VARIALS have turned aggression and chaos into unfiltered yet hypnotic audible rage. From brutal bass to savagely harsh vocals, this album is sure to leave hardcore fans in awe. From Philadelphia, VARIALS harnesses their unrelenting ferocity to bring us Where The Light Leaves. Known for their explosive sounds, the band have toured with the hardcore giants such as KNOCKED LOOSE and THROWN. The band is considered accomplished at intertwining nu-metal, beatdown, hardcore, and metalcore to create albums with musical variety. The title track, Where The Light Leaves, sets the tone for the whole album with its relentlessness, smothering the listener with unyielding bass and ferocious vocals. Opening with an eerie atmosphere of guitar feedback and industrial tones, it shatters the expectation with explosive drumming, leaving listeners stunned and ready for the raw mayhem that’s about to transpire. Lyrically and instrumentally the song feels like a nightmare encasing you into its pure viciousness. The song bursts through the speakers into the listeners chest, invoking what feels like unfiltered hostility. In what can only be described as a punch to the gut, SKYLER CONDER’s unapologetic vocals blare outwards, preparing you for the rage to come in I’ll Find The Dark. The song contains a surprising, yet captivating guitar solo, allowing SHANE LYONS to demonstrate his prowess as a guitarist. Erupting into a colossal breakdown, the track effortlessly leaves the listener yearning for the mosh pit to harness this beast of a track. Throughout the album VARIALS harnesses the true potential of its bassist, SEAN RAUCHUT, creating bursting bass lines with a remarkably forceful bass tone, this song is the ultimate example of that viciousness. For the final song of the album, it leaves the desire to go back and listen to the album again and again. Showing the band's natural duplicity as musicians, Hurt Chamber combines alluring clean vocals with heavy instrumentation, evolving into a crescendo of unbridled brutality. The contrast between the harsh and clean vocals demonstrates a standout track, showing the band’s incredible range as they diversify the feelings of the album. The track’s shoegaze-ified vocals are reminiscent of sounds from artists such as DEFTONES, THORNHILL and MOODRING, and add to the songs overarching ambience. Romance II shows VARIALS’ progression in sound with the song starting with a reflection of its predecessor Romance. As the track unfolds it transforms into a bundle of forceful ruthlessness unlike the original, which maintains its clean sultry sound. It shows the band's confidence in both their ability to harness monstrous fierceness and settle into enticing seductive cleans. Romance II manages to keep its authenticity to the original while creating something unique and impactful as an expansion to the original while conjuring the same emotions. Where The Light Leaves is a metal fan's dream. VARIALS have generated a memorable masterpiece filled with rage and unapologetic lyricism. The album achieves the atmosphere it sets out to induce through divisive choices in instrumentation, creating an inescapable wall of uncomfortable aggressive sounds. The band takes an unconventional approach to writing, playing on their unique choices such as the use of dominating bass tones to create an unforgettable performance. Where The Light Leaves sets the precedent for the standard of modern metal going forward in 2026, with high production value, unique mixing, and a large diversity of track content. Score: 10/10 Where The Light Leaves will be released on February 27th 2026 via Fearless Records. Words: Alix England Photos: Varials

Driven by revolution, industrial metal and electronic beats KMFDM is a global phenomenon founded in 1984. The band have accumulated an astonishing 1.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. KMFDM are widely considered trailblazers on the industrial scene and have continued to write profoundly bold lyricism directed at oppression, political integrity and violence. Their music is a warm embrace from the dance floor enticing you to join in with their revolutionary ideology. Their live performances are no exception with stunning, striking visuals and a shot of unadulterated adrenaline. SASCHA KONIETZKO - or more commonly known as Käpt'n K - is KMFDM’s frontman and co-founder providing listeners with powerful vocals and dynamic performances. So, how does the iconic band operate and what drives the band to write such memorable rhythms? ENEMY is the band’s twenty third album, continuing the band’s influentially powerful sound with formidable riffs, rapid drumming and groovy electronic elements. SASCHA stated the writing process for ENEMY followed the same process as any other album for KMFDM, with “little ideas” from travelling or simply relaxing which are passed on to the other members of the band. They then began the process of “constantly building up and adding stuff and then taking stuff away, and then changing the arrangement” to build the perfect composition. He also gave an insight into the changing environment of music writing and producing. He declared that you used to have all the work on a mixing console, and you had to finish the mix before you could “strike the board” and start something new. It seems he enjoys the modernisation of technologies, saying “you can work a little bit on this song, a little bit on that song and just really you know take your time and get some distance from it too in the meantime”. SASCHA comedically remarked inspiration came from the “fire inside” and that KMFDM will never be short of ideas finding creativity from everyday life. GUN QUARTER SUE is the bands first fully instrumental track allowing each musician to show their prowess. It combines aggressive chaotic instruments with groovy beats to make a beautiful balance between their industrial and electronic roots. What drove the band to diversify and make a lyricless masterpiece? SASCHA announced that it is “the soundtrack to a movie that has not yet been made.”. He also released “the movie's already in my hand and the soundtrack is done, so let's go! Start shooting, right?”. The concept of a movie made by the great minds of KMFDM is surely something for fans to look forward to. KMFDM has a rare band dynamic with two members of the band, SASCHA KONIETZKO, , LUCIA CIFARELLI and the potential addition of ANNABELLA KONIETZKO, being family. ANNABELLA made her songwriting debut on the track YOÜ - surely a proud moment for her parents and a foretelling into the legacy and future of KMFDM. SASCHA proclaimed that working with his daughter was a delightful experience. He explained “She walked into the studio one day and she liked what she heard and she said she, whilst being downstairs, wrote lyrics for it and a melody, then I said alright, let’s record it.”