Deep in the depths of Underworld in Camden, there's a small band causing earthquakes with the intense bursts of energy from themselves and their fans as they bounce up and down. Only a few can pull off this level of raucous chaos, and by no means are they stopping any time soon. The energy that Bristol punk collective KNIVES hasn’t gone unseen. A recent tour with THE CALLOUS DAOBOYS has put them on the map, and a supporting slot with WITCH FEVER has taken them even further. Amongst upcoming festival slots at 2000Trees, Outbreak and Noizzefest - and the time between shows in the recording studio - we got talking to bassist Ben Marshall about the chaos that is intrinsic to the DNA of the band. When Callous Daoboys vocalist Carson Pace found Jay Schottlander’s PUSHA T references in their lyrics, coupled with KNIVES’ aggressive and unrelenting sound, they were the first ask to join the Atlanta chaosmakers on their European romp. Alongside LOVE RARELY's mathcore-infused melodies in the UK to complete the lineup, this raucous collective proceeded to tear up every venue they could. The chemistry on and off stage made the tour really special. In downtime, the close-knit connection became some of the tour’s most memorable moments. Ben recalls watching the Super Bowl in a Hungarian bar and playing Magic: The Gathering between sets. In return, this would result in plenty of stage invasions from all the bands and a real shared love of music. Eventually, this would lead to Carson featuring on the track Sugar from their newly-released EP Reglitter I. It's hard to really put into words how perfect this tour suited KNIVES. “A lot of the UK shows on the Daoboys tour stood out as well. We pretty much had one of our family members at every show.” Their reputation as one of the UK’s most ferocious rock bands made every show turn into a rage room (OOR pun intended!). The six band members bring together the avengers of the underground experimental music scene. Comprised of one of the most aggressive drummers in the scene, two guitarists who bounce off each other like magnets, Ben, who has the most off-the-wall energy in the best way possible, and a singer who has a voice so demanding that you can’t help but rally to it like a war cry. With the unlikely addition of a saxophonist, their sound becomes both abrasive and ridiculously cool. And doesn’t the rest of the scene know it! From talking with Ben, the recently released Reglitter I came from KNIVES’ great relationships with other bands, always connecting over shared love of music. Here, collaborations with DITZ’s C A Francis, OOR darlings DEATH GOALS and CHEST, take centre stage. However, Ben says his favourite collaboration is yet to be released, with Brighton-based math-hardcore band HOW LONG YOU BEEN DRIVING set to release a revamped cover of Rhinestone Cowboy. “It’s stupid in the best way possible.” So much of this band's core sentiments and values are based on community, creating a safe space for anyone, standing up for what’s right. As they’ve described themselves, they are a movement, not a band, and it is very apparent through their politically charged lyrics and infectious energy. You can very much see this on their most recent studio album, Glitter, as so many lyrics reflect a feeling of constant frustration, rebellion and rage. The album is an absolute war cry, demanding movement and energy. KNIVES are an inclusive band. As Ben put it, “We’re normal people, we are doing the bare minimum, and it should be a standard expectation for everyone.” This is chaos being heard. “Sharing a room with a collective of people who all share the same morals and having a crowd shout back lyrics about homophobia and xenophobia is really special. A lot of the time, it can feel disheartening seeing all the awful stuff that’s happening in the world. Moments like that are a big reminder that there are so many people who want change, and we’re all in this together.” As KNIVES have just finished up a tour with WITCH FEVER, they’re now in the studio right working on new material and, in Ben’s words, “bringing back the dab”. After some much-needed time off in May, they are doing a crazy festival circuit, starting with Noizzefest in Cardiff, 2000Trees, and the band’s most anticipated show of the year at Outbreak. “I’m excited to see END IT, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and TRUCK VIOLENCE. CONVERGE’s new album is so good! Also, we were lucky enough to play with THE ARMED in France a couple of years ago as well, so it will be nice to see them again!” Words: Ben Blissett Live Photos: Ben Blissett Cover Photo: Titouan Massé Cover Design: Robert Halls With Thanks To: Demi Wu and Marshall Records

One of the most exciting pop punk bands to emerge from Canada since SUM 41 and SIMPLE PLAN, CHIEF STATE present their third studio album, Keep Your Friends Closer. Hailing from Vancouver, the five-piece channel the essence of pop punk with precision. Emo-laced melodies collide with driving rhythms, while their lyrics explore friendship, loss, and self-discovery with clarity and intent. The album captures the nostalgia of early 2000s pop punk without feeling derivative, striking a balance between homage and progression. No Brakes launches the album with immediate impact. A distorted guitar intro quickly gives way to a relentless, high-tempo burst of energy. The interplay between lead guitar and vocals is particularly sharp, locking together with a level of cohesion that elevates the track beyond a standard opener. Resonate draws heavily on nostalgic pop punk elements, building from a familiar opening into a tightly crafted anthem. The hook is immediate and impactful, while the lyrics strike an emotional chord without becoming overindulgent. It’s easily one of the album’s strongest moments. April Showers introduces a more dynamic structure. Beginning with a stripped-back, almost off-the-cuff drum entrance, it transitions into isolated vocals before expanding into a full, driving arrangement. The shifts in tempo and pacing are handled with confidence, adding tension and release without sacrificing flow. DAMN! continues the album’s momentum with a polished, radio-inspired opening. Built on layered harmonies and a fluid progression, it feels engineered for crowd interaction. There’s a natural accessibility here that doesn’t compromise the band’s edge. Metaphors slows things down slightly, bringing a more introspective tone to the forefront. The song-writing leans into reflection, supported by textured guitar work and spacious production. It’s a track that prioritises atmosphere as much as melody. Can’t Let Go shifts gears again, introducing a grittier, more rugged sound. There’s a rawness in