With All Points East Presents: Outbreak on the horizon, now is the perfect time to pick out the 10 best bands to see over that coming Sunday of fun; the lineup is quite diverse so here are our picks for the best. MANNEQUIN PUSSY The ultimate badass punk band that deserve to be heard for this festival, their blend of loud spoken word and beautiful melodic singing make for some absolutely beautiful songs that are an impeccable balancing act to create MANNEQUIN PUSSY’s unique sound. Expect ups and downs during this set for as much as the band love to be loud and abrasive they aren’t afraid to slow it down and take you through the motions, exploring all the vocal ranges of singer Missy Dabice; you’d be seriously missing out if you didn’t catch these guys. INTERPOL Definitely one of the lighter bands on the lineup, don’t expect any screaming or brash breakdowns; Interpol are the calm before the storm for this festival, with many people flocking to them for their harsh indie sound that blends in elements of punk to make their iconic sound. Although they come from a genre not many heavy music fans dive into, they seem to have a direct route into the brains of fans for their dark and ominous sound. Even if they quite aren’t your thing, just for the sheer level of talent and how iconic the band is, you don’t wanna miss these. ¥Ø$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U The story of this DJ is utterly legendary, originally playing parties and underground shows, keeping DJing as his hobby, he impressed many local DJs with his unique mixes and intense style; in 2016 however after being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, he quit his day job as a construction worker and pursued his passion full time. Now he has become one of the biggest DJs in the world, playing even the likes of Coachella; his hardstyle mixing and his choice of songs will no doubt be off the chain for Outbreak, and if he’s in a tent, expect absolute chaos. AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS The definition of speed and aggression, these punk rockers are the crowning example of how fun this genre can be, lead by Amy Taylor and her unapologetic persona, this band are a force to reckoned with; Their brash drums, heavy riffs and Amy’s unique and harsh vocals; you cannot expect them not to have you wrapped up in the music. With this set, expect nothing less than a fun time and a pure cathartic release of anger. WISP In a complete musical juxtaposition, WISP offers a sound unlike any other working today, a solid mix of WISP’s ‘light-than-air’ vocals and the unrelenting shoegaze sound with some extra added nu-metal elements, work surprisingly well together to deliver a sound that any fan of this festivals headliner will absolutely love. Expect to hear her hits such as the massively viral Your Face and the beautiful Pandora, as she will make you want to headbang to the softest voice you’ve ever heard. ESDEEKID Somewhat of an Oddball choice for this festival but the more you think, the more it fits; with the release of his latest album Rebel, ESDEEKID blew up overnight, his fusion of US Soundcloud rapping and his thick scouse accent made for a combination that made him stand out among the rest. His energetic shows, his insane set design and stage presence will certainly make for a brilliant show and we all know that his hit 4 Raws will tear it up at Outbreak. AFI These veterans of the rock scene have had audiences in a chokehold since 1991, with a small dedicated fan base who have stood by them through their diverse discography. From an early hardcore punk style to their newer goth rock and post-hardcore sounds, they’ve done it all; you’d be seriously missing out if you didn’t catch the scenes when this band play their massively popular and insanely catchy Miss Murder. BASEMENT The Sunday headliner of this festival’s Manchester branch, BASEMENT are on such a hot streak with their newest album in 8 years, Wired, they are on top of the world right now, their energy is the same as it ever was, an absolute shining example of the peak of post-hardcore. Though they aren’t in a headline slot this time round, We are willing to bet this set will draw and huge crowd and be one of the best of the day as an absolute fan favourite of Outbreak attendees, it’s only fitting this is the only band to play both versions of this festival, they are one you can’t miss. IDLES The pure embodiment of modern punk, IDLES are nothing short of a class act who use their anger to spread a positive message; Joe Talbot’s unique voice and Mark Bowen’s ever so strange riffs and chords are the perfect cocktail for their sound. They will no doubt be one of the most chaotic sets of the day, expect to collide from the beginning as they will absolutely open with Colossus and that will brilliantly set the tone for the show. DEFTONES The headline act, the legends, the band who have had one of the most incredible second winds in recent memory; their newest album Private Music has been one of their most successful and widely acclaimed album runs ever, selling out arenas, headlining festivals, DEFTONES are on of the biggest bands in the world right now. If you didn’t catch them on their tour back in February, now is the time, the sheer ferocity of Stephen Carpenter’s guitar and Abe Cunningham’s drums will blast you with a wall of sound you can’t help but move to. See you in the pit this weekend! Words: Ben Blissett Cover Photo: Lizzie Jones

