Eighties inspired synth metal hits London as Finnish band BEAST IN BLACK played a sold out show at the iconic O2 Forum in Kentish Town. An unmissable night of European metal, as they are joined by none other than legendary special guest SONATA ARCTICA and the epic FROZEN CROWN opening up the night of the Resurrection Tour. There was a slight chill in the air as rain mist started to fall, whilst the crowds made their way into the venue, half still outside by the time FROZEN CROWN had started their set. The teal and blue lights shining as Giada Jade Etro with her raw commanding vocals enchanted the room. Three songs from their latest record The Legend of the Six Kings made an appearance, including The One, Reborn as well as Who Wants to Burn in Heaven being one of the standouts, all giving the set a dark fantasy ambience with Italian flair. Heavy guitar riffs filled the room as Jade and Federico Mondelli harmonised together with their dual vocals throughout the songs. For their penultimate song a cover of the classic Iris by the GOO GOO DOLLS but make it metal, which got the crowd going with fists in the air. The band asked “Do you want some more heavy metal?” going into the final song I Am the Tyrant with intricate melodic guitar work, ending their set on a high note. Next up the crowd was in for something special with Finnish legends SONATA ARCTICA, who celebrated their 30th anniversary this year. With eleven albums worth of material to choose from there was a good mix from their catalog with a lot of crowd favourites. From the early Ecliptica staples like FullMoon to later hits like Closer to an Animal, their set perfectly captured their history. Tony Kakko’s stage presence is a major part of why SONATA ARCTICA have lasted as long as they have, a powerful theatrical performance that connects with the crowd, his hand movements guided the room throughout the vocal harmonies with total command. The guitar work by Elias Viljanen on Paid in Full delivered a strong melodic hook, perfectly backed by keytarist Henrik Klingenberg’s melodies, bringing in those soaring synth leads that the band is known for with an emotional keyboard solo. Lyrically still as emotional as it was almost two decades ago. The emotional high points with ballads Tallulah got the crowd swaying their hands back and forth and Shy, which Kakko turned into a shared moment, letting the audience with a sea of voices sing the lyrics back to him. Finishing off their set in true SONATA ARCTICA style with Don't Say a Word, before breaking into their signature "Vodka" ritual, the crowd was thoroughly hyped up for the main event. Even before BEAST IN BLACK came on stage, their stage production was unveiled with a massive industrial cyberpunk drum riser in the middle complete with twin turbines and monolithic exhaust pipes on either side. In the darkness the engine came to life, as the fans in the turbines started to spin, the glowing white lights shined onto the crowd whilst the theme to Mortal Kombat played. The promise of an epic metal spectacle kept the crowd in suspense. With anticipation building for their upcoming album Fear the Beast, the fans were eager for a taste of new music. They didn’t have to wait long as the band burst into life with the live debut of Mighty Dragon followed by the title track. A triple onslaught of axes from guitarists Anton Kabanen, Markus Venehsalo and bassist Máté Molnár alongside a heavy drum beat by Atte Palokangas. Leading the charge frontman Yannis Papadopoulos, in his studded trench coat and shades, as he effortlessly went back and forth with soaring high notes and gritty melodic rock vocals. The momentum continued throughout, Yannis getting the crowd in unison clapping to the beat with Born Again, to the dancing elements and eighties heavy metal tones in a lot of their anthems. The epic solos from Anton and Markus as the audience cheered on, this was a band firing on all cylinders from the first night of the tour. Going from the energetic power metal song Die by the Blade to another live debut with the beautiful ballad Lost Children showed incredible depth and dynamic range of their set. Yannis delivered another breathtaking vocal performance that held the room in his hands. Fan-favourites like One Night in Tokyo and Blind and Frozen towards the end of the set brought it all together. The onstage chemistry was infectious with synchronised power stances, interacting with the fans, this was a band having the time of their life. Closing out with a triumphant performance of No Surrender proved BEAST IN BLACK is one to see live, a masterclass in modern power metal. Words and Photos: Amy Lynch

There’s a difference between wearing your heart on your sleeve and ripping the entire thing out, holding it up to the light and asking everyone else what the fuck they’re doing with theirs. ARANKAI seems increasingly interested in the latter. Following 2025’s A Portrait Of Red, the first instalment in an ambitious three-album series, The Shape Of Blue sees the American Midwest artist shift his focus beyond personal reflection, drawing on the experiences of others to explore rebellion, sacrifice, pride and resilience. It’s a broader perspective for a project already rooted in the complexities of the human experience, and one that promises to push his alternative metal sound into increasingly expansive territory. Where A Portrait Of Red established the foundations, The Shape Of Blue sets out to broaden the picture. Its identity revolves around an immersive, water-soaked atmosphere that runs through the record’s production and songwriting, creating a framework for the heavier moments to collide with melancholy, experimentation and nostalgia. It’s an ambitious combination, particularly for an artist attempting to build a connected narrative across three albums rather than simply delivering another collection of tracks and calling it a day. The concept is an intriguing one. Drawing inspiration from other people's experiences allows ARANKAI to explore emotional territory beyond his own immediate perspective, examining how people respond when their convictions, relationships and resilience are pushed to breaking point. Rebellion and sacrifice rarely exist in isolation, after all. Pride can be a shield, a weapon or the very thing standing between someone and the truth. And resilience? Sometimes it's admirable; sometimes it's simply what happens when giving up doesn't feel like an option. That tension provides a compelling backdrop for The Shape Of Blue, with its track list suggesting a journey through confrontation, disillusionment and the search for something worth holding onto. Opening with Helter Skelter (feat. buffalo_farm), the album begins with a title that immediately suggests disorder and instability. The guest feature also introduces another voice into the record's wider world, fitting neatly with an album that looks beyond a singular perspective. It's an appropriately chaotic-sounding starting point on paper for a record concerned with the messiness of the human experience. I Hope It Hurts follows with a title that wastes absolutely no time getting uncomfortable. There is something inherently confrontational about those four