both delivery and structure that adds depth to the album’s pacing. The closing moments, with repeated vocal echoes, leave a lasting impression. Paranoia arrives with force, cutting through the previous track’s fade-out with a sharper, more aggressive edge. The contrast between its jagged verses and smoother, rolling chorus creates a compelling push and pull. A guest appearance from STU ROSS adds further intensity, his harsher vocal tone reinforcing the track’s urgency. Over It continues this heavier trajectory. It reimagines the familiar themes of a pop punk breakup song through a more confrontational lens. The instrumentation feels tighter, the delivery more forceful, resulting in one of the album’s most emotionally charged performances. Falling reintroduces a more traditional pop punk sound. While it doesn’t demand the same attention as earlier tracks, it feels somewhat formulaic and lacks the dynamism found elsewhere on the album. It’s not a weak song, but it struggles to stand alongside the stronger material. Loser offers a stylistic detour, embracing a lighter, more playful tone. Its upbeat, slightly offbeat energy recalls the influence of WHEATUS, giving it a distinctive character within the tracklist. Positioned where it is, the track adds variety without disrupting cohesion. Somebody strips things back to a more grounded, guitar-driven core. The instrumentation feels direct and unpolished in the best way, allowing the rhythm section to anchor the track. It builds steadily, serving as a strong lead-in to the closing moments of the album. The title track, Keep Your Friends Closer, brings everything to a measured and reflective close. Opening with a restrained a cappella section, it gradually expands into a layered and emotionally resonant finale. As both the album’s namesake and conclusion, it carries a sense of intent, tying together the themes explored throughout. CHIEF STATE’s longevity is no accident. Over the past decade, they have refined their sound while staying true to the foundations of the genre. Keep Your Friends Closer feels purposeful and cohesive, capturing a band fully aware of their strengths. It’s an album that not only reinforces their place within pop punk but also signals continued momentum. Score: 8/10 Keep Your Friends Closer will be released on 17th April 2026 via Mutant League Records. Words: David Waites Photos: Brandynn Leigh

SACE6 took the world of heavy music by storm after their 2025 EP release Limerence. Not even a year later and they’re set to release their debut album brutalist. It builds upon their previous releases; showcasing their artistic growth and vision whilst keeping the hauntingly beautiful sound we know and love. Although the personal experiences and emotions both Sace and Noah went through during the creative process played a crucial role in shaping the meaning of the songs, they want listeners to apply the tracks to their own lives to make it feel more personal with every listen. Although Noah and Sace live together, they are still able to separately work on parts of these tracks and come together to create exactly what they want to do. It either goes one of two ways, Sace tells us “He (Noah) makes the whole instrumental, sends it over, and I just sing over it like a rapper, or I'll have a sixteen-bar chorus or pre-hook that I sing over and send back to Noah so he can write the rest of the instrumental around that.” “Then we wrote Ego, and we were like, 'Oh, fuck,' now we get it.” The lead single from brutalist was Ego, a track that is sitting on almost one million streams on Spotify alone already. Noah expresses that Ego felt like the “graduated sound of Limerence, what we’ve been trying to portray this entire time.” After writing Ego, each track that followed seemed to fall into place better than they could have ever expected. They had a wide range of inspirations whilst writing this album, some to be expected and some, not so much. Musically, Sace tells us that TATE MCRAE was a big inspiration for him and other inspirations included “Any 90s romance movie, Notting Hill, Autumn in New York.” For Noah, a non-musical inspiration included the Life Is Strange video game. All very different inspirations, but ones that somehow slot together better than you could imagine, inspiring the sound of brutalist. Although this is their debut album, they managed to complete it in around three months, they had just been sitting on it for longer than that as they had to work around all the touring they were doing. The album name and cover pair together and represent the overall sound of the record with ease. When asked about the album name, Sace says “It comes from what the album sounds like, it’s based off feeling and then also playing into actual brutalist architecture and the texture of this album.” brutalist is concrete and stainless steel for them, going forward, they want everything to have texture for the world they are trying to create around their art. Despite the quick turnaround time for the album, they still faced some challenges. Noah dives deeper into how easy it is to get burnt out whilst creating such a big project. “The real struggle was continuing having a consistent creative energy, if you’re burnt out, it's hard to get that back. The modern music industry has taken away that time to write music.” Noah also touches up on some tough experiences he went through just before some of these tracks were made “Instrumentally, it was like me moving through what I was going through, like putting it in sonic form. As I grow, I feel like the songs are growing with me.” Knowing this and knowing the haunting, eerie sound we have heard from the already released singles, listeners should be prepared for a heavy but ethereal listening experience. With only three singles being released before the full album drops, this is an album you need to listen to for the first time in full, preferably with headphones on, volume loud and in a dark room for the full experience. It is no secret that SACE6 seem to always be touring, and that is not slowing down for 2026. This year, you can catch the new album live in Australia, North America, Europe and the UK. This will be their first year of headline touring and they show how grateful they are for the opportunity and all their overseas fans. In 2024, they came overseas to support JXDN on a run of shows, “We had never been over there, it was just so cool to be in these countries that we never thought we would go to, and there's people singing along to our songs, letting their feelings out as they resonate with it, especially so far away from where you're from. It's so crazy.” If you want to catch a band before they end up becoming one of the names discussed about everywhere in music, SACE6 will be releasing their debut album brutalist on May 8 via Sumerian Records. You can catch them on headline tours in America, Europe, UK and they will be supporting CHIODOS in North America this summer along with 156/SILENCE and CALVA LOUISE. Words: Isabella Jacklin Photos: sace6 With thanks to: The Noise Cartel and sace6

