feels like a literal exhumation of the past to make way for the future. Anyone expecting a BLIND CHANNEL 2.0 will be immediately corrected - while the pop sensibilities remain, the delivery is far more grounded and atmospheric, setting a moody precedent for the nine tracks that follow. Musically, the album balances two complementary instincts. There are the immediate, hook-driven moments built for singalongs and festival stages, with choruses that land with satisfying force, contrasted by quieter, more intimate passages that let the emotional content breathe. In The Darkness is the clearest example of this duality. It’s cinematic in scope, dramatic enough to soundtrack a pivotal scene, yet also grounded by a brief Finnish interval near the end of the track. It’s a particularly inspired touch, keeping the song tethered in its Finnish roots, even as the band aims for a global sound. Pauli’s guitar work on the record is undeniably impressive. On songs like Death by Cupid’s Arrow and title track Via Miseria, the guitars do more than just provide riffs. They shape the mood, switching from jagged urgency to lush, melancholic washes. Those instrumental choices give the album a unique texture and prevent the songs from blurring into one another. The “Warrior and Sensei” dynamic described in the band’s press release isn’t just marketing fluff: you can hear the synergy in how the instrumentals and vocals give each other room to breathe. We see this really clearly on Heart Said No, which provides a necessary shift in dynamic. Pulling the intensity back to let a softer, more vulnerable vocal performance take centre stage, it allows listeners to fully sit with the melancholy HOKKA has openly embraced. Jimi’s drumming complements this dynamic perfectly. It’s punchy and precise on the glam-leaning Bon Apetit, restrained and devastating on the stripped back and aptly-named power ballad, Murder Ballad, and propulsive when Joel’s vocals need momentum. Murder Ballad acts as the emotional centre piece of the album, beautifully showcasing Joel’s vocal range and proving he can hold a power ballad without tipping into artificial melodrama. It’s followed seamlessly by Angels Fall, which kicks the tempo back up and works well to balance the emotional weight of the previous track. The sequencing here is a masterclass in attention to detail, proving that the trio’s interplay is what makes the album feel most alive. As the album reaches its climax, Serpent’s Song delivers a cathartic, riff-driven build up that feels like a natural finale. However, the true talking point is the closing cover of SEAL’s Kiss from a Rose. While some critics may find the choice jarring, it acts as a symbolic coda for the entire project. In the context of HOKKA’s journey, the themes of intoxication and transformation mirror the “golden cage” of Joel’s previous success and the new, transformative connection he has found with his bandmates. It’s a powerful, hypnotising end to a record that is obsessed with the idea of finding beauty in pain. Via Miseria VI’s production is polished, but far from sterile. The mix gives each element space to sit forward when it needs to, and equally to step back for a deeper impact. There’s a contemporary clarity that keeps the arrangements from sounding too much like a pastiche of early-2000s influences, even as the record nods to that era’s melodic instincts. The theatrical flourishes are balanced by moments of restraint, which is why the album never feels pretentious. Ultimately, this album is an incredibly strong debut that avoids the pitfalls of its own high-concept narrative. The “Warrior and Sensei” chronicle could have easily become far too heavy-handed, but here it functions as a creative framing device for someone finally choosing to tell their story on their own terms. For listeners who mourn the end of BLIND CHANNEL, Via Miseria IV offers a profound sense of consolation. It doesn’t attempt to be a replica or safe continuation of what came before, instead providing a sophisticated evolution that makes the loss of the former band feel like a necessary sacrifice. Score: 9/10 Via Miseria IV will be released on 24th April 2026 via Nuclear Blast Records. Words: Zuzanna Pazola Photos: Natalie Pastakeda

FROM ASHES TO NEW were no strangers to leading crowds. Having formed back in 2013, and touring extensively across the States, the Pennsylvanian nu-metal rap quartet were ready to make their mark as they embarked on their first ever headline European tour. With expectations high, and the London crowd ravenous for a good show, would the band from across the pond sink or swim in waters new? If starting as you mean to go on was the task for the night, nu-metal London based band PARADISE FELL understood the assignment. Bursting onto stage, their presence electrified the room. For a band that only released their first single in 2023, they owned the stage as if they had been around for far, far longer. Matty Bankhust’s raw, clear vocals cut through the room in No Lies, reminiscent of fellow metal heavyweight BRING ME THE HORIZON. When the house lights were temporarily raised so they could look at the crowd, the room was packed. Their set packed a punch. With tight guitar riffs, and beats that demanded a mosh pit be opened up for (and guitarist Harry Acreman shredding in the pit for the final song), PARADISE FELL proved they can energise a crowd. If PARADISE FELL aren’t already on your radar, this is your sign that they should be. Keeping the energy high, the loud kicks of the drum and the erratic red and blue flashing lights let us know that alt-rock duo COMASTATIC had arrived. Back4blood, the opening track from their set, veered in a slightly different direction from the sound of the first act. Starting with a slower tempo and building up, the steady electric guitar riffs of Jules Luongo filled the room, earning nods of approval from the spectators. We were in for a treat as vocalist Mattia Di Paolo introduced us to American Nightmare, released only a day prior. A standout from their set, Di Paolo’s vocals were bright, controlled and enunciated, with a slight hint of nostalgia to early ALL TIME LOW’s Alex Gaskarth. COMASTATIC were just as committed to their sound as they were to the audience. Stopping the show completely, calling for security and organising the audience when a concertgoer was taken ill was a reminder that at the core of live music is a strong ethos of care and respect for one another. Ensuring that the fan in question was okay, the duo jumped back into their set. Slowing down the tempo for their song Halo before opening up the mosh pit to shred heavily for Self Sabotage showed off their diverse range. There’s no doubt that COMASTATIC is only just getting started. With the support acts sparking life into the