words, suggesting the kind of emotional fallout where indifference would be considerably easier to stomach than honesty. It's a sentiment that fits the album's wider themes of sacrifice and pride, where pain can become inseparable from the things people refuse to let go of. Elsewhere, Disobey and Playing God bring authority, resistance and control into the conversation. Both titles suggest an interest in the power struggles that emerge when people decide they know what's best for everyone else. Whether it's rejecting expectations or confronting someone else's sense of superiority, there's plenty of thematic ground to explore here. Nobody likes being told what to do, particularly by someone who has mistaken confidence for omniscience. Sick & Sweet offers another compelling contradiction, its title balancing attraction against something decidedly more unsettling. It's a fitting addition to a record interested in the less straightforward aspects of human behaviour, where something can be desirable and damaging in equal measure. Sometimes the things we gravitate towards are precisely the things that leave us questioning our own judgement afterwards. The emotional temperature shifts again across Let Down, TEMPER and Choke. Disappointment, anger and pressure sit comfortably alongside the album's broader concerns, suggesting a sequence built around the point at which internal struggles become increasingly difficult to contain. The titles alone evoke the familiar experience of holding everything together until the effort of maintaining that composure becomes its own problem. Then comes Convince Me, a title that raises questions of trust, persuasion and the distance between what someone says and what they can actually prove. Have Faith offers an interesting thematic counterpoint, introducing the possibility of belief and perseverance amid the uncertainty. Together, they suggest the push and pull between scepticism and hope, two forces that can make even the simplest decisions feel unnecessarily complicated. Closing with the title track, The Shape Of Blue, brings the album back to its defining atmosphere. Blue is an evocative choice, carrying associations with sadness, isolation and reflection while also suggesting depth and vastness. In the context of a three-album series, it feels like a fitting centrepiece for a project still developing its larger identity. With The Shape Of Blue, ARANKAI is building towards something bigger than a standalone record, digging into the messy contradictions of human nature without pretending there's always a neat answer. There's still another chapter to come, but this second instalment pushes the story forward and leaves plenty of room for things to get darker. The story isn't finished yet, and that's exactly the point. Score: 9/10 The Shape Of Blue will be released on 30th October 2026 via Hopeless Records. Words: Mia Gailey Photos: Hunter Hatch

“We've really leant into the more macabre side of the human experience on this EP - we've really been allowed to be the purest form of the darkest workings of our minds.” Spooky isn’t just a short-term season for Leeds band VENUS GRRRLS, it’s their entire ethos for embracing the dark with the lightness of life and channelling morbidity and romance into modern-day gothic music. Vocalist GK (Grace Kelly) and guitarist Eliza Lee peel back the awakening of their gothic influenced EP To Die As Lovers May, full of succulent and alluring tracks to sink your teeth into. “Some of the songs have already been in existence for a while, and at the beginning of this year we found out we'd be making the EP,” GK details the conception of the album, “it was exciting because we've never had the creative freedom to spread our wings with a body of work. We met with Brad Mair (STING, MARY J BLIGE) for a writing session, and we loved it so much we asked him to produce To Die As Lovers May.” The band shipped themselves to Mair’s studio in Spain (“it was cheaper to go out there than to bring him over here”, the unspoken horror of the UK’s financial crisis just adds to the gothic tones of the EP) where they continued to develop their tracks and embraced the organic process that enveloped them, each member taking the helm when creativity struck them. “We’ll go in with the seed idea,” Eliza breaks down the growth of the EP, “maybe GK will have the lyrics - she had the intro to Carmilla already to go - or I had the verses for Evergreen, and then we’ll build it from there in a blaze of chaos in the studio. The downside is when we get to practice for live shows, we get to certain bits and I’m like “what the hell did I play on that track?”, and then you have to do a bit of problem solving with your earlier self.” The pair laugh at the absurdity of how they tackle this issue in preparation for their live shows, Eliza admitting she’ll make notes or film herself playing with an opening of “future you, this is what you play!”. Practice has been key for the four-piece as their mammoth tour has been creeping ever closer, particularly as Eliza utilised different guitar sections whilst performing as the solo guitarist. Lamenting she’d “love to have eight hands” like an Eldritch horror or Frankenstein’s Creation in order to play multiple guitars at once, she’s been focused on narrowing down how to deliver the most impactful parts of their tracks. It’s no small feat for an EP that channels the darkest, “disturbed” aspects of the mind into raw lyrics and notes. “The EP is an exploration of viscera,” GK summarises their work, “it’s very soul-bearing and you go back to the origins of that, a lot of which is in early Gothic fiction and, particularly in this case, the 19th Century with Frankenstein and Carmilla being huge thematic and literary influences. That’s the genre I feel most comfortable and uncomfortable in, but it’s exciting to take other forms of media and move them into your lived experience.” At this point, we of course had to run through the best Gothic icons (besides VENUS GRRRLS themselves), a question that ultimately became the most difficult question of our chat given the slew of horror icons available, Eliza pointing out there are “some figures in history who are unintentionally goth”, GK adding “I don’t think Mary Shelley knew she was a goth” as we burst into laughter. Having set more current parameters the pair find clearer answers. “Morticia Addams growing up and Nancy Downs (The Craft) were always some of my favourites,” GK decides. “My head keeps saying Edgar Allen Poe,” Eliza muses, with GK laughing he passed long before the parameters of the question (“if he was in a film now that would be a right trick!”), “I’m a big Hammer Horror fan so we have to go with Christopher Lee, but also an uncelebrated horror icon Britt Eckland because I’m dead into folk horror.” We deviate at this point to talk more about certified badass Christopher Lee and his well-lived life (GK exclaiming “how can someone attract so many original experiences?!”) before getting back on track for their future plans and what they can manifest. “We’re so ready for an arena tour,or getting over as far as America and Asia,” Eliza says enthusiastically. “If we could do a support slot for Robert