. He reported she was certain on the changes she would like made to the track and helped with the track's alterations until it was finished within two to three days. He confessed it was unusual as when he is writing for the band he likes to spend a long time tweaking the songs whereas hers was “boom, out of the box”. SASCHA admitted he often ponders on the future of KMFDM. He believes they’ve started the next step into the band's evolution with ANNABELLA being the forefront of that future. He foresees the band becoming a generational band with her already taking the steps from “studying to become a sound engineer” and proudly declaring that she “has a great voice”. He seems to hold high expectations for his daughter stating “The future does not necessarily belong to the mediocre. So, you know, go for it, girl.”. The band operates internationally with drums in Florida, USA, guitars in England and the rest of the band in Hamburg, Germany. The band doesn’t operate in the conventional sense of writing and rehearsing together in person, the band sends ideas overnight to receive something to be added at a later date. SASCHA claims writing is not "necessarily a democratic type of thing where you know somebody says ‘oh, the drums need to be louder’ I am the producer, and I decide how loud the drums are going to be. So, sorry that’s the way it is”. He explains somebody in a band must be responsible and that always falls to him. He also noted that the responsibility comes very naturally to him. The band has been a strong predominant figure on the industrial scene and has sure influenced young bands looking for that breakthrough. What advice would a legendary legacy band bestow onto those looking to join them? “If you believe you have it, then keep at it. It doesn’t only need talent but it needs tenacity. It needs a certain amount of stoicism. And a ton of luck!”. He proclaimed bands simply need to be in the right place at the right time and that’s what likely aided KMFDM's journey. With so many incredible voices out there it seems imperative to do your “own thing” and keep at it. He raised a good point by asking “what is it to make it, I mean in nowadays world you know?”. Suggesting bands should almost make their own goals to achieve in order to feel accomplishment. From a ferocious hyena, to beautiful warrior women, KMFDM’s albums maintain intricate cover art ripped straight from a comic book. The art is made by none other than AIDAN HUGHES or otherwise known as BRUTE!. In a conversation between the two about ENEMY, SASCHA pitched “a fight between a beautiful creature and another beautiful creature [an octopus]”. He stated that in recent years the art was a long discussion over concepts for albums but for ENEMY the original sketch was “spot on”. It is nice to see a band commit to an artist and see continuity between albums to make an instantly recognisable cover. UK fans are patiently awaiting the bands return, and it seems that it is the cards but not without its trials. He stated that he would love to return to the UK and that he is missing playing here, however it’s not as easy as it was. Bands now must apply for visas, bring assistance and hope someone is manning border stations so that you can arrive at a show on time - which all come at a cost. He shares how easy it is to travel in other European countries as bringing equipment is much simpler and sometimes you don’t even require a passport. However he left with a reassuring statement of “we’re working on it, for sure”. SASCHA provided an honest insight into what being a band was like and proved KMFDM is going nowhere with new music always on their horizon. It seems ENEMY is just the tip of the iceberg for the band’s future endeavours and fans should be ready for what’s next. Finally, SASCHA left some wisdom to global KMFDM listeners “you know, wake up, don't believe the bullshit, think for yourself and choose the right side”. KMFDM released their 23rd studio album ENEMY on the 6th of February 2026 and will embark on their rescheduled Europe tour in August to celebrate it, with further dates in March 2027. Words: Alix England Photos: KMFDM, Aidan "Brute!" Hughes With thanks to: Red Sand PR and KMFDM

Five years on from their previous release, WEEDPECKER return with their highly anticipated fifth studio album V. PIOTR wrote that this album is deeply personal to him and is used to process his emotions, and this shines all throughout the LP. This is him opening up and that feels truly special to witness. The Polish psychedelic, progressive rock outfit open with a calm and atmospheric tone, much different to the opener for IV. Where that is much more in your face and straight to the point, the first track on V really builds tension and eases you into the energy that we’ve come to know and love from WEEDPECKER. With significantly more synths than their previous work, an ethereal atmosphere is created that draws you into a trance-like state and keeps the listener engaged. The intro is short, simple and leaves you aching for more, waiting to see what they deliver. And deliver they do with the second track Fading Whispers which boasts mellow drums and spacey guitar riffs to begin with. PIOTR DOBY's angelic clean vocals break through the mix blending beautifully with the instrumentals which can only be described as sensational. The sound is very akin to their earlier work on II and III. However, early on it breaks away from this formula and takes on a much heavier sensibility with distorted guitars and rippling synths which raises the energy in a major fashion. The band rides out this high for much of the track, risking repetition, however due to ZBIGNIEW PROMIŃSKI's talent on the drums, allows it to feel unique from start to finish, leaving a real impression on the listener. Ash comes in with a wavy guitar and gentle hits on the ride, a stark contrast to the previous track as once again the energy slowly builds up. The dream-like and gentle atmosphere only lingers for a short while until a heavy chugging guitar enters the mix alongside PIOTR showing a different approach with his vocals with much more volume and energy to the previous tracks while still blending in his clean, signature style. The drums also impress with this one heavily giving the more prog-rock characteristics with unique time signatures and intricate work on the cymbals. Third on the track list we have In The Dark We Shine which kicks off with some more angelic vocals from PIOTR, in perfect combination with mellow guitar and drums mixed well as to not overpower the smooth vocals. The synths make occasional appearances adding a lovely accent to an already gentle mix. As far as the track list goes, this song blends seamlessly, even with the more relaxed approach. You’re immediately jolted with energy from the beginning of Mirrors which throws some much heavier guitar at you with some higher tempo drums, courtesy of PROMIŃSKI who consistently demonstrates his technical ability throughout this LP, especially in this track. PIOTR’s vocals are mixed further into the background with this one, allowing the instruments to take charge, showcasing the bands talent. The final track The Last Summer Of Youth mellows things back out again returning to the calm demeanour of In The Dark We Shine with an acoustic guitar and more technical yet relaxed drumming from PROMIŃSKI. PIOTR delivers yet again with more superb clean vocals as he has provided throughout the LP. Overall, V feels much more polished and flows much better than IV and maintains a grip on the listener throughout the entire LP. By no means is it a redefining album, yet it does feel as though they have refined their sound significantly. It will most certainly be interesting to see how they implement these tracks into their live performances, yet it is likely be a great show, nonetheless. But with the addition of these new tracks, it feels as though WEEDPECKER have reached a new level in their work, with the vibe being very polished, yet you never know what’s next. The whole LP is immersive and transcending and overall, a solid piece of work, with the personal meaning to PIOTR making it all the more special. Score: 9/10 V will be released on 27th February 2026 via Heavy Psych Sounds Words: Theo Hogan Photos: Aleksandra Burska