The infinitely accelerating death-spiral of our samsara, seizing, trapped between monolith mistakes of man’s own make is but one hyperstition; an ever-accelerating, self-fulfilling prophecy of gradual insanity. The State, in its multifaceted, janus-faced form so writhing through and gnawing at the bones of the world, is but one vector for such an open season against our vague pre-conceived hopes of sanity. STATE POWER’s Hyperstition, on the other hand, is a deafening, explosive, silent stopping, briefly, of that spiral: an interlude between the seemingly inevitable end and the long winding collapse we have endured throughout. To look up, past the shadows, and scream: afraid, angry, anxious- but most importantly, absolute. Crashing through your sound system directly from Utrecht in the Netherlands, STATE POWER have been bringing love-induced nervous breakdowns to the hardcore scene since 2024, and with the upcoming release of their full-length album, Hyperstition, show great promise to continue to do so. Building up from a truly sturdy foundation of collaborating and brilliantly attuned friends, this particular ensemble shows a particular brilliance in seamlessly concocting terrific, terror-inducing riffs, rupturing drums and a united creative vision that that blends together in a way otherwise unexpected of the traditionally gruff and rough sounding hardcore genre. In no way does this mean Hyperstition is not outright deadly: rather, that STATE POWER have turned such blunt-force audio violence to an art. Pim Cruiming and Daan Lutgernik on guitars, not only bring their tempered talents from their time with TWO AND A HALF GIRL but their skill in working side by side to make each track flow and feel fantastic from first song to last- with this particular mixologist’s talent only reinforced by the full band. Mert Güngör’s drumming, kindled by sheer passion for hardcore as much as experience from HALF CAB, keeps the otherwise ravenous and jittering rage of their sound on track, alongside the silent workhorse vigil of Rinus van der Weerd’s bass: all working in perfect tandem to make Stefan Bonestroo’s ever-accelerating, ever-insane, ever-on-the-verge-of-breakdown shine as they deserve. An almost insidious change from his work with BONY MACARONI, it is audibly clear that the sound of STATE POWER is equal parts passion for hardcore and appreciation for what everyone brings to the table, bringing to mind a far higher production value than expected of a debut album. While STATE POWER attest that their sound comes from a place of righteous love, their past track record of frothing riffs is only further blown out of the park by Hyperstition. This album is dark. Very dark. Bringing to mind an endlessly apocalyptic, unmedicated successor to the prophetic cultural observations of Operation: Mindcrime, the album is almost absurd in its appreciation of the reality of the modern world. Beginning with a hypermodernist ironic sneer towards the rise of AI, thinking machines and thoughtless man in the introductory Dominant Threads, the band put to sound the deep, internal, confusion-laden red-hot hatred towards the seeming catastrophe of this time of monsters we dwell in. Turning the sickness in his stomach not to spitting vomit but spitting bars, STEFAN’s rage at the endlessly whirring systems we are trapped in is audible from the first screeching lament of Brain Bug. An anxiety attack in song form, it remains impossible to listen to without at least twitching the eyelid in angered solidarity, totalising the meaningless toil of maximising shareholder value just to eat despite the constant horrors. Each lyric feels less written for performance, nor written for a manifesto: but discerned in a post 3-hour sleep 12-hour shift hallucination that would’ve otherwise caused a peasant revolt and another instance of Stadtholder cannibalism in Holland in simpler times. If Brain Bug is the anxiety attack brought on by the weight of reality, Schizoscene is the post-realisation insanity; a permanent breakdown at breakneck speeds, breaking down the walls of sleepy ignorance to revel in the psychosis of modernity - only restored from the brink by a hauntingly lamenting chorus. From the Spoils Of Empire in the