Although LOVE RARELY have just only released their first record, the artists have gone through a decade-long journey of disbanding and then starting over again. This makes Pain Travels feel even more special, as if it was not enough before. "When we did finish the album, we were just unbelievably happy with it", shares CJ Levitt, a statement that must feel quite surreal to express, especially for the perfectionists that the band are. "It was a shock to the system, it was something that we didn’t even prepare to feel". The singer has walked us through the LOVE RARELY creation process, talked about her favourite moments, and the album’s significance in the past, present, and in anything the future holds. Pain Travels circles around familial trauma, something that is very common but not talked about enough. "I think our generation has clicked onto it a lot with how much we’ve figured out", - CJ credits having platforms like social media for driving this shift. For one, it is the realisation that our parents had probably had kids at a much too young age, and the self-awareness it takes not to accidentally repeat this pattern. “Obviously I know a lot of people are deciding not to have them. But I want them, and I want to be in a place where I can’t do anything wrong to the kid in the form of upbringing”. On the flip side, LOVE RARELY also reflects on how much fault and responsibility we might put on other people. Blame came into the world after the singer realised, "I can’t keep using these excuses for the way that I act and treat people, I've got to start looking at myself." Although a lot of Pain Travels is about passing the blame and guilt, CJ acknowledges you need to try to find a happy medium in the end, "it’s one of the things that are so simple, but sometimes you just miss it”. Learning a lot from the writing process, the artists have also managed to get the invaluable sense of closure after pouring their all into a song. Through Families talks about alcohol problems and how deeply this can affect the relationships that are supposed to be your closest. Like a lot of the songs, this ended up being "a letter to those people in a very subtle way". Dormant plays another important part in the record, which CJ dedicated to her grandmother with dementia. Since then, it has become a comfort blanket for her, something she can always put on and have a little cry over. "I’m not one to listen to my own music", - the singer admits, - "so I never thought I would have something that I was involved in creating that would be like that, it’s really strange". Speaking more broadly of the album and the love their project is getting, CJ cannot hold back her gratitude and thrill. "The singles have just been received so well, people are already saying it’s album of the year". And this is not coincidental, but a well-deserved result of LOVE RARELY’s hard work. So much so that it managed to pierce through their shyness, getting the band to acknowledge their own talent. Through Families and Haunted are CJ’s personal favourites: "I don’t feel like we could’ve written better than these songs, and I think that’s the best example of us as a band". This could never have come without the steady foundation the band have laid out, which includes the predecessors that led them to find their sound. It is always LA DISPUTE, along with DEFEATER, COUNTERPARTS, and a ray of other bands that follow in the same vein. "I think we just landed in that perfect mix of when math rock and hardcore was at its peak, we were growing up in it". The singer continues: "and luckily we decided to make a new band when it is all coming back". Talking about inspirations, it is impossible not to mention THE CALLOUS DAOBOYS. Acting more as an older sibling band in this case, they took LOVE RARELY under their wing, and on what was the first ever tour for the Brits. Needless to say, it turned out to be one of the most overwhelming experiences for everyone involved. "Do you know when the crowd’s singing that loudly it almost takes your breath away?" - CJ recollects from the biggest sold-out 600-cap venue of the run in Bristol. With all the lights up, from the side, it felt like a "made it" moment for someone, and the singer admits they were both happy and also slightly envious in a good way. With the dopamine plummeting after it’s ended, it was clear the next milestone would be finally putting on LOVE RARELY’s own tour. First, the band are doing an exclusive Pain Travels release show in London. With such a bulk of work finally out to the world, the only thing they need to do for now is rest. As their debut record came about quite unexpectedly as an album, CJ is excited to start working on the next project completely from scratch. Of course, for better or for worse, it is always a matter of how their current work performs amongst the audience and whether the artists would be able to expand on it. One of the biggest dreams for LOVE RARELY is not so much commercial as an artistic one. It is to get to a point where people could look at them as one of the legacy bands. "I want to do with a work and create a world where we’re deserving of that" - states CJ. Pain Travels, in all its true beauty, glory, and uniqueness, is the first step forward, and certainly in the right direction. "I know I’d still have to work alongside it though, cause there’s no money in this at all. So, my tattoo shop will probably always exist no matter what, I’ll just take it on the road". Words: Mariia Bulkina Photos: Alex Dixon With thanks to: Good As Gold Group and Love Rarely