The sky shines no bewitching television static glare. There is no dead channel. There is only red, alive; a bloodstain on the heavens, the red-hot ichor of leather-clad angels screaming its shadows into every nook, every recess, every misbegotten alley of this city. CARPENTER BRUT, the industry-defining seminal synth suzerain brings forth the new Leather Temple, the orchestrally bombastic finale to his leather series of long-plays that brings a cinematic climax to his most recent releases from beyond cyberspace. Jack in, gaze into the deliciously dark abyss of the synth city, and steel yourself for an album experience you truly need popcorn for. With little known of the carpenter himself – far more at home skulking in the darkest memories of every neo-tyrant, scavenger and corporate micro-lord and letting his mastered craft speak for itself – one can only speculate on his true nature. Scion of some oligarch, street deck jockey- most likely a console cowboy of some strain, running the net with the same ease he breaks beats into splintering shards of perfectly pure audio horror- but if so, it is certain anyone who dares pry will find themselves flatlined, fast. We know not his face nor name, but we do know CARPENTER BRUT’s language: ultra-violence. Eye-bulging electro crashes – more localised nuclear catastrophes than samples – truly despicable and brooding riffs, and the darkest, most vile, yet ice-cold synths’ this side of the Blackwall. This alone would bring fame and fortune; but the carpenters’ joining of these industrial echoes with a true passion for an orchestral turn leaves each song feeling like a personally curated, immersive, cinematic experience. And let it be said, this is but his reputation: one Leather Temple not only lives up to, but pushes to new heights. To briefly drop the crimson-tinted glasses, the leather set of albums have seen a growing influence of more metal influences throughout CARPENTER BRUT’s work, disturbing synth cascades slowly usurped by bombastic and ultra-harsh hammers of horror, shifting in similarity from PERTURBATOR to KEYGEN CHURCH. And while, certainly, Leather Temple does continue this trend, fans of both the crippling drums and spine-chilling synths will find more than their fair share to love throughout the ten tracks of this long play. Beautifully blending the industrial, gritty-yet-cocktail-smooth synthetic sound he is known for with not only metal, but black-clad orchestra and even the occasional jazzy groove of saxophone to create a truly brilliant experience. Certain tracks seem as if ripped directly from an alternate reality Trilogy: Neon Requiem being the perfect ballad to sail down endless stretches of red-soaked digital highway, and She Rules The Ruins casting it’s very own shadow to cover you while stalking through the endless alleys of the city – before itself going loud, marrying the two influences in a baptism of fire, carnage, and smoothness. Start Your Engines commands such a destructively anxious, nervous yet confident through sheer force of adrenaline sound as befitting such a title, as to turn any if not all listeners into a rally racing legend for all the net to enjoy. It is, scientifically, impossible to not move to. Escalation, escalation, escalation: the abrasive audio of the entire album is the perfect stress accelerator, sure to rise heart rates to match the bpm. Those seeking no more escalation, but simple carnage are too spoilt for choice. The Misfits The Rebels cracks your skull in twain with a blood-curdling shriek of distortion. You earn perhaps a second, a brief moment to realise there is now a stake-raising amen break rapidly counting down to the beginning of the track; before you are simply melted away. A neurotic screech of panicked obliteration, it is followed only by Speed Or Perish: where panic is simply vaporised into raw horror. God is dead, synths are fuel: and the leather temple is full. And yet, this is not all. Leather Temple is orchestrated as if a movie not only for the cyberpunk cinema it conjures in any listeners heads, but in its’ format. The opening Ouverture (Dues Ex Machina) brings not a screech, but a foreboding, monumental introduction to the viewing pleasure that is the album: ghostly organ and heavenly synth instantly casting aside any potential doubts about this latest release. Similarly, the concluding The End Complete is a credit-roll ballad, the victorious answer to the mysteries of the Ouverture- perhaps one of the few CARPENTER BRUT pieces to be associated with any form of joy over complete and utter brooding. Each track has its charms, of course; but listened so, as part of the continual audio experience paints a hero’s story in sound- and is a work of art that must be experienced. CARPENTER BRUT holds a reputation for defining the dark electro-synth genre as its’ bard. Leather Temple does not just maintain this reputation: it crowns him as its director. Score: 9/10 Leather Temple will be released on the 27th of February 2026, via No Quarter Prod Words: Jakub Tomasz Czaicki Photos: Stefan Brending