Smith (THE CURE), or playing Glastonbury as it's the only UK festival we haven't done yet,” GK laments. “Every time we think of going for it they have to stop it all for the cows, we could just have them as part of the set,” laughs Eliza. It’s a sure sign of how quickly VENUS GRRRLS has spread across the airwaves and cast their spell over a wider audience that they’re already crafting their future, with the assured sense that their dreams are becoming more corporeal with each passing day. It’s something the band regularly reflect on, from their shared beginnings to the cathartic influence their songs have on fans. “There’s nothing more rewarding than finding out that an experience you’ve had and conjured into a piece of art has resonated with someone else, it’s provided some solace or comfort in a hard time of their life,” GK says with heartfelt feeling. “In a world of division, it’s nice to be united in something even if it’s a shared negative experience - there’s comfort in feeling validated.” “It’s like purging the experience of feeling by putting it into a song and externalising it, you give it somewhere to live,” Eliza adds, “You can all be there together but then you can leave it there.” “It’s like when I look at the soundtrack to my teen years,” GK continues, the pair bouncing their camaraderie off each other, “there were so many occasions where I’d hear lyrics and think ‘I didn’t have the words to describe that’, but it’s not just music it’s any piece of art that’s accurately described an experience I was having. To provide that for someone now it’s an honourable job to have.” The quartet are ready to open up and connect to fans on their tour, and practice has gone smoothly. What more could be needed for their Gothic infusions and Halloween showstopper? “If any fans (on the Nottingham Halloween date) want to meet in the car park beforehand for necromancy…” Eliza shrugs with a conspiratorial grin. “We hope to see everyone dress up, we're planning to. We might do a seance, BYOC - Bring Your Own Corpse,” GK adds with deadpan humour. So prepare thyself for an emotionally visceral offering of meaty riffs and vocals that tear through the veils - if you don't have your own corpse, store-bought is fine. Words: Julia Stark Photos: Libby Percival Cover Photo: Venus Grrrls Cover Design: Robert Halls Editorial Lead: Amber Brooks With thanks to: Sarah Maynard, Killabop Records, and Major Transmission Promo

Texan post-hardcore outfit I PROMISED THE WORLD packed out Boom in Leeds on Friday evening, to a crowd that had very clearly dressed for the occasion. White studded belts, scene hair, gaudy graphic tees and skinny jeans were everywhere, and walking in felt like stepping into a time machine. This, it seems, is the new br00tal uniform – and if you don’t get it by now, you are massively behind on the times within the culture. Boom is an extremely beloved name in the hardcore scene, and it is always brilliant to see it packed to the rafters. The crowd was made up mainly of young people clambering to the front, whilst a handful of grown-up emo millennials observed from the sides (perhaps reliving a version of their youth they thought was long gone). The night felt like a pocket of time that has since passed, with brand new music at its heart. I PROMISED THE WORLD brought together post-hardcore nostalgia and the modern scene, with no 2000s rehash in sight. North Texas five-piece ROSASHARIN opened the night with their latest single, Between Machine & Me, and were incredibly energetic from the very first note. It is so refreshing to see a young band going all out, with the room becoming overwhelmingly hot and sweaty in minutes. Their set felt like seeing grainy MySpace footage, but in 24K resolution: all the raw emotion of that era, rendered in startling clarity. Within the pit, the crowd matched them with the kind of violence you only get in these spaces. Watching somebody take a genuinely brutal hit, stagger back up and carry on grinning with no malice towards the perpetrator is something truly special. The new wave of hardcore and youth culture – encapsulated in one tiny room. Before I PROMISED THE WORLD had even taken the stage, they were already goading the crowd forwards as they set up: ‘If you’re too scared to get close, then go home’. The set itself was easily one of the most chaotic ways to have ever spent approximately half an hour. It was so immersive and full of energy that it was surreal to remember which era we were standing in. They opened with Weather to Believe, in which the audience wasted no time in bringing the room to life. Countless people immediately hurled themselves towards the stage to grab the mic and stagedive – rather akin to watching salmon attempting to swim upstream. At the centre of it all was vocalist Hunter Wilson, leaping around with completely unhinged energy and never standing still once. It was obvious from the start that this was going to be a set where absolutely no one got away with standing at the back and nodding politely. If the opening song was a warning shot, then Beloved, Proud and A Pure Expression were the full-scale assault that followed. The pit became a whirlwind of flailing limbs and hardcore dancing, anyone not caught in its churn was bouncing on the spot, bellowing every lyric back at the band with voices already half-gone. Stagedivers soared onto the platform in such relentless numbers that the band were eventually forced to plead with the crowd to steer clear of their instruments. Then came a curveball. Hunter launched into a bewildering tangent about his disdain for certain bottle caps, a ramble so absurd that it only made the sharp turn into Don’t Just Stand There more jarring. The room changed in an instant. It was obvious how much weight the song carried for the people in it – arms raised high and every voice in the room singing from somewhere deeper than the lungs. Tears on the Moon summoned exactly the same reaction. After all that wreckage, the crowd turned out to be just as fierce in their tenderness. By the time 02 arrived, a standard pit was no longer enough, and the band demanded a classic side-to-side. The ensuing result was almost biblical. Boom parted like the Red Sea, leaving a gaping chasm of bare floor down the middle of the room before the two sides surged back together in a flurry of flailing limbs. The finale was Bliss in 7 Languages, and Hunter made his terms clear before a single note had been played: the band would not start until absolutely everyone had come forwards. What followed was utter carnage, and yet the overpowering sense of community within the heart of the chaos never dimmed. It is rare to watch a scene change hands in real time. A small independent venue packed with young people dressed in the uniform of an era they never lived through, soundtracked by a fresh, innovative sound. Phones stayed in pockets and the pit never stopped moving – carrying forwards the spirit of the era. If this is the direction post-hardcore is heading, with bands like I PROMISED THE WORLD leading the charge, then the future of the scene is in very safe, very sweaty hands. Words: Adrian Chapman Photos: Kelsey Tomlinson