Forged from the raw, erratic spirit of ‘90s screamo, KNUMEARS are a formidable force rising out of Los Angeles. The three-piece (originally born in 2018 under the name TURN AWAY) have spent years honing their craft, from SoundCloud demos to the stages of underground music’s most revered festivals, eventually landing on Run For Cover Records and Summer Shade, as well as recording with the legendary Jack Shirley (responsible for the sound behind DEAFHEAVEN’s Sunbather). Now, with their debut album Directions arriving tomorrow, they’re ready to show exactly what they’re made of. We caught up with them to talk about the record, their heroes, and why all-dayer gigs are a special kind of torture. When we jump on Zoom, the geographical split is immediately obvious. Matt is beaming in from a tidy, sun-drenched office in LA, the kind of setup that makes you feel vaguely unproductive by comparison. Meanwhile, Frankie is somewhere in Europe, phone in hand, wandering down a dark street like a man with somewhere to be and no particular hurry to get there. It’s a dynamic that feels very on-brand for a band who wear their chaos as comfortably as their charm. But despite the chaos, there’s a clarity of purpose to where KNUMEARS are right now, and nowhere is that more evident than in Directions. Matt is visibly excited when the conversation turns to the record, and it’s easy to see why. For a band whose earlier material captured a snapshot of who they were at the time, this feels like something different: a document of who they’ve actually become. “I think we’ve all grown personally and as musicians,” he says, “And I think this is a good representation of who we are now.” From where we’re sitting, it’s hard to argue with that. Screamo and post-hardcore have been having a moment, and KNUMEARS find themselves riding that wave at exactly the right time. Ask them why the genre has reconnected so hard with a new generation, and Matt’s answer is simple: people needed somewhere to put all these intense feelings. After years locked indoors from Covid-19, there’s something uniquely cathartic about music this loud and visceral. “It’s a pretty good, aggressive way to get your emotions out,” he says. Frankie, meanwhile, thinks the revival was almost incidental, and that post-lockdown energy could have swung toward hardcore or metalcore just as easily. Although, the timing couldn’t have been better for KNUMEARS. “It’s really rad that it was what we were doing at the time,” he grins. Highlights, as it turns out, come quickly and genuinely. Getting the record deal ranks high, and signing with people they actually looked up to was, by Frankie’s own admission, huge. But just as significant was the more personal stuff, like the friendships built on the road and the slow accumulation of people you get to know. Matt goes a step further, pointing to the moments where their musical heroes stopped being distant figures and became actual people they could talk to. JEROMES DREAM were a foundational band for them early on, and now they’re friends, plus Matt got to sit down with Jeremy Bolm of TOUCHE AMORE. ‘Don’t meet your heroes’ is the conventional wisdom, but in this corner of the scene, it turns out, that rule doesn’t really apply. “Everybody’s pretty nice,” Matt laughs, and somehow, that says everything. Festival season, though, is a slightly sourer subject. There’s a running joke in the scene that every all-dayer announcement is met with immediate complaints, and KNUMEARS are not here to push back on that. “Not every single show has to be a festival,” Frankie says flatly. “That shit is annoying.” Matt agrees: three bands maximum, done by 10pm. That’s the dream. The problem, as Frankie sees it, is well-intentioned but ultimately self-defeating. A big band comes to town, promoters pile on every local act they can, and suddenly you’ve dragged the night out so long that people actively avoid going altogether. “Nobody wants to sit through eight bands to see the one they actually came for,” Matt adds. The intention to put everyone on is understandable, but the execution ends up hurting the very bands it’s supposed to help. Keep it tight, keep it moving, get people home at a reasonable hour. That’s clearly not too much to ask. It’s a perspective that makes more sense when you consider the scene they’re operating in. The LA landscape has shifted pretty dramatically – where screamo once had a real foothold, metalcore has largely taken over. Matt puts it down to something bigger than just music taste. “LA moves so fast with trends and pop culture,” he says, “No matter what it is, whether it’s music or fashion, everybody gets into it and then everybody moves on so quickly.” Outside the city, though, screamo is still very much alive. “It’s still pretty big, and people want to hear that,” muses Matt, but in LA, KNUMEARS were almost ahead of the curve without realising it. Luckily for them, the rest of the world isn’t done with it yet. Not that Matt is particularly heartbroken about the metalcore takeover, mind you. “I don’t know, we’re just biased,” he shrugs, and when pressed on whether that’s going on record, he’s quick to clarify. “Not like biased, or partial to ourselves. We don’t think we’re the best band ever.” Just, apparently, not huge metalcore fans. For the record. The best band ever, obviously, have one last thing to say. Matt takes the joke with the same easy good humour he’s carried throughout. “I just wanna say thank you to everybody for giving us an opportunity to play cool music for them and for listening to us,” he says, “And thinking... whatever they think about it.” It’s a quietly sincere note to end on. No grand statements, no hype, just genuine gratitude for anyone willing to give them a listen. With Directions out on April 3rd, there’s never been a better time to do exactly that. Make up your own mind. Words: Adrian Chapman Photo: Kara Aguilera

There was a lot going on in New Jersey in 2006. Post-hardcore was hitting a peak on the Jersey scene, with bands like SENSES FAIL and THURSDAY dominating the top-8 friends list of every cool teenager with long black hair on Myspace. Somewhere in a New Jersey basement, Gerard Way was bleaching his hair white, preparing to unleash the most impactful rock album of the 21st century into the world with their band, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE. But away from the chaos and distortion of the post-hardcore landscape, a couple of college students were fooling around with an acoustic guitar and a drum kit in a New Jersey college dorm room. Now, twenty years later, THE FRONT BOTTOMS have played that acoustic guitar and drum kit all over the world, released 6 studio albums, and are showing no signs of stopping any time soon. Whilst there have been additional members over the years, THE FRONT BOTTOMS currently consists of vocalist and guitarist Brian Sella, and drummer Mathew Uychich. Having spent the first few years of their career self-releasing music and touring aggressively, they were finally signed to Bar/None Records in 2011, and released their debut album the same year. Mixing stripped-back acoustic folk-punk with nasally, emo vocals, this self-titled debut spoke to a brand new genre of fans looking for something a bit more raw than other artists in the genre at the time were providing. Sella’s lyricism is unfocused and random, with themes of loneliness and love, friendship and anger – often all in the same song. It’s this unique