Picture a cityscape in the throes of winter. You stand, leaning against the cold concrete walls of a dark alleyway, cigarette to your lips as you gaze out onto the night’s lonely streets. The wind whistles through the gaps between buildings, and sirens sound far off in the distance, as if just to fill the quiet. Maybe it’s a sign; you’re not alone. Sometimes, though, you can be in a city of people and still feel deeply isolated. These are the scenes that DEEPER GRAVES has us envisioning. The solo project of JEFF WILSON (CHROME WAVES, CONTRITION) had its last full-length release in 2022, and is back after four years with Pull Me Toward The Dark. This is an album steeped in melancholy, a post-punk piece dripping with unease that captures us in its atmosphere as soon as the first note seeps through the speakers. The album starts off slow with Misunderstood, carrying a soaring, sombre melody that builds up slowly, reverberating sounds overlaid. It’s a short piece that contrasts the rest of the album not just in its length - around a minute, compared to the five or six minutes of the others - but also in sound; this track is wholly instrumental, existing purely to set up an atmosphere for us to immerse ourselves deep into. At that, it succeeds. No Time For Love comes in with no introduction, synth sounds battling against a heart-thumping drumbeat before killer guitar riffs are brought into the fray. The vocals echo around the room as WILSON serenades us from the speakers; the lyrics aren’t complicated, essentially one chorus on loop, but there’s a beauty in simplicity. Over My Shoulder turns the reverb up to eleven with its introductory riff, giving way to a trilling guitar backed by a drumbeat that feels very deliberate, each hit with a focused intention behind it. The warbling guitar is the centrepiece of this track, giving it shades of shoegaze that fit perfectly with the meditative vocals that are content to sit in the backseat. This is soon followed by All These Years, where a hint of experimentation reveals itself. It borders on industrial at points, though never quite crosses that line. Soaring guitars ring in our ears, and as the cavernous vocals rise up, there’s an electronic edge in a secondary, overlaid vocal track that ties in with the industrial instrumental. With Where Do We Go From Here, it becomes obvious the teaser of experimentation in the previous track does not carry any false promises. There’s a very clear contrast in the instrumental; the track begins with a darkness-tinged riff, but soon a hypnotic synth tune adds a splash of colour to the monochrome world this album has created so far. There are many different elements at play here - rhythmic synthesisers, pounding drumbeats, ominous, massive-sounding vocals, and some incredibly memorable riffs. This is by far the standout on this album, not just a song but an entire soundscape for us to immerse ourselves in. The Truth brings us to our penultimate track. Immediately, we’re on edge with the ominous instrumental; this is much further in the camp of industrial than before, and it’s steeped in an esoteric atmosphere that sends waves of unease running through us. The first two minutes are occupied by that soundscape, and it’s only after that we embrace the familiarity of the gothic riffs; they come in with an intense wall of sound, dominating the track entirely. The industrial elements complement them greatly, a unique contrast that keeps the track fresh in our minds. Title track and closer Pull Me Toward The Dark has an eerie beginning, rippling sounds of darkwave underneath a slow, deliberate drumbeat; deeper still is a subtle, whispered guitar strum that soon rises up to become the track’s main focus. The guitar wails and warbles, and the grandiose vocals echo the title as a chorus, encapsulating the melancholy meditativeness of this release in a few simple words. The track takes its time to fade out, leaving a trace of solemnity lingering with us. Pull Me Toward The Dark is an album with clear themes; it’s a melancholic reflection on the passage of time that invites us not to listen along, but to fully immerse ourselves in its darkwave, gothic rock soundscapes and get lost in the cultivated atmosphere. There’s a simplicity to it - the vocals are secondary to these tracks, and when WILSON’s echoing serenades do grace our ears, the lyrics often consist of one or two repeated lines. That’s not a bad thing - with this album, the instrumentals speak for themselves and the words exist to complement them, instead of the other way around. This is a heavily immersive album; best listened to not on-the-go but in the darkness of the night, rain lashing at the windows. Score: 8/10 Pull Me Toward The Dark will be released on February 27th 2026 via Disorder Recordings. Words: Naomi Colliar Duff Photos: Jeff Wilson

The nostalgia runs deep for French post-hardcore outfit RANDOM HEARTS as they craft their debut album Love PTSD, taking 90s post hardcore conventions and sprinkling in 00s emo rock to make a soundscape that matches the angst and yearning of the album’s lyrics. A solid debut for RANDOM HEARTS, Love PTSD feels like a solid foundation to build their sound from. Lyrically, there are pieces of beautiful imagery woven into Love PTSD that paint the picture of yearning and regret RANDOM HEARTS envisioned for their debut. Before We Met is among the best of the songwriting, where PUTAND tries to remember a life before meeting the muse of Love PTSD, admitting to overimagining what a relationship could be in the beginning then overpromising with them as a result. The final question “where was my heart before we met/and where was it seen last” is the final question in a motif that is strung through Before We Met, offering the sonic equivalent of a sigh on a park bench in the middle of a mental health walk that post-hardcore is often turned to for. A couple tracks later is Manikin, which details sneaking around with a paramour, discussing the guilt and pain of being secretly intertwined with someone else. The yearning for the subject is balanced well with the guilt for the other parties involved, with the first lines “when will we finally pay for the love we stole/shifting blame and broken ties/all the way down” capturing this feeling perfectly. Elsewhere in Love PTSD there are some standout lines, Fences “let’s go straight to the end/like a moth drawn to a flame” may be the most resonant line in the album for its subject, encapsulating the feeling of moving between continuous troubled relationships and knowing their end yet still being drawn towards them primally. The title track has “who can tell the sad from the sick” as the last line of Love PTSD, which is delivered at strain before the closing drum solo and works well as the final thought on getting past turbulent romance. However, the lyrics on Love PTSD are generally sporadic, with short verses and a lack of full sentences giving an unrefined feeling to the whole project. While thematically clear as a whole album, in individual songs the writing can be confusing such as in opener and single Crosswalk; “crosswalk paints/on a quicksand’s road/I’m not so sure/I’m on my own” has a clear inference of running out of time and a lack of confidence in one’s decisions, but the imagery is not quite realised so leaves little impression. Further on, Recede Into the Shadows has potential in lyrics such as “no whys, no how's, just fate’s design/fate provides, fate deprives in time”, but the reference to a “dying cat parade” and the recurrent motif of a “Vending Machine of Broken Dreams” offsets the depth of introspection that RANDOM HEARTS are venturing for. On the note of the latter motif, it is confusing as to whether the vending machine is subject to their dreams being broken or whether it is supplying them. This may be put down to first album growing pains, and there is plenty of potential as RANDOM HEARTS to flesh out the songwriting ability. Love PTSD doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to its sound. It is clearly situated in post hardcore, with some intricate melodies and live vocals integrated