room, would the headliners be able to push the crowd even further? The room flooded with a red glow as a strong, rough guitar riff set off the main event. Swifty followed by the thud of drums, clear and controlled vocals from FROM ASHES TO NEW’s lead singer Danny Case introduced New Disease. The energy in the room was ignited, and it never went out. No sooner had the set begun, the floor was cleared once again for the ever growing moshpits of the night. It was like a team sport, watching rapper and vocalist Matt Brandyberry and Case balance the vocals between them so effortlessly. The rapid, fluid lines from Brandyberry blended perfectly with Case’s range of clean vocals and contrasting growls. As a nu-metal and rap metal group, the breadth of sound, both from the vocalists and the electro-rock mix of the music, gave the band a unique edge. As flashing spotlights bounced across the room, the band launched into Nightmare. This is where they truly came alive. The crashing of the drums drove the crowd into a frenzy - heads thrashing to the addictive rhythm. Here is where the guitar really shone, the magnetic riff overlaying the drum beat and adding another dimension to the track. The momentary technical difficulties after Scars That I’m Hiding worked in the favour of one fan, who took the opportunity to ask to sing Hate Me Too with the band. It was a resounding yes as the crowd roared in support of FROM ASHES TO NEW’s temporary sixth member. As the lights flashed between purple and green, the stage was teeming with momentum. It was a truly beautiful moment, with Brandyberry taking the time to remind onlookers to not fear being judged. Kicking it way back to My Name, the tempo was slowed as Brandyberry’s steady bars filled the room. Released almost a decade ago, the song’s theme of pursuing dreams and overcoming the odds was particularly poignant, as the band celebrated the release of their fifth studio album, Reflections, earlier that day. The passion and support for FROM ASHES TO NEW runs deep. From a special shoutout to their agent and friends in the crowd to watching a sound engineer air drum the beat in perfect time was a testament to the extent to which people truly believe in their music. FROM ASHES TO NEW radiated the room with a fresh energy. Masters of their craft, their genre blending was electric. With this tour being their first time headlining in Europe/UK, there’s no doubt that there will be masses of metalheads and rap fanatics alike counting down the days for their return. Words: Mary Horner Photos: Roxy Moloney

It’s Friday night in Leeds, and you can feel the excitement of fans walking up to the Project House. Since bursting onto the scene from a sweaty, overpacked tent debut at Download Festival last summer to sold-out venues across the Atlantic, PRESIDENT is exploding onto the scene as one of metal’s most electrifying new bands. Few bands have sparked as much buzz in such a short time. There was a lot of curiosity in the queue, people talking, trying to figure out what the band would actually be like live, whether the hype was going to be worth it. Support came from THEBOYSHADOW, the new project from former LOATHE guitarist Connor Sweeney. He left the Liverpool lads back in 2021 and has been quietly working on this for the last four years. The press release talks about how he faced his demons head-on and channelled them into songs, surrounded by a tight crew of artists who feel more like family. With just their debut single, Give Me A Seam & I’ll Show You The Meaning only out so far, it was hard to know exactly what we were walking into. But once they landed on the Roadrunner roster, you just knew it was going to hit hard. On paper, it looked like a strange match for the bill, but the brutal, full-on assault they delivered worked a treat. A harsh, spiralling mix of worn-down riffs and unrestrained vocals, it feels right, abrasive, and almost suffocating. Their sound grabs hold, unrelenting, pressing in with a kind of cruel intensity. It makes for a striking and formidable introduction. It added real contrast to the night and built the atmosphere nicely, rather than trying to one-up the headliner. By the time they finished, the crowd was properly warmed up, though a few people still seemed a bit unsure what to make of it all. Finally, what everyone was here for. All lights in the place were cut out except for a small pink President logo glowing on Mr President’s lectern. Straight away, the crowd lost its massive screams, phones flying up everywhere with the iconic presidential campaign music playing. Opening with Fearless, one of the band's two big breakout singles, the whole crowd was straight away chanting the chorus back at them. Mr President held the microphone out to us, and everyone belted out “Fearless” at the top of their lungs; it was deafening. Leeds was well up for it.The sound hit hard, tight but still raw enough to feel live, not overproduced. The vocals were controlled but still aggressive where they needed to be. The whole anonymous image could’ve come off as a bit gimmicky, but it worked in the room. It added to the tension more than anything. You weren’t just watching a band, you were trying to figure them out while they were playing, and that made it more engaging. Project House suited them perfectly. It’s not a huge venue, but that worked in their favour; it made everything feel louder and more direct. Covering Change by DEFTONES was interesting and not something people were expecting. The lights went orange, and Mr. President sang his heart out; his vocals were incredible and gave the song justice. It lets you hear what they want their sound to be like through the interpretation of other music. Not mentioning Destroy me would be wrong, a great metal sing-along, with some brilliant melodic screams, as well as a catchy riff. The emotional wreckage of our masked frontman is what really cuts deepest. The synths used in tracks by PRESIDENT create a unique element about the band, not only making their look distinctive but also their sound. All the live music was on top form. After a heavy, thought-provoking monologue about sparking a movement and carving out their own sound, Mr. President stood at his lectern like a dark silhouette, slowly pointing out into the crowd before raising his finger to the sky as In The Name Of The Father rumbled in. The whole room felt heavier at that moment, and the pit opened. Leeds really was waiting for this one, eager to sing, and it really didn't disappoint. The track came out right at the start of PRESIDENT’s rise last summer, and honestly, it still stands as one of their strongest. You’d never have guessed it was their first proper headline show in the UK; the place felt electric from start to finish. Words: Kieran Atkinson Photos: Zak Pinchin