approach to songwriting that adds to the mystery of the band; something that they have confessed is intentional over the years. It’s not always clear what they’re talking about, what the song is about and who the characters are. Heartbreakingly personal lyrics are often sung beside seemingly meaningless throw-away lines, like someone panicking after spilling an accidental secret and covering it up with a joke. This humour is refined into sarcasm on their second album, Talon Of The Hawk, which was a springboard for their success upon its release in 2013. This sarcasm was carefully balanced alongside their most anthemic and emotional hits - tracks like Tattooed Tears and Twin Size Mattress – which are still amongst their most beloved and impactful. A year later saw the release of the first ‘grandma’ EP. These EPs – each named after a different grandmother of a member of the band – are often released between full-length albums, and feature previously unreleased songs and old, re-worked demos. The first EP of it’s kind, Rose, featured Twin Size Mattress, which is an energetic love song and a solid staple in their set-lists to this day. Following their signing to pop-punk label Fueled By Ramen in 2015, the band went on to release their most commercially successful album to date with BACK ON TOP. Whilst the band note that this was their first “professional” recording experience, the sound still remained as authentic as anything released previously. Even on later releases, such as 2017’s Going Grey and 2020’s In Sickness And In Flames, their unique style and approach to making music remained. THE FRONT BOTTOMS know their strengths, and they never waiver from them. They always sound like they’re having fun, even when the songs slow down and their angst is palpable. The tracks are simple but effective, the lyrics silly or serious, or both and then neither. And so it makes sense that their live shows are the same. With their touring members, each show is as fun and cathartic as the next. Two decades of heavy touring has distilled Sella’s natural showmanship, and their love for the stage is clear. Since 2014, they have held their own annual festival in their home state of New Jersey, named Champagne Jam; the idea being that the band drink champagne and play until they’re too drunk to continue. Over the years, bands such as BALANCE AND COMPOSURE, JOYCE MANOR, SWEET PILL and REMO DRIVE have joined them on the bill, with a special London edition taking place in 2023. With their most recent album You Are Who You Hang Out With having been released in 2023, their most recent tours have included a ten year anniversary tour for Back On Top, alongside some shows supporting KINGS OF LEON in stadiums. With their sole planned UK show this year being at Outbreak in Manchester performing their seminal album Talon Of The Hawk in full, who knows what’s next for THE FRONT BOTTOMS? The only thing that is for sure is that it’ll be worth paying attention to. The Front Bottoms will headlining the Friday of Outbreak Festival this year. Words: Ellen Lovell

The past several years have marked a strange shift in the genre of post-rock. London’s “windmill scene” with groups like BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD urging on a new wave of Gen Z bands to take on traditional post-rock song structures with anxious vocals and lyrics, saxophones and string sections. On top of this, there’s the “rateyourmusic-core” solo artists, combining post-rock with everything from shoegaze to midwest emo - generally influenced by groups like SLINT and SWANS. So in the midst of what seems like a kitchen sink approach on all fronts, it’s nice to hear a debut album that harkens back to second-wave post-rock outfits. That’s what LET IT EAT YOU FOR FUN’s debut album Upon the Forest Floor is. This album is a one-man project that attempts to push the styles of groups like THIS WILL DESTROY YOU and MOGWAI further. First track A Kiss and a Flight sets the tone straight away, built around these repeating soft and morose piano lines and guitar lines, until about 4 minutes in, it explodes into this overwhelming crescendo. This is contrasted by second track Diary, which is much more of a gradual buildup, to the point you barely notice that the song has even crescendoed until it pulls itself back, with sampled thunder effects, adding to the very dreary atmosphere built up so far. The longest track here is the third, Clipped Wings, clocking in at about 8 minutes and 30 seconds. It goes through several phases and almost mini-crescendos before the final one that leads into a fade-out; and it’s definitely the most grand-feeling song on the album thus far. There’s a level of ambition in this one that isn’t quite as present in the first two tracks, and while still good pieces, it feels as though they almost serve as preparation for this track. After this fade-out, we’re met with Delusions of Grandeur, a much more intense, GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR-esque endeavour, with an absolutely crushing lead guitar tone that would fit perfectly on something like their most recent record. It’s worth mentioning that LET IT EAT YOU FOR FUN’s debut EP was more along the lines of math rock, and while the twinkly guitar tones on there have been present on previous tracks, we’ve not seen any of the strange polyrhythms until now. It messes with your head a bit but with the way he plays about with dynamics all across this track, it’s an absolutely thrilling ride, from the heavier start to the conclusion that brings all the little motifs set up throughout the track together. If you could only choose one song to listen to from this album, let it be this. Track 5, A Deeper Meaning, is another wonderful moment in the album, with an ascending chord progression from a distorted guitar in the crescendo feeling like a ray of light after several more gloomy tracks helps it out a lot. Penultimate track Medicated proves that performer Aaron is still paying attention to the new wave of post-rock artists, with a shoegazey outro almost reminiscent of PARANNOUL, but with classic post-rock sensibilities. Finally, the outro, An Unnerving Path makes sure to wrap things up with a bang, rather than a whimper, with an emotional and cinematic conclusion. In conclusion, Upon the Forest Floor is very much a love letter to his predecessors while incorporating some more modern stylistic choices. While not reinventing the wheel, it is an engaging listen with some really beautiful passages that many of LET IT EAT YOU FOR FUN’s influences would’ve killed to write. Score: 7/10 Upon The Forest Floor will be released on 17th April 2026 via self-release. Words: Noise Leonard Photos: Let It Eat You For Fun