into the mix rather than placed over the top of it. The emo rock influence compliments the 90s post hardcore well by adding angsty power chord progressions and more layering in the guitar work that compounds the comforting nostalgia that RANDOM HEARTS are pulling from; the nostalgic feel works thematically as each track reminisces on a different aspect of a love affair. The best example of this is in Rehearsed Goodbyes: starting with a strong drum roll intro before settling into the verses to craft a track that could’ve featured on new song of the week on Kerrang! In 2003. The solo is a swinging and distorted breakdown, hitting the moody melodies of post-hardcore over the top of a full emo rock backdrop that picks up enough to build good tension for the next half of Love PTSD. Sonically, Love PTSD’s tracks are well paced and well performed, but don’t feel to have a sound that feels unique to RANDOM HEARTS. Again, this may come down to this being their first full length project - they have the post hardcore/emo rock fusion locked down, so it will be fruitful to see how their personal signature develops as they grow. Love PTSD is a good starting point for RANDOM HEARTS, working as a proof of concept for the quartet and offering quintessential post harcore conventions that feel refined. This said, it will be exciting to see where RANDOM HEARTS take this sound as they develop it within themselves and find consistency within their lyricism. Score: 5/10 Love PTSD was released on 20th February 2026 via Vous Connaissez Words: Julia Brunton Photos: Thomas Dubois

YUNGBLUD is back with Idols II. Announced just two days before its release, it marks the completion of what has become the most significant chapter of his career. Idols part one, released in June 2025, was YUNGBLUD's third consecutive UK number one album. A significant pivot from his original sound that won some new fans, unsettled some old ones, and earned him the acclaim from rock and roll's cult musicians recognising their own. In between came the world tour, the EP One More Time with AEROSMITH, and three Grammy nominations, including a win for Best Rock Performance for his rendition of OZZY OSBOURNE's Changes at the Black Sabbath Back to the Beginning show in Birmingham. And now, it is time for Idols II. The completion. Idols part one was about reclaiming identity: breaking down and piecing yourself back together to escape a dark place. DOM HARRISON put it plainly in the album's lyrics: "All you are is a self-fulfilling prophecy / Product of your own temptation." About part two, HARRISON says: "It’s about realising I am alive, I am real, and this journey didn't break me. It's about feeling invincible when you finally feel yourself." That's what Idols II is built on. The realisation that you made it, that you're still here. A celebration of life. Produced again alongside MATT SCHWARTZ, Idols II picks up exactly where part one left off, musically and emotionally. The six new tracks, plus a reworked Zombie alongside legends THE SMASHING PUMPKINS, flow from the end of part one as naturally as exhaling. I Need You (To Make the World Seem Fine) opens the record and it's breathtakingly beautiful. Acoustic guitar leads, the sound moving between ears in a way that places you right inside the room with him. A rock orchestra builds around it, grandiose and unhurried, while DOM's voice stays melodic without losing that characteristic rasp. It closes with the same delicacy it opened with, a perfect complement to Supermoon, the track that ended part one. The Postman follows and hits back in true YUNGBLUD fashion. A fun, irreverent track that makes you want to get up and dance, with that familiar edge and the chaos from his older albums. It carries the Britpop influences that gave part one its particular flavour, and it would be an absolute highlight live. Then comes Zombie, a reimagined version with THE SMASHING PUMPKINS, and it's a hell of a collaboration. Heavier, more metallic, a full rock band version bringing its own weight to the track. Time strips everything back and brings you closer. Just DOM and his acoustic guitar, up close and personal. His voice feels exposed here in the most disarming way, the raspiness and sweetness sitting side by side. The work he put in with vocal coach MARY HAMMOND finds its fullest expression in a moment like this, where there's nowhere to hide. Short, sweet, and quietly one of the best things on the album. A blessing for the fans of War, War Pt. II picks it back up, finding itself a new perspective. The tempo shifts and brings a touch of pop-punk into the fabric without losing the thread of the original. Where War had DOM saying "I wanna feel inspired", here the lyric shifts to "Are you feeling inspired? Are you having the best time of your life?" An open question that makes you stop and sit with the answer. Followed by Blueberry Hill, a standout that knows it. A rock and roll orchestra of keys, guitars, horns, the whole expanse of it. Theatrical in the same spirit as Change from part one, bringing a piece of it into the fold. The final minute opens up in a way that echoes Hello Heaven, Hello, a room with no ceiling. Suburban Requiem closes the record and lands like an alternative world version of Supermoon. Where that track turned inward, this one opens outward, settling into something quieter and more considered. The Idols universe, across both records and everything between them, ends here. And it ends well. "Anyone out there who is going through hard times right now," YUNGBLUD said, "I hope this second part of the album helps to ground you, helps to focus you, helps you to feel alive as much as it has done for me." With Idols complete, DOM HARRISON has done something that most artists spend entire careers chasing. He's made a body of work that is entirely, unmistakably his own. The Doncaster kid who started out making noise in his bedroom has grown into an artist with real range, real vision, and the confidence to follow both wherever they lead. Idols II is proof that he's not just arrived. He's been here a while, and he's only getting started. Score: 9/10 Idols II was released on 20th February 2026 via Island Records/Locomotion. Words: Lorena H Photos: The Outside Organisation