rotting imperial core to the distress at the death of logic and the bypassing of consciousness in Gnaw - where Mert’s drumming particularly performs as perfect psychopomp through these dying times - to The Sin of Empathy, continuing STATE POWER’s sin theming, each song is a rapid-fire burst of neurotic hyperviolence against systems, powers, rich men and horrors whose breadth and scope of sheer sadism could never compare to. In some ways, this ensures much of the songs blend together almost too well: yet in a way, this ensures losing yourself into the ever-swirling messages and sounds throughout the album becomes even more immersive, considering the maddening topics at hand. It is clear that listening to these songs be played one after another in a maelstrom of a crowd, live, would leave one with one or two lifelong memories whether you could recognize exactly where one riff ends and the other begins: and that may perhaps be the most important in hardcore. Hyperstition is an album that less-so grows on you, and more makes you realise it has been silently screaming in your mind, only waiting to be given a sound. STATE POWER’s quintessentially hardcore sound is a beautiful, almost pure-bred, every-beat-a-painting attempt of a genre otherwise concerned with setting fire to the paintbrush. Let it be known the brush is certainly still on fire- we are simply impressed that they have created such while it burns in their hands as it does the art in their minds. Score: 7/10 Hyperstition will be released on the 28th August 2026 via Parasocial Records. Words: Jakub Czaicki Photos: State Power

RADAR Festival tore back into Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse for its 2026 edition. Now firmly established as one of the UK’s most exciting heavy music weekenders, this year’s line-up was headlined by THY ART IS MURDER, SKINDRED and ANIMALS AS LEADERS. Three very different flavours of heavy, all delivered at full throttle. Spread across two stages with a strict no-clash policy, alongside artist masterclasses, a music and gaming market and retro arcades, RADAR continues to champion the artists shaping the future rather than resting on the past. Whether you were there sweating it out in the pit or are wondering what all the fuss was about, here’s our round-up of the acts that stood out across the weekend. Words: Adrian Chapman (AC) and Will Tott (WT) Photos: Loztogs, Charlie Bluck, claire.alaxandra ROZEMARY Merseyside’s finest opened up the entire weekend on a high. The Shure Stage was already packed before a note had even been played, proof of RADAR’s knack for championing the right names early. ROZEMARY traded in techy, blistering metalcore for Izabel Lavin’s shrieking screams collapsing into surprisingly tender sung melodies, guitars lunging between jagged riffs and cinematic swells. Fresh off their new EP The Lies They Made Me Believe, the set drew heavily from it, landing with real force in the room and igniting movement instantly. Watching a crowd of teenagers scream every word back was a reminder that young people are still very much the heart of this scene. (AC) CLT DRP Brighton trio CLT DRP brought a healthy dose of chaotic fun to the Shure Stage. Frontwoman Annie Dorrett prowls the stage screaming feminist-charged lyrics, the band forgoing a bassist entirely and running guitars through a barrage of effects until they howl like a synth, drums frenetic and unrelenting behind it all. It’s a futuristic strain of electro-punk – part rave, part riot – that embodies the quirkiness RADAR has built its identity on and the direction the festival is heading. Newer cuts sat comfortably alongside older favourites, the crowd fully locked in from the first note. (AC) GRAPHIC NATURE Beloved by many, the barrier was full long before GRAPHIC NATURE took the Main Stage. The Kent nu-metalcore crew fuse 90's riffs with chugging electronics and hardcore's brute force, and the pit responded in kind: two-stepping, flying spin kicks, even the Cookie Monster throwing down. Tracks like their latest single Faceless and the classic Killing Floor landed with equal ferocity, the room screaming every word. Frontman Harvey Freeman paused mid-set for a moving speech about men allowing themselves to be vulnerable and the scene being a safe space for all, a staple of any GRAPHIC NATURE set. Equally tender and brutal, they're proof the community can be lovely (even with moshers flailing elbows into jaws). (AC) SIKTH SIKTH brought their mathy, genre-warping chaos to RADAR’s Main Stage, all lurching time signatures and dual-vocal barks colliding with soaring melodies. With their usual bassist unable to make the show, Periphery’s Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood filled in, having grown up idolising the band, locking into their notoriously knotty grooves like he’d been there for years. The