From the deepest depths, SKYND emerged with their unsettling, distorted sounds and haunting lyrics, to combine the two things they love the most – music and true crime. Formed by the vocalist Skynd and multi-instrumentalist Father, the project quickly began receiving recognition amongst everyone, who shared the same passion. Coming back to London after two years, SKYND brought a special show, as there were no openers this night – only them headlining.With nineteen songs on the bill, the fans of the band were indeed in for a heated investigation. Unusually, the set at the Electric Ballroom started an hour and a half after the doors, leaving plenty of time for everyone to arrive right on time. Before the set began, the crew briefly brought out a mini-Skynd doll on the stage, before taking her backstage again. At once, the fog started filling up the stage and in no time, the lights dimmed down, causing a huge explosion of cheering amongst everyone present. The introductory tape-track blasted through the speakers, while Skynd, Father and their touring drummer made a haste to present themselves to the night’s crowd, transitioning into the first song of the night – Michelle Carter. For the first three songs, Skynd remained stationary by her microphone stand, relying solemnly on her gestures and face, which was definitely not a bad thing, as her presence alone, coupled with her powerful vocals, filled the room with no issues. For their third song – Tamara Samsonova, the vocalist was clothed in a long golden-black cloth that brought her usual industrial look a different silhouette. The song is SKYND’s latest crime investigation and has been received by the audience very warmly, as they already knew all the lyrics to it. And it is to no surprise, as both the text and the beat get stuck in your head very easily. Continuing with their back-catalogue hits, as well as some newer work, the vocalist started moving more around the stage, and even bringing out props in some instances. By casting a different perspective on some of the biggest cases in history – Andrei Chikatilo, John Wayne Gacy, Richard Ramirez and Mary Bell are just few of the many examples, and extensively using vocal distortions and effects, SKYND created their own ‘dark pop’, that has not been seen anywhere else, and sounds even more impressive in the live setting. Father’s presence allowed for complex melodies with the use of guitars and keyboards, which are an integral component in the band’s overall work and contributed significantly to their success. Once the performance reached a certain point and the almost entrancing song Jim Jones took over, it was obvious there were not many songs left to be played. For the whole night, Skynd has not spoken a single word – apart from a very quiet, almost unnoticed “thank you”, but instead let her artistry speak for itself. Closing the night with her best-known songs Tyler Hadley and Mikhail Popkov, and a following outro, the London investigation was an excellent success, as the audience also confirmed with their unending applause. SKYND have been back to London every time they get a chance since their first headline show there in 2019 and it is no wonder why, as the capital loves their macabre music and mystery aesthetics. Words and photos: Katerina Stepanikova

25 Forever, the latest release from CHROMA, unfolds as an emotionally charged and sonically dynamic record that never settles into one mood for too long. It is an album built on contrast, balancing grit with melody, vulnerability with confrontation, and intimacy with explosive energy. More than anything, it feels deeply human, capturing the complicated and often conflicting emotions that come with growing older and becoming more aware of both yourself and the world around you. For a band that have been steadily evolving their sound, 25 Forever feels like a defining moment. Where previous releases introduced the foundations of what CHROMA could be, this record feels far more assured in its identity. The result is a record that feels unapologetically personal, embracing heavier riffs, driving percussion, and emotionally raw lyricism without losing the melodic hooks that make the album so immediately engaging. From the opening moments of What!, the record establishes its sense of urgency. It is a powerful opener, bringing an energy that instantly pulls the listener in and refuses to let go. The melody is strong and immediate, giving the track a real sense of momentum that sets the tone for everything that follows. It feels like the perfect introduction to the album’s world, one built on movement, emotion, and release. That energy continues throughout much of the record, but what makes 25 Forever particularly compelling is the way it never allows itself to become one-note. CHROMA understands the importance of dynamics, both emotionally and sonically. Tracks like Straight Men carry a sharper edge, driven as much by lyrical frustration as by their heavier sound. It is one of the album’s most striking moments, deeply relatable and impossible not to imagine being screamed back in a live setting. There is a cathartic quality to it that turns personal experience into something collective, allowing the listener to fully inhabit the emotion of the track. At the centre of the record sits the title track, 25 Forever, which feels like its emotional heart. More stripped back than some of the surrounding tracks, it offers a welcome shift in atmosphere while still retaining the power that defines the album as a whole. There is something almost summery in its tone, but beneath that warmth sits a layer of reflection and cynicism that gives the track its depth. It feels nostalgic without becoming sentimental, capturing the strange tension between wanting to hold onto youth and recognising the ways experience changes you. The harmonies here are particularly beautiful, adding softness and richness that make the track linger long after it ends. This ability to move between different emotional textures is one of the album’s greatest strengths. Sometimes is a perfect example of this, pulling back in its verses before opening into a chorus that feels both expansive and emotionally intense. The layering of instruments here is particularly effective, creating a sense of build and release that mirrors the lyrical themes. It is one of the album’s most sonically impressive moments, showing just how carefully considered the production is. Similarly, People Pleaser offers one of the record’s most intimate moments. Opening with haunting vocals and climbing guitars, it immediately establishes a sense of closeness that never fully disappears, even as the song grows. There