Heading out for their second headline tour, many fans were lucky enough to catch LA-based fairy doom band FAETOOTH at their London show this Valentine’s Day. In celebration of their latest album Labrythine, the band were joined by post-rock quartet LEMONDAZE and post metal four-piece COLTAINE, both of whom also recently added to their collection of sound. Under pink and yellow lights, Cambridge born and London based shoegazers LEMONDAZE kicked off the night. Playing from their EP subtext, released only two months ago, Rosie’s vocals were perfectly layered over heavy guitars, guided by the loud drum beats. Seamless tempo changes and tight instrumental interludes purposefully peppered in the set hooked the crowd. Their set was short, but certainly packed a punch, leaving fans with a hunger for more. COLTAINE are no strangers to commanding a room. With around a hundred played shows under their belts, this Germanic four piece knows very well how to grab the room's attention. Summoning listeners into a doom ritual, lead vocalist Julia Frash emerged on stage. Veiled in the darkness of her hooded jacket, silence fell on the crowd as the haunting sound of bells from Tiefe Wasser filled the room. Building up the tempo, this quartet delivered a tight, well thought out performance. It moved with the grungy sound of the previous act, blending folky vocals to create something darker on the stage. As if traversing deeper into a dark forest of sound, the band’s ability to seamlessly switch from smooth vocal extensions to guttural screams kept the set energised and fresh. Like a rapunzel of metal, Julia Frash’s headbanging brought a fiery, cadent energy that transfused to the crowd, who eagerly lapped up the sound. Closing out their UK/EU tour, with London as their penultimate show, FAETOOTH mastered the stage as their own. Before the trio took to the stage, the crowd was treated to MOZART’s Requiem in D Minor. A song synonymous with judgement, death and a mass for the dead, this set the scene for the band's own hauntingly beautiful masterpieces. Opening with the first track from their sophomore album, Iron Gate, a crescendo of Rah Kanan's drums built up steadily and quickly to a guttural release of vocal sound. Before returning to the sounds from their first album, Remnants of the Vessel, FAETOOTH guided the enthusiastic audience through the first part of Labrinthine. Echoing vocals and flawless harmonies were met with wild cheers from the crowd, and rightly so. Each track locked followers into a captivating trance, where the songs seamlessly fused together and the room collectively moved to the heavy rhythms. Often, singers Jenna Garcia and Ari May turned to each other, playing for each other as much as they were playing for the crowd. "We're gonna get sad, and then we’re gonna get angry” Jenna Garcia instructed the crowd, slowing the energy down to the more melancholic She Cast a Shadow. The slow guitar riffs wove around the steady drum beats, measured and unhurried. It was as if the instruments were holding their breath, waiting, until breaking into a powerful exhale of layered vocals evoking spirits from otherworldly plains. Closing out the set filled with rage, fan favourite Echolalia blasted through the room. As if waiting for permission, the crowd took this as a sign to really let loose under the powerful bursts of the heavy strobe lights. FAETOOTH brought a strong catalogue of sound. Their set flowed effortlessly, each song a strong statement - a showcase of whimsical metal doom. This night was certainly a love letter to the ethereal, the melancholic and ominous rage of metal. Words: Mary Horner Photos: Atoosa Salamat

Hastings alt-rock trio HOTWAX released their debut album Hot Shock almost a year ago today, to the praise and acclaim of both fans and first-time listeners. They embarked on the Hot Shock tour as they set out to celebrate their album, and to further attention and support for a cause very important to them: the Music Venue Trust. The charity exists to protect and preserve grassroots venues, and they made sure the tour dates had an extensive selection of them - like historic Edinburgh venue, the Caves. It was a cold, damp night in the city as the eager fans entered the venue, and after a short wait, the opener entered. JEANIE AND THE WHITE BOYS took the stage with an inherent swagger, emphasised by touches of style like the guitarist’s indoor sunglasses. They burst immediately into their song Queen Bee, and the eponymous front-woman sparked an electric atmosphere with her immense stage presence. Halfway through their set, she took the time to introduce herself and the band, announcing “I’m Jeanie, they’re the White Boys.” Later, Jeanie produced a tambourine, holding it high in the air and shaking it like a rattlesnake. She led the fans through songs like Don’t Look Now and Psycho Killer, in-between jokes about how predictable it was that all their songs were about men. They wrapped up in an intense musical frenzy, an intense wall of sound that left the crowd surging with energy and ready for the main act. As HOTWAX arrived on the scene, it became increasingly clear that everyone gracing the stage this night was a style icon. Lola Sam matched the star straps of her bass to a pair of starry shorts, and Tallulah Sim-Savage strutted out in ruby-red heels that would put Dorothy of Oz to shame. The band were confident, assured, and needed no introduction as they cut right into the killer riffs of Hard Goodbye. As they reached Tell Me Everything’s Alright, the crowd was utterly captivated, singing along to every single word. Strange To Be Here was another crowd favourite, sheer energy emanating from Alfie Sayers as his rapid-fire drumming competed with guitar and bass for dominance. It certainly did not feel strange to be there on this electric night; it felt right. The band then slowed the pace with Change My Name, a good breather in the otherwise relentless, fast-paced setlist. After, Tallulah switched out her guitar for a beautiful black, velvety one, and they moved into Dress Our Love, with a groovy bassline to set the scene. By this point in the night, the room was bursting with kinetic energy; the two women were interacting directly with front-row fans, leaning over the sizeable amps at the front of the stage as they locked eyes with crowdgoers and sang Treasure. That lively environment was exacerbated when the opening riffs of She’s Got A Problem rang through the venue walls. Halfway, deliberate, focused breakdowns took the main focus, and even those in the crowd who were not excitedly joining the chorus were compelled to nod their heads to the rhythm. As the set drew to an apparent close, vocalist Tallulah took the time to bring attention to the Music Venue Trust; she stated that this is what was important to them, and that so many venues are shutting down, especially small, grassroots ones they have played before. To finish off her speech, she told the crowd to support venues and go to gigs, before she segued into the next song by saying that they used to play it a lot in small venues. The intense set came to an end with A Thousand Times, and the band left the stage. The set was not over yet though, and crowd-goers knew that; they were familiar with the age-old trick of the encore, and chants of “one more tune!” soon turned into “here we fucking go!” to which Tallulah emerged and remarked “that’s a new one!” The fans were then treated to the gentle strums of Pharmacy, and Alfie took up the egg shaker before returning to the drums for One More Reason. His drums were matched only by the rhythmic clapping of hands as Tallulah climbed from the stage into the eager, awaiting arms of the crowd. The band burst into their final, and most-anticipated track, Rip It Out, and it was immediately clear this is what everyone had been waiting for. A mosh pit formed almost instantly, a flurry of bodies hurling themselves around the room. As Lola led into the breakdown, she even joined the pit herself. If there is one thing to be said about HOTWAX, it is that they can make a room feel alive. The atmosphere they left was so strong it lingered even when they left the stage for the night. HOTWAX are undoubtedly going to keep steadily rising to the top, but even when they are playing to massive crowds, in venues with immense capacities, we know they will still take the time to support and play the grassroots venues they started their journey in - the ones that make live music what it is today. Words: Naomi Colliar Duff Photos: Robert Halls