crowd, clearly full of devotees, met every jarring rhythm shift and sudden collapse into breakdown with total commitment. It’s a rare opportunity to watch a band this technically unhinged still feel this human and joyful. (AC) VOLUMES The air was thick with anticipation as LA prog metalcore legends VOLUMES took to the stage, returning to RADAR for the first time since their beloved 2023 set. Despite being a fill in for CHELSEA GRIN, the band performed as if they’d been preparing for this set their entire lives. Dual frontmen Myke Terry and Michael Barr were running, jumping and dancing across the stage, not giving the audience the slightest opportunity to lose interest, with a standout moment from the 15-song set being during Edge of the Earth, a heavy anthemic cut from their 2016 debut Via, when Myke Terry descended from the stage to sing the massive chorus with adoring fans at the barrier. It was a true shining example of stagecraft, giving the crowd some of the best onstage presence and energy of the entire weekend. Overall, if the band’s set proved one thing, it’s that VOLUMES are hurtling towards that future headline slot, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop them. (WT) THY ART IS MURDER Closing out RADAR’s heaviest day, THY ART IS MURDER arrived with a brand new frontman in tow. Jerry Grimefeld, only days into the role after replacing Tyler Miller, tore into opener Blood Throne like he’d fronted the band for years, guttural and commanding from the first breakdown. Blast beats and double kicks came thick and fast, the pit never once letting up. Holy War landed as a clear highlight, every word screamed straight back at the stage by a crowd seemingly unfazed by the change at the mic. Closer Reign of Darkness felt like an apocalyptic send-off, and proof this new era is already firing on all cylinders. (AC) PROTEST THE HERO Making their return to the UK festival scene after ten years, it was immediately clear that PROTEST THE HERO had been sorely missed across the pond from their home country of Canada, with frontman Rody Walker’s triumphant belted vocals being matched by the voices of a horde of enthralled superfans screaming along at the front of the crowd, especially during fan-favourites such as Bloodmeat and Clarity. Unlike many bands on the RADAR bill that seemed to take a heavier and more melancholy approach to songwriting, PROTEST THE HERO brought a distinctly uplifting vibe to their set while never once sacrificing on the technicality of the music, with a sound that lies somewhere between that of Periphery and Dragonforce. This was reinforced by the comedic between-song banter, and set them firmly apart from the rest of the lineup, leaving a memorable and lasting impression once their incredible set concluded. (WT) NORTHLANE A cyberpunk metalcore fever dream took over the main stage during NORTHLANE’s set, complete with festival-goers dressed as spacemen crowdsurfing over the barrier. Marcus Bridge’s vocals swung from soaring cleans to guttural screams while the band’s electronics-laced riffs made the whole set feel less like a gig and more like stepping onto the set of The Matrix, all neon menace and mechanical precision. The pits were insane, the energy more insane still, bodies colliding from the first breakdown onward. Pure main stage chaos ‐ arguably a masterclass in how heavy music can look and sound genuinely futuristic. (AC) UNPEOPLE Headlining the Shure Stage, unpeople once again proved they're unbeatable amongst UK live acts. The London quartet boast a sound that refuses to sit still, careening from massive singalong choruses into thunderous, unpredictable riffing that never goes where you expect. Unreleased tracks from their upcoming debut album We Are Unpeople were a hit, whilst crowdsurfers came over in hordes for fan favourites like overthinking – the energy infectious from their first song to the last. As is now a given in any unpeople set, guitarist Luke Caley rode shoulder-high through the crowd during the final circle pit of the garden. A first RADAR appearance that won't be forgotten in a hurry; if you're not in the know by now, you're undeniably missing out. (AC) SKINDRED Saturday's headliners tore the roof off O2 Victoria Warehouse. Benji Webbe prowled around and, rapping through opener This Is the Sound like a preacher donning his now-signature flamboyant stage wear, set the tone instantly. The genre-hopping chaos hit full force throughout, a reminder that no two SKINDRED songs ever sound the same. It was a delight to see the room bouncing as one to the reggae-tinged basslines and sudden lurches into full-throttle riffing, whilst the energy climbed higher and higher within the set. Spookz from BLACKGOLD joined for closer Warning, the whole crowd whipping their shirts overhead for the ritualistic Newport Helicopter. Unfiltered mayhem from