is a vulnerability here that feels deeply personal, but it never becomes isolating. Instead, CHROMA have a real talent for making introspection feel expansive, allowing the listener to find themselves within the emotion of the song. That sense of storytelling runs throughout 25 Forever. This is not simply an album of individual tracks, but one that feels tied together by a clear emotional and thematic thread. Whether exploring heartbreak, cynicism, social tension, or shifting perspectives on love and identity, every song feels like part of a larger conversation. Sonically, the record draws clear influence from early 2000s emo and The Distillers, while still feeling distinctly CHROMA. The production balances polish with rawness, allowing the guitars to retain their bite while keeping the vocals emotionally immediate. Nothing feels overworked. Instead, the album feels lived in, warm, and deeply intentional. More than anything, 25 Forever is an album about becoming. Becoming more cynical, more self-aware, more emotionally honest, and perhaps more yourself. It captures the reality of experience without losing sight of hope, making it a record that feels both deeply personal and widely relatable. Rating: 9/10 25 Forever will be released on 17th April 2026 via Alcopop! Records. Words: Con Macadam Photos: Bethan Miller

Growing up with Jamaican roots in Britain, I connect straight away with how SKINDRED turn struggle into something you can both rage and dance to. That cultural blend has always been their secret weapon, and on You Got This, it feels more alive than ever. Expectations were high after everything they've achieved lately, yet the band haven't just met them, they've stepped into something bigger. SKINDRED have spent twenty-plus years proving that struggle and celebration can share the same stage. On their ninth album, You Got This, that truth hits harder than ever. Dropping April 17 via Earache Records, the Newport ragga-metal veterans deliver a record that feels less like a follow-up and more like a lifeline: heavy, groove-drenched, and unapologetically life-affirming. Coming off the mainstream breakthrough of 2023's Smile, the Wembley Arena shows, and a run of festival stages that cemented their status as one of Britain's most reliable live forces, the slimmed-down trio sound like they've finally clicked into their sharpest form yet. The album wastes no time announcing its mission. Opener Can I Get A rides in on that familiar soundclash swagger, lean, sharp, and ready to throw down. From there, You Got This locks into a relentless but carefully paced flow. Born Fe Dis and This Is The Sound braid reggae bounce with metal muscle so tightly you barely notice the gear changes. Broke and Glass keep the momentum tight and addictive, while Big Em Up and Do It Like This crank the energy into full venue-shaker territory. The record never feels like a random collection of bangers. Instead, it moves like a night out with your people, peaks and pockets of breath, but always driving forward. The title track You Got This is the emotional centre of gravity. Mikey Demus swings wrecking-ball riffs, Arya Goggin detonates the kit, and Benji Webbe flips between raw toasting and hooks that hit like a trainer's pep talk after a knockout round. Benji Webbe has spoken about pulling the idea from watching a man in the gym fight back from a stroke. The simple phrase "you got this" lifted the whole room. As a British Jamaican who's watched family and friends battle the same invisible fights, that moment lands with real weight. The chorus sticks instantly, the energy lifts without ever feeling forced, and it sets the tone for everything that follows. Later cuts open the lens wider. My People and Give Thanks lean into the unifying, celebratory side of SKINDRED's DNA while still keeping the fire lit. The bonus track, Dred Or Alive, adds extra flavour without overstaying its welcome. Nothing here feels like filler. Every shift, every dancehall bounce, every heavy breakdown, is deliberate, placed exactly where it needs to be to keep the party moving and the message real. What stands out most is how locked-in the trio sound. Years on the road, those Wembley nights, countless festival stages, they've distilled it all into chemistry that feels effortless. The riffs hit clean and heavy, the rhythms drive everything forward, and Benji Webbe's voice cuts through with that perfect mix of power, melody and mischief. Production from Grammy winner Jay Ruston gives the whole thing extra size and clarity without sanding off the raw edge that made them legends in the first place. The lyrics stay focused too: self-belief, resilience, and the small joys that get you through the hard days. No lectures, just heart. This is focused, loud, and actually means something. No matter what fight you're in, the message is clear: you got this. If you need ragga-metal that charges hard, lifts you, and still leaves a massive grin on your face, this is the one. Score: 9/10 You Got This will be released on 17th April 2026 via Earache Records. Words: Kelly Gowe Photos: Dean Chalkley

Lightning and thunder rumblings reverberated throughout the room. The crowd was jolted to attention. Awaking from the hazy slumber of queuing in the sunshine earlier that day, the crowd was ready. All eyes focused as three figures filled the stage, hands waiting in silence for their lead singer. MALLAVORA had arrived. With a single metronome sound leaving the audience on tenterhooks, lead singer Jessica Douek’s hymn-like vocals started off their set as she took centre stage. Energy ignited as the drums kicked in and Douek transitioned to the loud, raw, hard-hitting vocals of Smile, the second song from their debut album, only released two weeks prior. The high energy from the band was infectious. The whole room came together to carry the beat. Hearty claps, cheers and headbangs were kindling to the intensifying, fiery sound of the next track, before it erupted into deep growls, smash of cymbals and short, sharp guitar riffs. Moving through the set, fans couldn’t help but scream back the ‘I will not obey!’ chant to vocalist Douek. Dedicating the song to “anyone who feels different - we can be fucking different together”, the beat thrashing tune Skin united the room. If the crowd wasn't hyped up enough already for the main event, the introduction of BANSHEE to the stage turned the air electric. The short, sharp hook of Lilith & Esther beautifully complimented Douek and BANSHEE’s oscillation from light warbles to powerful yells. The set was tight and the fast, uptempo pace was constant throughout. As the band took their final bow and left the stage, the air was magnetic and the crowd were