On Somewhere In Between, MOTHICA isn’t reinventing herself for the sake of aesthetics. She’s documenting survival. As the debut release on SharpTone Records, the EP could have leaned into spectacle - heavier guitars, bigger hooks, louder statements. Instead, what makes it land is the tension underneath. This is a record written in the aftermath of relapse, rehab, cancelled tours and the uncomfortable quiet that follows chaos. You can hear that lived reality in every track. Evergreen Misery opens with motion. There’s something deceptively buoyant about it - shimmering production, a hook that sticks quickly, but lyrically it establishes the emotional thesis of the EP. Misery here isn’t episodic; it’s perennial. Compared to what follows, this track feels observational. It names the pattern. It doesn’t yet try to break it. The guitars are present but controlled, giving the sadness shape without overwhelming it. It’s the entry point into the spiral - honest, but still slightly guarded. Then WEAPON pushes deeper. Where Evergreen Misery identifies the cycle, WEAPON confronts the role she plays within it. The production is heavier, more insistent, reflecting the all or nothing mindset MCKENZIE ELLIS has spoken about - that fatalistic pull between self-preservation and self-destruction. Compared to the opener’s restless melancholy, this feels sharper and more confrontational. It’s less about being stuck in misery and more about acknowledging how easily pain can become something you wield against yourself. The guitars bite harder here, aligning with her long-held desire to blend pop songwriting with grittier textures. Save Your Roses shifts the frame again. On the surface, it plays like yearning - an explosive, dynamic anthem that feels built for live rooms. But as ELLIS has explained, the song disguises addiction as romantic longing. The verses capture the intoxicating pull of substances, mirroring her experience navigating sobriety and relapse. In comparison to WEAPON, which internalises the blame, Save Your Roses feels like a plea outward. The line “Don’t save your roses for my grave,” inspired by a fan telling her to give people their flowers while they’re here, reframes the EP’s earlier darkness. After naming misery and weaponising self-destruction, this track asks to be seen before it’s too late. Its explosive production - crafted with ELLIOT POLOKOFF - contrasts deliberately with the lyrical heaviness, making the vulnerability feel louder, not lighter. BULLET pulls the energy back inward but intensifies it. If Save Your Roses is outward-facing, almost communal, BULLET feels solitary and volatile. The tension coils tighter; the guitars feel more serrated. This is where the anger she described channeling after rehab surfaces most clearly. Compared to Evergreen Misery, which moved with a sense of resigned rhythm, BULLET sounds cornered. It embodies the frustration of realising how far things have spiralled - the moment of reckoning after numbing emotions for too long. It’s arguably the EP’s emotional peak, where vulnerability and aggression fully collide. The title track, Somewhere In Between, closes the EP not with triumph, but with question marks. After the volatility of BULLET, its restraint feels intentional. The production leaves more space; the vocal delivery feels less armoured. Thematically, it addresses the central tension ELLIS articulated while making the EP: how do you exist in the middle when you’re wired for extremes? Compared to the explosive plea of Save Your Roses and the confrontation of WEAPON, this song doesn’t try to overpower the chaos. It sits with it. It acknowledges depression, recovery, breakup and industry anxiety without promising resolution. Across the five tracks, there’s a clear emotional arc. Evergreen Misery introduces the cycle. WEAPON examines complicity within it. Save Your Roses reframes addiction through longing and urgency. BULLET embodies the anger and fallout. And Somewhere In Between attempts to find stillness without pretending the darkness has disappeared. The songs don’t contradict each other; they mirror different stages of the same struggle. What makes the EP compelling is that it doesn’t glamorise relapse or despair. ELLIS openly speaks about cancelling her first headline tour to enter rehab, about the phobia of flying that fuelled pill addiction, about almost quitting music entirely. That context bleeds into the record. The heavier guitars aren’t aesthetic, they’re cathartic. The pop instincts aren’t commercial compromise, they’re survival tools. There’s intention behind the collision of explosive production and poetic, vulnerable lyrics. This is MOTHICA choosing not to run from the darkness she’s long been drawn to, but to repurpose it. Rather than positioning sobriety as a clean finish line, Somewhere In Between portrays recovery as messy, nonlinear and deeply human. It doesn’t resolve the tension between light and dark. It acknowledges it. And in doing so, the EP earns its title. It lives in that uncomfortable middle ground, not fully healed, not fully broken. Just honest. Score: 8/10 Somewhere In Between will be released on Friday 20th February via Sharptone Records. Words: Mia Gailey Photos: Mothica

There’s a particular kind of courage in building momentum slowly. No viral overnight explosion. No manufactured rebrand. Just years of graft, evolution and quiet defiance. For Bristol-based alt-metal band MALLAVORA, the recent surge of festivals, radio sessions, fashion week appearances and mounting press attention doesn’t feel like a breakthrough. It feels like the groundwork is finally beginning to breathe. “We still feel really small,” vocalist Jessica Douek says with disarming honesty. “It doesn’t feel like we’ve arrived anywhere. It feels like it’s just starting.” That perspective makes sense when you trace the band’s origins back to 2015, when guitarist Larry Sobieraj first conceived the project. Years of writing, refining and reshaping followed before Jessica joined in 2019. Since then, the sound has grown heavier, more intentional and deeply personal. What began as a hard-rock leaning project has become something far more expansive — and far more vulnerable. It’s a band built quietly, patiently, and now beginning to reach outward without compromise. At the centre of Mallavora’s current chapter is their debut album, What If Better Never Comes? — a title that doesn’t posture or dramatise. It confronts. The record grew from Larry’s experience of developing long COVID in 2022, an illness that forced a sudden recalibration of daily life and future plans. Writing wasn’t intended to become an album. It was survival. Instrumentals formed first — raw, instinctive, written without roadmap or expectation.