start to finish. (AC) MAEBE Waking us up at the start of Sunday was Bristol-based instrumental triple-guitar prog/mathrock band MAEBE, who owned the Shure Stage with the confidence and swagger of a band that would be on much later in the day, really outdoing themselves and proving the high caliber of the bands that get booked for RADAR. Despite not having vocals in their music, the songs were undeniably catchy due to the incredibly tasteful lead guitar work from frontman Mike Astley-Brown that created toplines and ‘vocal’ style melodies that were easy to latch onto and provided some good ‘ear candy’ for those in the crowd who were perhaps more used to more conventional band setups that include vocals. (WT) GLASS BRIDGES After seeing quite a few fans sporting their T-Shirts around the site for much of the previous day, it was finally time to see what GLASS BRIDGES were made of. Safe to say they did not disappoint. Their upbeat, catchy guitar riffs and the emotional vocal performance from frontwoman Simona Cutifani blended together into one to create their powerful brand of infectiously fun emo-tinged alternative rock that proved that, despite the festival’s usual crop of progressive, metal-focused acts, the band’s style easily deserved its place on the RADAR bill and thrived. The slower emotional moments were all the more poignant when paired with Cutifani’s mid-set commentary on some of the personal struggles that come from being in a band pursuing music as a career, becoming a source of inspiration to the musicians or anyone who was struggling in the audience to keep pushing through, which was very endearing and left the crowd with a hopeful, optimistic sentiment. (WT) EMPLOYED TO SERVE Bringing their heavy style of groove-laden metalcore to the Shure stage, Woking-based EMPLOYED TO SERVE, certainly brought the heat with their set. From the opening song Atonement, a track which usually features the mighty Will Ramos, they set the tone and energy for the remainder of their time onstage: Heavy, chuggy guitars; feral screams from singer Justine Jones; and melodic clean-sung and guitar solo passages that offer somewhat of a break from the unrelenting heaviness that the rest of their sound carries. This sound clearly resonated with the audience, as there was rarely a moment where the moshing in the middle of the room slowed or stopped, a sign of a really great heavy set which EMLOYED TO SERVE most definitely delivered. (WT) TEN56 Closing the second stage on the Sunday were French nu-deathcore giants TEN56, bringing their signature blend of thunderous heaviness and dark electronic elements to RADAR for the third time, being a bit of a staple for the festival at this point. However, this time felt somewhat special as rather than just being another band on the undercard, they have now passed the milestone of headlining a stage. The set opened with Doormat, the whole room instantly buzzing with energy as moshpits erupted across the crowd, and didn’t slow down until they had time to breathe during the more chilled-out rap cut IO, before the band plunged headfirst into the ultra-heavy Boy, proving to any doubters why TEN56 more than deserve their spot at the top of the second stage bill. (WT) ANIMALS AS LEADERS Playing RADAR for the first time since they headlined the festival’s debut, to call prog royalty ANIMALS AS LEADERS’ set a triumphant return would be an understatement, with the group offering up a true masterclass in musicianship and stage production that was truly a sight to behold. Despite being an instrumental band without a traditional frontperson to lead the charge onstage and musically, it never felt like there was any ‘missing piece’ within the band’s expansive sound. Opening with Tooth and Claw, it was immediately clear that this would become one of the best sets of the weekend, and the band didn’t let up from there, ripping through a selection of incredible songs including long-unplayed deep cut An Infinite Regression and their most popular track, Physical Education, which was by far the loudest singalong of the festival. Quite the impressive feat for a band with no lyrics in their entire discography. Aiding the set’s incredible musicality was the otherworldly lighting production, which felt chaotic yet controlled, always matching the feeling of the music, whether that be crushingly heavy or rich and ethereal. The band closed the book on the festival with an encore of their iconic fan-favourite masterpiece Cafo, with founding guitarist Tosin Abasi instantly humbling the guitarists in the audience with its blistering sweep-picking intro and intense technicality throughout that proved(as if it needed proving) that ANIMALS AS LEADERS truly embody progressive metal of the highest pedigree, setting the bar immensely high for future RADAR headliners. (WT)