charged. The night had begun. Armed with just an acoustic guitar, FAUNEA was next to take to the stage. We were treated with an all acoustic set from the electro-pop Scandinavian singer. Velvety, raspy and controlled, FAUNEA’s gentleness cocooned the crowd. At times the chatter from the outdoor smoking section echoed into the main hall, taking us momentarily out of the magic of the set. Unbothered and unperturbed, FAUNEA deliberately took the time to introduce each song, addressing the crowd as if we were longtime friends. Her mythicalness, her ability to balance silky vocals with guitar sustains quickly refocused listeners. When the lights faded from warm amber to a colder emerald, the emotions of the set took a new hold on the room. Explaining to onlookers that Reach, her next song, emerged from the chaos of a breakup, she “never thought [Reach] would see the light of day”. It felt like a precious invite inside her thoughts. We were all there alongside her, reliving the heartbreak collectively. There was power in the simplicity of a stripped back set, FAUNEA’s delicately placed vocals and soft strumming a graceful performance to witness. As the lights came up, solo gig goers and groups of friends alike were bubbling with anticipation. BANSHEE’s impact on the metal scene in providing a safe space was evident before she even arrived on stage. Overhearing conversations from how empowered people felt by her lyrics, to one fan exclaiming that she’d waited five years for this moment, excitement was rippling through the room. Eagerly awaiting fans erupted into cheers as the techo-pop beats of Fawnheart blasted through moss-adorned speakers. BANSHEE wasted no time, delivering dreamy, fairy-like lines before quickly switching to hearty growls. An epic and vibrant introduction to songs from her latest album, The Secrets of Altering Reality. We were transported to another world. Symbolic of the mythical banshee creatures, warners of death, her piercing screams cut through the crowd. Not needing a prompt or any sort of encouragement, the audience vehemently screamed along. With her unbound, long, flowing hair, BANSHEE glided across the stage, never taking a moment of silence or stillness. As the room glowed a blood red, she turned the concert into a club dancefloor as the pulsating electro beat of POSSESS ME, from her 2022 release FAIRY PHONK, captured the space. Taking a moment mid-set, BANSHEE stated jokingly that her favourite metal artist is LANA DEL REY, before jumping into a fairy-metal cover of High By The Beach. Well received under the flashing blue and purple lights, the room swayed in time to the siren harmonies and cries. As a self-producing artist, BANSHEE has full control of her work. Explicit and open, the topics of abuse and misogyny were prevalent in her set, and hit a chord with the crowd. Cheering to the confession that Fuck With a Witch provided a process of healing, and yelling along to the lyrics ‘This is the last time’, a full sense of catharsis was reached when BANSHEE hit the final note of Daughter of Eve. But the crowd wasn't done yet. After a hasty exit stage leave, chants of ‘one more song’ and ‘encore’ were almost deafening, but the call was received. Sweeping back on stage with the same vigour as her entrance,BANSHEE launched into You are what you fear in me. Watching BANSHEE perform felt like stepping into a mythical wilderness. Untamed, up-tempo and full of force, the night became a place of refuge for the heartbroken, hurt and outcast. BANSHEE has a clear talent for crafting songs that enchant you with her angelic voice and piercing cries that exalt your anger. Words: Mary Horner Photos: Amy Lynch

THE RAVEN AGE threw an intimate, UK exclusive show in London earlier in April, and although they did not expect a big audience – after all, it was the first Easter weekend, they were delighted with the amount of fans who showed up to celebrate. Opening the night were the Midlands-based BRIGHT BLACK. The Alt Hard Rock-Metal four piece brought a huge wave of energy with them the second they walked onto the stage, and their mission was clear – to make the crowd move. The vocalist combined her vocal fries with cleans, followed by the constant flow of guitars and drums, that provided almost melodic sounds. While the set was not very long, nor the band or the audience – whose numbers slowly grew over the set, did not fall behind on interactions and energy, and although BRIGHT BLACK did not receive a mosh pit from London, appreciative head-bangs and bodies moving side-to-side provided a safer, yet still strong signal the band was very welcomed in the capital. After a quick change-over and a few more new faces joining the crowd, THE RAVEN AGE were ready to start their set. The fans only had a month to secure their spot at the event, and they were more than excited for the five-piece to start their hometown show. As the lights suddenly dimmed down, a tape-track quickly followed, resulting in the venue bursting into big cheers. As Matt Cox, Jai Patel, Tommy Gentry, Gav Chester and Matt James walked onto the stage, the energy on the floor visibly shifted around – if the energy during the openers was more relaxed, this was a complete chaos. Some people started singing, some started moving around frantically, and here and there were some people, who were not scared to push through the crowd to get as close as they could to their favourites. Offering fifteen songs in total during their performance, THE RAVEN AGE’s frontman Matt James took every opportunity given to talk to the audience. From constantly expressing his gratitude to everyone present, to introducing their new guitarist Gav, to talking about some upcoming and very exciting news, there was always something to talk about in between the songs. Although their performance was buzzing and every member did their best to pour their best into it, there were few instances throughout the night that made the stage seem too small for the five-piece – particularly a few moments when Matt Cox turned around to face the drummer, only to be accidentally hit by Tommy, which they both just laughed about and Tommy kept apologising to Matt. With many songs played from their back-catalogue, it was unfortunately time to say goodbyes for the night, and while the crowd was not happy about, they had no other option than to give the band their last round of applause and cheers. The night was a statement that THE RAVEN AGE deeply care about their fanbase and want to stay in touch with them as much as they possibly can – even if they do not have any home-country appearances planned until the following year. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: Artemi Falzon