Following their fantastic release Halcyon Blues earlier this year, CITIZEN embarked on a big world tour, with two sold-out shows in London. Supported by the Californian MODERN COLOR and our own THISTLE, the show curates a perfect blend of midwest emo, shoegaze and grunge sounds, letting every attendee get immersed into a dreamer’s state. Starting the night off is the emerging Northampton three-piece, THISTLE. Their riffs are quick to become your next earworm, with overdrive and muffed vocals in songs like pylon that perfect the atmosphere they’re going for. The band is on a big run of shows this year, finally getting their deserved flowers with their newest EP backflip. THISTLE’s stage presence is invasive, as they spin and twirl all around the massive space they got. Not short of jumping and hurling themselves at the microphone either, the band’s bursts of pure energy infect us instantly. Finishing on the old but gold lomochrome and bitebitebite, THISTLE surely get to win over the crowd in such a short period of time. The fans showed up for MODERN COLOR, as the venue is so packed already it’s impossible to find a way through. Rushing right in with the explosive Jacaranda, they force the room to move, so even the lofty Londoners decide to join the moshpit. Truly, it is always incredible to see a lineup where people show up for more than just the main act, and MODERN COLOR has clearly got some of their undercover agent fans in the crowd too. And for those who knew nothing about the band, heartfelt songs like Dread and Now, Life is Living You urge the attendees to add full albums to their after-show playlist. Sadly, this is still only a support slot, so MODERN COLOR have to quickly wrap up already, with a final touch of the absolutely gut-wrenching Opiate and Pale. After playing a kind of a warm-up show last night at the Lower Third, CITIZEN are now ready to go in full swing. Although EartH Hackney is about 5 times larger in capacity, the artists unsurprisingly sold out both nights far in advance. This shows just how loved and appreciated they are even across the pond, and we do hope the feeling’s mutual. Now that they’re on stage, we can witness the proof of this in the flesh. Opening with Good Fortune brings in a wave of surfers right ahead, even though the venue isn’t quite equipped for that. But they learn quickly, as the chaos just keeps gaining more and more momentum. CITIZEN rolls on with I Want to Kill You and The Summer, which is followed by a least a couple hundred people screaming their guts out in every word. If there was no barricade separating them from Mat, the singer would have been piled up on already. CITIZEN have built an outstanding catalogue of almost two decades, establishing their name firmly in the Midwest scene. The band still keeps surprising the fans though, as their newest release Halcyon Blues receives just as much praise and welcome as their old material. With piercing vocals in songs like Numb Yourself and Sleep, mixed in with a softer Always the Last One to Leave, CITIZEN truly show us they are masters of all trades. After Highs and Lows, the band decide to finish on one of the slowest and quietest songs in their repertoire, The Night I Drove Alone. The whole room is holding their breath before erupting as a massive choir of a thousand voices. As CITIZEN noted themselves, tonight they are so far away from home, but this is still an absolutely amazing show. And this is really what it’s all about. Words and photos: Mariia Bulkina

Back after eight years with their latest full length album, and five years after their latest EP, AGAINST THE CURRENT are ready to make waves in the pop punk sphere again with new album Till Death & Back. Having frequent appearances with the Riot Games team on the game League Of Legends soundtrack, these Fuelled By Ramen staples have taken a while to release something new. Whether it’s enough to make up for lost time is something to be seen. Opening with Fortune Favours The Brave, vocalist Chrissy Constanza gets to showcase her range with a backing of guitarist Dan Gow and drummer Will Ferri bringing a classic pop rock feel, verging on pop punk. Dead Man Walking takes the album in a different direction with an almost metalcore feel with heavy beats and soaring vocals filled with angst teaching audiences about the fear of getting lost in the music industry amongst other bands. Ashes To Glory feels like one of those classic AGAINST THE CURRENT tracks, perfect singalong vocals, cinematic melodies, and heavy drums by Ferri that almost power the song along. The Moth again feels like the band are heading into a metalcore-esque vibe with moments that felt like breakdowns and lyrics that tell the audience of defeat and vulnerability. The lyrics in this album weave messages of darkness, confrontation, romance, and intimacy. It’s about fate and how things don’t change even when you’re gone. Heavenly leaves Costanza singing the lyrics “But I won't hide the pain to put your mind at ease” talking about how letting go can be a moment of liberation. Single Always You & I talks about a love that feels eternal no matter what is happening. The emotions packed into the song feel raw and honest through lyrics and music to create one of the best songs on the record. White Noise builds into a catchy song that has great singalong moments, however it doesn’t feel new. It feels like a classic AGAINST THE CURRENT song that has been revamped for a new audience. On the other hand, PROTÉGÉ feels like something new. Showcasing Costanza’s vocal range whilst singing about power dynamics and finding your identity influenced and adapted into something altogether new. Moments of this song feel confrontational and defenceless at the same time. Diving straight into the last two songs of the album, Stuck feels completely different to the last two songs. The title track Till Death & Back ends the album with something altogether evocative. Whether each song was building up to this or not, it truly feels like this is the stand out song of the album. You can see how the influence of SPIRITBOX’s Josh Gilbert’s production has really given a darker edge to the songs. It’s difficult to see what genre AGAINST THE CURRENT could place themselves in. Whilst they are no longer the pop punk band they were, it feels like they are far away from calling themselves metalcore. Whilst the album doesn’t honestly feel like anything special, or new, it’s the type of album that will please current fans along with having enough songs to capture a new audience too. AGAINST THE CURRENT are a band that can make classic, cinematic feelings rock songs that capture a rollercoaster of emotions. Whatever happens next, they can’t leave it another 8 years. Score: 6/10 Till Death & Back will be self released on 30th October 2026. Words: Laura Davies Photos: Jordan Knight