There’s something wonderfully stubborn about WESTSIDE COWBOY. In an era when young guitar bands can feel engineered for immediacy - polished, packaged and desperate to be the next big thing - the Manchester four-piece have built their reputation on the exact opposite: scrappy guitars, instinctive songwriting, gang vocals and the kind of chemistry that sounds less like a carefully assembled band and more like four mates discovering what happens when they plug everything in and turn it up. It Goes On, their debut album for Island Records, is the payoff. Across eleven tracks and a lean 35-and-a-half minutes, WESTSIDE COWBOY take their self-appointed “Britainicana” tag and stretch it far beyond its novelty value. Americana, folk, post-punk, classic indie and scuzzy guitar rock are thrown into the same battered old van, somehow all fitting comfortably together. The result is an album that feels simultaneously familiar and completely alive. The crucial thing is that It Goes On never sounds like a band trying to prove they belong in the room. Opener Kick Stones (The Boys) immediately establishes the album’s communal, live-wire spirit. Built around a propulsive rhythm inspired by THE VELVET UNDERGROUND’s What Goes On, it has the looseness of a rehearsal-room favourite but the hooks of something destined for much larger rooms. There’s a sense of movement throughout - guitars churning, vocals colliding, the rhythm section refusing to sit still - but underneath the noise is an enormous amount of warmth. That warmth is what separates WESTSIDE COWBOY from a lot of their contemporaries. Paper Chains and Dobro push further into their warped take on indie rock, the latter carrying the kind of scruffy, STROKES-adjacent swagger that could easily become irritating in lesser hands. Instead, WESTSIDE COWBOY give it personality. They sound like they understand the history of guitar music without becoming trapped by it. And then comes Well Done Kid, You Did It, one of the record’s most affecting moments. The album repeatedly circles around the uncertainty of being young and attempting to make sense of a world that seems increasingly difficult to navigate, but there’s very little self-pity here. Instead, the band find something uplifting in simply continuing. That emotional directness is central to It Goes On: the lyrics may leave room for interpretation, but the feeling rarely does. Worried Age takes that anxiety and turns it into momentum. Its title could easily belong to a miserable post-punk record, but WESTSIDE COWBOY aren’t interested in wallowing. The track steadily expands until the tension finally gives way to something approaching release. It is music for being worried together rather than being worried alone - an important distinction for a band whose entire identity seems rooted in community. Big Wheels offers another side of the band, its bittersweet vocal melodies and loose-limbed charm providing one of the album’s most immediately loveable moments. Then Pin Up Boys arrives like someone has kicked the door off its hinges. Already a live favourite, the track reportedly became increasingly “heavier and more aggro” each time the band played it. That evolution is audible. What begins sparsely soon erupts into a wonderfully ragged collision of guitars and drums before eventually pulling itself back from the brink. It is the clearest demonstration of the band’s ability to take a classic quiet-loud dynamic and make it feel genuinely physical rather than merely nostalgic. If there is a criticism to level at It Goes On, it is that the album’s aesthetic is so deliberately loose that some of its edges occasionally blur together. WESTSIDE COWBOY clearly favour instinct over immaculate precision, and while that gives the record its personality, it can occasionally make individual moments feel less distinct than they deserve. But then Coyote and Patchwork arrive to pull the album in different directions, before Take My Leaving As I Love You strips everything back. It is perhaps the album’s most important song. After nearly half an hour of guitars, harmonies and forward momentum, Reuben Haycocks is left with little more than an acoustic guitar. The resulting intimacy feels enormous. At live performances, Aoife Anson O’Connell’s haunting vocals have added an almost folk-traditional quality to the song, and on record the space around Haycocks’ voice becomes as important as the notes themselves. Then, rather than ending in melancholy, WESTSIDE COWBOY save their biggest statement for last. You Could Have Died There On The Dancefloor is exactly the sort of finale this album needs: wide-eyed, hopeful and slightly battered around the edges. Its philosophy is wonderfully simple - nobody has to be perfect; trying is enough. The band deliberately chose it as the final track, and it lands like the closing scene of a coming-of-age film where