“We didn’t know we were making a record,” Jessica explains. “It was just a way of dealing with something overwhelming.” Ironically, the title track came first. Only later did its question reveal itself as the thematic spine. When Jessica began writing vocals, the phrase surfaced almost involuntarily: What If Better Never Comes? “It’s the thing you’re scared to say,” she says. “When your health changes. When your life shifts in a way you can’t undo. That fear underneath everything — what if this is it?” The first time they listened back, both of them cried. Not because it was dramatic. Because it was true. That honesty runs through the entire record. Jessica brought her own lived experiences — chronic illness, disability, neurodivergence — into the writing. The album doesn’t feel like a confession; it feels like a conversation. Instrumentals and vocals operate as equal emotional forces. Strip one away, and the tension would still hum. Sonically, alongside bassist Ellis James and drummer Sam Brownlow, MALLAVORA move through progressive builds, melodic restraint and sudden, tectonic heaviness. The weight never feels performative. The intricacy never drifts into indulgence. Every shift serves something internal. Their influences mirror that duality. Larry’s foundation is firmly metal — the scale of OPETH, the force of GOJIRA, the aggression of LAMB OF GOD. Jessica’s musical upbringing was different: 60s rock and soul filled her childhood home — ELVIS PRESLEY, CHUCK BERRY, SAM COOKE. Metal didn’t enter her life until 2019. She didn’t begin screaming until 2022. “I kept thinking the songs needed it,” she laughs. “So I figured I’d learn.” That instinct — to step toward what feels necessary rather than comfortable — defines MALLAVORA’s identity. Comparisons to SPIRITBOX or LOATHE make sense, and listeners often note flashes of SYSTEM OF A DOWN in their tonal pivots. Jessica cites MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE as a touchstone for emotional intensity. But MALLAVORA aren’t chasing genre alignment. They’re chasing emotional accuracy. Mallavora at 2000Trees 2025, shot by Simon Arinze They no longer write riffs because they sound good. They write because something needs to leave the body. That urgency was unmistakable on their 2023 single Disorder, a blistering reflection on how disabled people are treated and perceived. Jessica worried it might be too unfiltered. Instead, it connected globally. Messages poured in from listeners who felt understood for the first time. Vulnerability, they realised, wasn’t weakness. It was infrastructure. With that connection came responsibility. MALLAVORA made a clear decision: they would not headline venues that weren’t wheelchair accessible. It’s a stance that complicates booking routes, particularly for an emerging band, but it isn’t negotiable. “If our audience can’t physically enter the space,” Jessica says, “then what’s the point?” For a time, she herself used a wheelchair. The barriers weren’t abstract. Advocacy, for the band, isn’t branding. It’s a lived experience translated into policy. The album carries that same refusal to soften uncomfortable truths. Yes, it circles fear. But it also pulses with defiance — a quiet insistence on continuing regardless of outcome. When asked to describe the record in one word, Jessica pauses. “Transformative.” It’s ambitious, but not inflated. MALLAVORA aren’t building toward a spike. They’re building something durable — rooted in lived reality, sharpened by persistence, sustained by intention. On the 8th of May, they’ll headline The Exchange in Bristol — the largest show of their career so far, performing the album in full. It’s a venue they once supported at. A familiar room, now reframed. Progress, for MALLAVORA, isn’t spectacle. It’s an accumulation. The question remains: what if better never comes? Their response is quiet, but unshakable. Create anyway. Words: Mia Gailey Cover Photo: Derek Bremner Photos: Simon Arinze Cover Design: Robert Halls With Thanks To: Church Road Records, Since Always Press and Sammy Urwin

The night began early at Rebellion, with A COLD NIGHT FOR ALLIGATORS kicking things off at seven o’clock on the dot. They played to a small but positive crowd, one that had clearly been won over by the end of the very first song. A COLD NIGHT FOR ALLIGATORS came out punching, delivering high energy and a surprisingly big sound for the early slot. The vocalist referenced the earliness of the gig multiple times, much to the crowd’s delight. Despite several technical issues that would go on to plague all three bands, they kept the audience engaged throughout and warmed the room up perfectly for what was to come next. Next up were TAYNE, easily one of the most energetic bands of the night. The singer and guitarist must have completed at least a thousand spins over the course of their set, throwing themselves relentlessly into the performance. Unfortunately, ongoing technical difficulties meant the vocals were extremely difficult to hear in the mix. Despite this, the crowd still enjoyed what they could, with a medium-sized mosh pit opening up at one point. TAYNE excelled at crowd engagement through constant movement and humour, though they were ultimately let down by production issues. The lighting in particular felt lacking, with heavy smoke and minimal illumination making it difficult at times to see the band on stage. This contributed to a slightly underwhelming feeling post performance, which was a shame given their clear potential. On a positive note, both TAYNE and A COLD NIGHT FOR ALLIGATORS spent much of the evening at their respective merch tables after their sets and were genuinely lovely to everyone who stopped to speak with them. Finally, it was time for the main event, MØL. By this point, both the room and the upper floor were packed with fans, with conversations circulating about whether the band would play their latest album in full or focus on older material. The excitement was palpable, and MØL did not disappoint. From the moment they took to the stage, MØL were firmly in control of the night. While they too experienced minor technical issues, these were resolved quickly and did not detract from the performance. The lighting, sound, and the vocalist’s energy combined to create a captivating and immersive set. Multiple mosh pits formed throughout, often directed by the singer using his microphone stand. The frontman proved to be a commanding and charismatic presence, effortlessly engaging with the crowd while maintaining vocal intensity. The balance felt natural and unforced. MØL opened their set with the powerful Hud and Penumbra, an inspired choice that immediately set the tone for the night, before closing with the fan favourite Bruma, bringing the show to a triumphant end. Words and photos: Lauren Wenham