Emerging from the Humber region’s rich legacy of punk and hardcore, is four piece band MIRA DISCONNECT, with their mix of alt-rock and post-hardcore. Originally conceived as a lockdown solo project by vocalist and guitarist Tom Hewson in 2020, the outfit blends raw intensity with melodic ambition. Joining Tom on Entangled is Darren Banks on drums, Danny Binnington on guitar and Sid Barley providing additional vocals and bass. Entangled is the follow up to their 2024 EP Affinity Aversion which introduced them to a wider audience. The three track EP, which tackles mental health, technology, human connection and the search for meaning in an increasingly disconnected world, opens with lead single I.D.A. Straight away it’s clear where the band are drawing inspiration from; the rushing guitar riff cuts through pounding drums and relentless bassline, sounding reminiscent of INCUBUS and early DEFTONES. The track continues heavily forward with lyrics centred on enduring suffering in silence to avoid becoming a burden to others. When the chorus arrives, it explodes into an anthemic peak, delivering the kind of soaring alt-rock moment built for the biggest stages. Decoherence is a bass heavy track; with a sprinkle of groove and a well timed scream in the middle. The lyrics venture into more conceptual territory, weaving together themes of Tarot, astrology, quantum physics and entanglement. As Hewson explains, the track explores the fascinating notion that everything in the universe is interconnected on a level far beyond what the human mind can fully comprehend, transforming complex scientific and spiritual ideas into something both thought-provoking and deeply human. With lyrics originally written in 2020 while Tom Hewson was isolated at home during lockdown, Wires takes a direct aim at society’s growing dependence on technology. Despite its cautionary outlook, the track is not entirely pessimistic. Hewson’s words leave room for optimism, suggesting that there is still hope society can step back from the brink and rediscover more meaningful human connections beyond the glow of a screen. The layered ambient synths throughout the song create a vast, almost otherworldly soundscape that mirrors its themes perfectly. What makes Entangled particularly impressive is its willingness to explore complex ideas without losing sight of its human heart. Whether tackling themes of isolation, connection, self-reflection or the unseen forces that shape people's lives, MIRA DISCONNECT approaches each subject with conviction and sincerity. The result is a record that rewards repeat listens, revealing new layers within its lyrics and instrumentation every time. With Entangled, MIRA DISCONNECT makes a powerful return, delivering a bold and expansive collection that balances the rugged spirit of classic UK post-hardcore with the sleek, stadium-ready appeal of modern alternative rock. Throughout the record, the band demonstrate a clear understanding of what made their earlier material so compelling while refusing to be confined by it, embracing larger hooks, broader atmospheres and more ambitious songwriting without sacrificing the emotional grit at their core. Tracks shift effortlessly between introspective vulnerability and overwhelming power, creating an album that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. In a genre often caught between nostalgia and reinvention, MIRA DISCONNECT manages to honour both. Entangled stands as a confident statement of intent from a band operating at the height of their creative powers, proving they are not simply revisiting old ground but actively carving out their own space within the modern alternative landscape. It is an album that deserves attention and one that firmly establishes MIRA DISCONNECT as a band worth following closely in the years ahead. Score: 8/10 Entangled will be self released on 4th November 2026. Words: Lou Viner-Flood Photos: Mira Disconnect

Dubbed as "one of the UK's most … hard working heavy progressive post-rock bands", DIN OF CELESTIAL BIRDS took to the road to play a number of intimate venues. Joined each night by WILDERNESSES and a collective of local bands from each area, the band played their recently released sophomore album, Takeoffs and Landings, from start to finish. For the show at The Yard in Manchester, local post-hardcore band SWAMPED opened up the night. A sharp contrast to the pre-show playlist, their music immediately hit hard and hit loud. Most of their set pulled from their first EP Goltraighe, released earlier this year, which felt somewhat at odds with the venue they were presented in: heavy guitars and shouting were juxtaposed with shelves full of fake plants and the ‘stage’ comprised of a large, patterned rug. A harshness in the upper-mids from one of the electric guitars somewhat detracted from the experience, although it wasn’t enough to stop the crowd enjoying the act, with a number of the audience bobbing their heads as they watched. It was clear that the band were giving it their all, playing with focused determination. Not held back by a vocal microphone, their guitarist would venture towards the crowd and climb the seating, making the intimacy of the venue more apparent. WILDERNESSES were the next to step up to the plate. Much like their fellow performers, WILDERNESSES also released music this year, having dropped their debut album Growth in March. Pulling from this album, their set started slower with Four Hour Drive and ramped up in tempo as time went on, before returning to a slower feel for their final song Summertime, 1917. Compared to SWAMPED beforehand, their set was more melodic and less heavy. Lead singer Phillip Morris performed with a strong and smooth sounding voice, which would unfortunately get lost in the mix at times. When performing, there was great kinetic energy from every member of the band, giving an impression of them feeling at home while performing on stage, not afraid to lean into the tempos of their songs. This rubbed off on the crowd, with some enthusiastic headbanging and bouncing present among the audience. During a brief interlude to tune his guitar, Morris gave his praise to DIN OF CELESTIAL BIRDS as he noted that he had ‘not known stagecraft like it’, teasing an excited audience for what was to come. When it finally came time for DIN OF CELESTIAL BIRDS to perform, the crowd had closed up the gap that was present between them and the performance area during the opening acts. Their eagerness was met with the fast pace of the opening title track from Takeoffs and Landings, a dramatic and impactful launch to their headlining set. Like the tide, the energy of the set had its ebbs and flows, slowing at times before ramping up again. Use of their own floor floodlights, as opposed to the venue’s overhead fixtures, accentuated the impact of their music, with flashes of light timed to the kick of the bass drum. Each member of the band was clearly putting their heart into the performance, not stopping themselves from rocking out and headbanging at the upbeat peaks of energy, emphasised with more intense flashes of lights, but calming down with minor key melodies and thinned textures before ramping up once again. When the energy was heightened, the crowd paralleled the movement of the band in headbanging and swaying, with an amusing two man circle pit involving WILDERNESSES drummer Ryan Browne emerging at one point. Some transitions between songs and their accompanying mood changes could easily have been called abrupt, if not for the use of samples from things like news reports easing the change. While the venue initially felt at odds to the prior performances, it felt like a perfect fit for the headlining band: the lack of a stage separating the audience from the band allowed the band members to intertwine, both with each other and with the crowd, in a reflection of the ‘desire for connection’ written on the page for Takeoffs and Landings. As the crowd stood level with the band, the set felt more like a piece of performance art, emphasised by the occasionally blinding lights and the wordless - save for a single yelled ‘cheers!’ of gratitude from one of the members - performance from the musicians. Traditionally, a din is a discordant, uncomfortable sound, but DIN OF CELESTIAL BIRDS is the opposite. Impactful and emotional music, portrayed wordlessly and intimately, never standing still for long. A show of theirs is less like a concert, and closer to performance art, best suited to smaller rooms so that you could be surrounded and submerged in it. Words and photos: Ace Cheng