nobody has quite figured everything out, but everyone has decided to keep moving. That is ultimately what makes It Goes On so compelling. For all the talk of guitar music being back, there is very little sense here that WESTSIDE COWBOY are attempting to revive anything. They are taking the pieces they love - the jangling indie guitar, the American folk influence, the Velvet Underground chug, the scrappiness of post-punk and the communal release of a great live band - and making them their own. The hype surrounding WESTSIDE COWBOY has been enormous. They have already graduated from tiny rooms to festival stages and major headline dates before even releasing their debut, with the likes of The Guardian, NME, Dazed and Rolling Stone UK all piling praise onto the band. But It Goes On is where the conversation needs to change. This isn’t simply an album from an exciting young band. It is an album from a band that already understands exactly why people fall in love with bands in the first place. And, as the title promises, they keep going. Score: 9/10 It Goes On will be released on 21st August 2026 via Island Records. Words: Angel Turley Photos: Clementine Schneidermann

Another surprise EP drop was an incredible way to celebrate the Celestial events of 2026. POWER SNATCH, formed by Hayley Williams and Daniel James, have a short history of releasing surprise music as they create freely. EP1 was an experimental release with the curated atmosphere of a late night fever dream. Featuring three tracks, POWER SNATCH fans have received a taste of the duo’s artistic spirit. With a blog post on Substack, HAYLEY WILLIAMS reiterates her want to give away music. EP 2 was dropped with the awe of natural occurrences. Accompanying the four tracks are lyric sheets saved in a notes app, alongside a YouTube visual link. Taking inspiration from 90s alternative rock and trip-hop, Williams and James have curated a piece that leaves fans wanting more. MACHETE opens with clean pianos that launch into a hip-pop break beat. Navigating a journey through the woods, the narrator is haunted by not returning with a certain person. With previous Substack posts describing the perspective that life is circular, the lyrics “path caved like a circle” emphasises already exploring a particular area within the woods. The glistening keys form a magical feel to the track. A presence is never forgotten with the imagery of mockingbirds haunting the narrator. The bridge is formed of muted strums with the repetition of “I am not lost”. Finishing the track, Williams harmonises with the keys creating an ethereal touch. The trip-hop feel is carried into NEW LEGS. Muted vocals create a ghostly atmosphere which correlates with themes of trying to fit into old versions of yourself. The repetition of “it’s not the same. Without the pain” could refer to Williams' solo track Good Ol’ Days where she emphasises that the pain of the past was part of the experience. There is no need to heal from this pain any more but to move forward. The layered vocals when singing “new legs” represent the multitude of lives lived to get to this very point. BORN DEAD takes on alternative indie inspirations. Taking religious inspiration and imagery of a church marquee sign, this track focuses on the high standards that the public holds Williams to. There is a longing to start over again from the negative effects of being in the public eye. The mellow guitar melodies paired with a steady drum pattern highlights how repetitive the cycle appears as past effects are engrained into the person you have become. EP 2 closes with HELL IS A HALLWAY which takes elements of all these other tracks. The imagery of a hallway portrays the never ending state of limbo and transition. Previous themes of comfort within pain is paired with the moody atmosphere of the track. The distorted bass allows Williams vocals to effortlessly flow. This is a track that could be seen played in the Bronze, a soft yet heavy ending to the EP. Some may compare EP2 to Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party, featuring sister tracks, as the tracks are connected through similar themes and a unified sound. Seeing both Hayley Williams and Daniel James experiment with their music style, POWER SNATCH proves there are no limits to making music. After listening to this EP, fans sure to be eager for a full length album. Score: 7/10 EP2 was released on 12th August 2026. Words: Theviya R Karunaharan Photos: Zachary Gray

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

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

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

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

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

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

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