A good horror soundtrack doesn’t just sit in the background, it helps define the movie in a way that sticks in the viewer's mind for years to come. Across the decades, filmmakers have turned to rock, metal, punk, industrial and every relevant genre in between to amplify their scares and give their monsters a pulse that hits harder than any orchestral sting. This list pulls together ten films where the soundtracks shape the atmosphere as much as the visuals do. From the glam‑goth swagger of The Lost Boys to the nu‑metal theatrics of Queen of the Damned and the doom‑laden weight of The Devil’s Candy, these soundtracks don’t just accompany horror. Together, they chart how rock has evolved alongside the genre, shaping its attitude, its energy, and its most unforgettable moments. SCREAM 3 Scream 3 embraces the turn‑of‑the‑millennium rock landscape, using its soundtrack to modernise the franchise’s tone. What If by CREED provides post‑grunge energy that aligns with the film’s Hollywood‑satire setting, SLIPKNOT’s Wait and Bleed injects raw aggression, contrasting with the film’s glossy production, and Spiders from SYSTEM OF A DOWN adds an eerie, off‑balance tension that echoes the film’s paranoia and meta‑horror twists. Giving the film a heavier musical identity than its predecessors, the soundtrack captures the era’s mood. GINGER SNAPS Although Ginger Snaps isn’t typically framed as a rock‑driven film, its use of emotionally volatile tracks deepens the coming‑of‑age body‑horror themes that thread throughout the story. GLASSJAW’s Siberian Kiss brings post‑hardcore intensity that mirrors Ginger’s jagged, hormonal, and unpredictable transformation, HATEBREED’s Burial for the Living injects raw aggression into a curated depiction of adolescent rage, while CRADLE OF FILTH’s Her Ghost in the Fog adds theatrical gothic metal that complements the film’s dark humour and suburban bleakness. This selection of songs help position the film within a heavier musical lineage, amplifying its themes of alienation, identity, and monstrous girlhood. Film still from Ginger Snaps - Director of Photography Thom Best, still from Lionsgate Films THE CROW The Crow is one of the most influential rock soundtracks in cinema, shaping the film’s entire emotional and visual identity. THE CURE’s Burn sets the tone with gothic melancholy, perfectly matching the film’s rain‑soaked tragedy, whilst reinterpreting JOY DIVISION through a harsher, more vengeful lens. NINE INCH NAILS’ Dead Souls adds industrial bite, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS’ Big Empty brings grunge introspection, while RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE’s Darkness injects political fury into the film’s themes of injustice. The soundtrack’s blend of goth, industrial, and alt‑rock creates a sonic world as iconic as its visuals. Film still from The Crow - Director of Photography Dariusz Wolski, still from Dimension Films RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE The sequel leans harder into rock and metal than the first Resident Evil, using its soundtrack to emphasise the shift toward action‑horror spectacle, creating a polished, adrenaline‑charged soundscape that defines the film’s early‑2000s action‑horror identity. Bringing emotional metalcore weight to Alice’s struggle is KILLSWITCH ENGAGE’s The End of Heartache, while SLIPKNOT’s Vermilion adds psychological tension through its brooding, obsessive tone. A PERFECT CIRCLE’s The Outsider injects industrial sheen, aligning with the film’s biotech apocalypse. LACUNA COIL’s Swamped contributes a soaring gothic‑metal edge that fits the franchise’s stylised combat sequences. THE LOST BOYS The Lost Boys remains one of horror’s most iconic rock‑infused films and a cultural blueprint for stylish, music‑driven horror, using its blend of glam, alt‑rock, and gothic tones to define the aesthetic of vampiric youth culture in the 80’s. INXS & JIMMY BARNES’ Good Times injects swaggering rock vitality, capturing the rebellious energy of Santa Carla’s undead nightlife, whilst THE DOORS' People Are Strange covered by ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN reframes the town’s eerie atmosphere through moody post‑punk. GERARD MCMAHON’s Cry Little Sister is the film’s gothic anthem, blending darkwave and rock elements into a haunting motif that shapes the entire narrative. Film still from The Lost Boys - Director of Photography Michael Chapman, still from Warner Bros. Pictures A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET: DREAM WARRIORS Dream Warriors is remembered as much for its rock soundtrack as for its inventive kills. The soundtrack captures the era’s theatrical rock sensibility, giving the film a larger‑than‑life tone that complements its imaginative dream sequences. It remains one of the most recognisable rock‑horror pairings of the 80s. DOKKEN’s Dream Warriors became an instant cult classic, with soaring glam‑metal choruses transforming Freddy Krueger into a pop‑culture icon, and their track Into the Fire adds further melodic metal flair, reinforcing the film’s blend of fantasy, empowerment, and terror. Film still from A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors - DoP Roy Wagner, still from New Line Cinema DRACULA 2000 Dracula 2000 embraces the glossy, hyper‑modern aesthetic of early‑2000s nu‑metal, with the soundtrack functions as a cultural reset, using rock as a way to rebrand the vampire mythos for a new generation. LINKIN PARK’s One Step Closer sets the tone with its explosive angst, matching the film’s chaotic pacing, whilst SLAYER’s Bloodline is the most thematically aligned track, its occult‑tinged aggression underscoring the film’s violent, stylised approach to vampirism. SYSTEM OF A DOWN’s Metro adds a jagged, off‑kilter energy that mirrors the film’s feral reinterpretation of Dracula’s lore. BOOK OF SHADOWS: BLAIR WITCH 2 The soundtrack for the Blair Witch sequel abandons the minimalist soundscape of the original in favour of a full‑blown industrial‑rock identity. The track choices position the film firmly within the nu‑metal era, using rock as a cultural anchor even when the story veers into psychological territory. SYSTEM OF A DOWN’s Mind brings chaotic, politically charged energy that mirrors the film’s fragmented narrative. GODHEAD’s The Reckoning adds sleek industrial‑metal tension, aligning with the film’s themes of manipulation and media distortion. FREDDY VS. JASON This crossover leans heavily into early‑2000s metal, using its soundtrack to amplify the spectacle of two horror icons colliding. ILL NIÑO’s How Can I Live delivers emotional metalcore intensity, reflecting the film’s themes of fear and vengeance. HATEBREED’s Condemned Until Rebirth adds relentless hardcore aggression, matching the brutality of the fight sequences. STONE SOUR’s Inside the Cynic brings polished alt‑metal weight that fits the film’s slick production. The soundtrack’s commitment to heavy music makes it one of the most rock‑driven slashers of its era. QUEEN OF THE DAMNED This soundtrack for Queen of the Damned is a cornerstone of nu‑metal’s crossover with horror cinema, with Jonathan Davis of KORN lending his vocals within the film itself to shape Lestat’s identity as a rock‑star vampire, merging character and genre. However, the soundtrack features other artists performing the tracks instead. Chester Bennington’s contribution of System adds emotional grit, while KIDNEYTHIEVES’ Beføre I’m Dead brings sleek industrial‑rock tension that fits the film’s seductive, predatory tone. DEFTONES’ Change (In the House of Flies) deepens the film’s melancholic sensuality, its slow‑burn heaviness aligning perfectly with Anne Rice’s themes of immortality and desire. The soundtrack is inseparable from the film’s aesthetic, functioning as its pulse, personality, and cultural legacy. Film still from Queen of the Damned - DoP Ian Baker, still from Village Roadshow Pictures Words: Lou Viner-Flood

After the release of their self-titled album last autumn, pop punk band LOOK WHAT HAPPENED are back with their newest release. Forming in Brighton in 2024, the band are relatively new to the scene, but it hasn’t stopped them from releasing some fantastic songs along the way. The band’s latest release Weak Minds for the Weekend, including their lead single, Make It Real, is a nod to all the bands the members grew up listening to and a reflection on struggles, self-doubt and personal growth. The album opens with the song Masochist, an upbeat track which really showcases the bands fantastic instrumentals, paired with strong emotional lyrics. With a catchy sing along style, its great opening for the EP. Next, we go into Goldstone, a profounder, self-reflective song showcasing the bands versatility while still maintaining their style, with their well layered guitar sounds matched with perfectly exquisite drums. Singer Jamie Walker's vocals truly tell the story behind this track. Back to upping the tempo with the lead single of the EP Make It Real, it’s clear to see why they chose this one as their single release, the perfect song to shout along to with a very early BLINK-182 feel to it and quintessential old school pop punk feel it’s both relatable and nostalgic in the best possible way. The band really sends us on a rollercoaster of emotion, slowing it down once more for the next song, Liquid Equilibrium. The superb drumming and lower guitar tones on this track, teamed with the story telling style of the vocals really make it a track that takes you out of reality. This is one that you’d want to have on repeat. Finishing of the EP with the final track Service Charge, we're back up to full pace pop punk playing, passionate lyrics, mixed with a great excuse to shout along to this song, ending the record off perfectly. It’s clear to see LOOK WHAT HAPPENED held nothing back with this EP and put their all into it. Fantastic instrumentals, raw storytelling, and relatable lyrics make this an all-around great record from track to track. Score: 8/10 Weak Minds for the Weekend will be released on 30th October 2026. Words: Shay Decay Photos: Look What Happened

There is no denying that NICKELBACK have carved out their own place in rock history, becoming one of the defining names of modern mainstream rock. With Everything Under The Sun, the band explore a familiar blend of hard-hitting riffs, infectious hooks and arena-ready anthems. Even if you’re unfamiliar with their extensive back catalogue, chances are you’ll recognise them from the countless internet memes inspired by their iconic hit Photograph or the age-old debate over whether the band are a love them or hate them affair, much like Marmite. However, memes and divided opinions aside, one thing is undeniable, NICKELBACK know how to draw a crowd. Kicking things off with Rattle The Cage featuring JOHN 5, NICKELBACK waste absolutely no time in making their intentions clear. One of the heaviest tracks the band have released, delivering a track that feels far more aggressive than some of the band’s more radio friendly material. As an opening statement, it certainly raises expectations for what is to follow. Moving into Bones For The Crows, things settle into more familiar NICKELBACK territory. There is a laid-back groove running throughout the track, with the band’s signature melodic sensibilities taking centre stage. However, a shredding guitar passage cuts through the relaxed atmosphere, injecting some extra energy without disrupting the song’s easy going feel. It is a solid example of how the band can balance their heavier instincts with the more accessible sound that has kept them popular for so long. I Already Know delivering the kind of feel good rock song that would not sound out of place during a romantic comedy montage or while cruising down Route 66 with the roof down. There is an undeniable sense of freedom running through the track, while CHAD KROEGER’s vocals shine against instrumentation. Country influences come to the forefront on Leave Me Behind, where the instrumentation brings a rootsier flavour to proceedings. However, this is still very much a power ballad at heart. Unfortunately, If I Don’t Go struggles to leave quite the same impression. While it fits comfortably within the album’s overall sound, it feels somewhat overshadowed by the stronger material surrounding it. It is not necessarily a bad song, but it lacks the distinctive hooks or standout moments needed to make it truly memorable. In a collection that offers plenty of variety, it comes across as something of a filler track. Thankfully, Make Me Love You brings things back into focus. This is the sort of power ballad that practically demands to be belted out, whether you are singing along in the shower or driving through torrential rain with the volume turned all the way up. It has that familiar NICKELBACK knack for combining heartfelt melodies with a chorus designed to stick in your head long after the song has finished. For those who prefer their NICKELBACK firmly rooted in the world of classic dad rock, Chasin’ Famous is likely to be a highlight. It recalls the sound of the band's hugely successful 2005 album All The Right Reasons, bringing back the kind of familiar rock that helped establish their legendary status. There is a reassuring familiarity to the track, making it feel like a throwback to an era when NICKELBACK seemed to dominate every rock radio station going. Simple Song gives the atmosphere that practically invites an arena full of fans to raise their phone torches or lighter flames and sway along. It is built around that communal, singalong quality that has become such a staple of the band's songwriting, providing another moment where melody takes priority over sheer heaviness. The country-inspired sound returns with Technicolor Steamboat, an atmospheric, that feels perfectly suited to an outdoor gathering with blankets around, huddled around a campfire. Rather than relying on crushing riffs or oversized choruses, it embraces a more stripped-back approach, allowing the atmosphere to do much of the work. Meanwhile, Bottled Dreams slows things down further, with a mood that would feel right at home playing through the speakers of a dimly lit dive bar. Closing out this collection of songs, Last Night Was Fun leans further towards the pop side of NICKELBACK's sound. The production and background mixing gave it a radio feel, making it one of the more accessible moments on the record. It is an appropriate way to round things off, reinforcing the band's ability to move between rock, pop and country influences while maintaining their recognisable sound. Everything Under The Sun offers a varied collection that showcases several sides of NICKELBACK. From the bruising opener to acoustic warmth, and the singalong appeal, there is plenty here for longtime fans to get stuck into. NICKELBACK may be forever associated with the dad rock era, but Everything Under The Sun shows that there is more to their sound than simply recycling the past. By balancing heavier moments with melodic rockers and country inspired detours, they deliver an album that should appeal to both longtime devotees and listeners looking for something to soundtrack their next long drive. Score: 7/10 Everything Under The Sun will be released on 30th October 2026 via Virgin Music Group. Words: Ciara Hicks-Evans Photos: Lindsay Siu

For the past several years now, one particular record label has felt inescapable - The Flenser. Since the post-covid boom of HAVE A NICE LIFE in online circles, it’s fairly common to see them reply to posts about the band, and by extension any of the bands on the label, with a simple message. “The Flenser”. It sounds like a gimmick (mostly because it is), but we also have to remember that the repertoire of artists working with them predominantly consists of people making music that is so boundary-pushing and singular that maybe the odd reminder isn’t such a bad thing. With that in mind, any sort of announcement of them picking a new artist up is extremely exciting news. Enter Erin Dawson, the brains behind black metal project GENITAL SHAME, a name that on a surface level, seems to play on black metal bands’ tendency to choose provocative names - but upon further inspection, it comes across as a tragic expression of trans pain, which makes for a strong first impression on its own. In the past few months, it was announced that she’d been signed to The Flenser for her second LP, Wellness Plan, the followup to 2024’s Chronic Illness Wish. That album, while it’s definitely a great listen, is maybe somewhat straightforward in parts. But there’s an amateurish charm to the production, rather than the glistening sheen usually found in blackgaze-adjacent acts, that only serves to further highlight, say, the folk influences on a song like Schooled In Every Grace. A strong debut, but clearly there’s room for further experimentation. So fast-forward to now, we hear Wellness Plan open with this album’s first breath - Replace What I’m After, a short, folky intro that leads straight into Down Titration Strategies. It’s the album’s first big swing, and from the very first seconds it feels immense. There’s a greater emphasis on melody compared to before, the use of a synthesiser aiding greatly in adding new textures - but on top of that, we’re hearing more riffage! Clearly, there’s still a gazey-ness to it, but throughout all seven minutes we hear Dawson play with dynamics, structure, and at points even break-neck chord progression changes that keep you on your feet. A ridiculously engaging listen with several moving parts, but not in a way that makes it impossible to follow, and hopefully a sign of where the rest of the album is going. We get more of that on fourth track and lead single I Want To Die Before You. Opening on a dissonant riff, it quickly becomes a tug of war between said riff and tremolo-picked guitars, seemingly starting and stopping at a moment’s notice. To add to the disorientating feel, we’re greeted by an odd time signature on top of this, until the song slowly slinks back into a familiar blackgaze setting, accompanied by a particularly present kick drum that seems to be the pulse running through the song. Dawson’s electrifying screamed vocals carry us away as the song fades out. Most of note here, however, is the final run of tracks, starting with Górecki Peace, a direct reference to avant-garde composer Henryk Górecki, whose third symphony is referenced as a vessel through coping with intrusive thoughts. As excellent as the lyricism on this track is, it’s merely secondary to an utter achievement in melody. The riff that runs throughout this entire track, and the mileage that Dawson manages to get out of it, is a wonderful thing to behold. It manages to catch the extremes of bittersweetness, equal parts despondent and hopeful. There’s a moment of pure bliss halfway through the song when it’s played on a lone synthesiser - then the rest of the instrumentation bleeds through. The song just sounds so alive in a way that’s sometimes hard to find in this genre, and it’s such a treat to listen to. It’s followed up by Gratitude Meditation, a ten-minute beast that goes through the entire playbook of what we’ve heard so far. Of course, there’s half a dozen incredible riffs that underline their respective chunks of the song, but there’s a new trick here - a drone section halfway through, introducing this tension you could easily cut with a knife, until soft guitar strums tide us over until the big finale. The guitars make their presence known immediately, signalling that song isn’t quite done with you yet, going into uncharacteristically high-tempo blast beats for what we’ve heard so far. There’s this massive crescendo as Dawson lets out one final growl, and then relative silence, just the stagnant air and the odd bit of movement to send it out. The album ends with Goodbye (I’ve Left It Open), a synth-driven funeral dirge, and a particularly ominous note to end on. GENITAL SHAME’s second album shows Erin Dawson pulling more surprises from her bag of tricks, pushing depressive black metal as a genre even further in the process. Of course, some tracks manage this more than others, but even so, it’s an extremely singular album. There’s so many ideas in here that make for a truly refreshing experience. Perhaps it will leave some listeners scratching their heads in places, but we implore you to stick with it - it’s an extremely rewarding album that reveals itself to you more than most will. Score: 8/10 Wellness Plan will be released on 30th October 2026 via The Flenser. Words: Noise Leonard Photos: Genital Shame