It's been four years since Hong-Kong based, shoegaze dreampop band LUCID EXPRESS have released their first full album. Their second album, Instant Comfort, has been released to portray the bands growth in those years and show what they've really learnt from their short time in the music industry. It's the kind you'll want to listen to a few times to really hear all the elements to each song. Distorted guitars ring out through the intro of Promise Me, echoing and creating a dramatic space that is eventually filled by drums and electronic melodies as well as sweet, layered vocals. As shoegaze usually does the song jumbles everything together with noise making it feel dense yet still the track keeps the dream pop energy, light and airy and almost psychedelic. The end of the song drops into thick guitars, bringing a melancholy layer underlying the last chorus as the song ends. Take Heart starts with a faster pace following a similar structure starting with guitar then drums and eventually vocals. The melody and underlying chords create a more hopeful sound than the last track using more of the major scale with sharp snares and a sprinkle of hi-hat taps all bringing the energy up. Distortion and reverb still play a large part in the track despite the light instrumental keeping that traditional shoegaze hum in the background. The third track brings a clearer guitar melody, the guitar almost singing by itself rather than repeating a riff. Something Blue manages to really curate a particular feeling within a listener, like a spot of sun on a rainy day. Thickness is added as the track flows making it feel grand and open, almost drawing out the vocals but not quite, LUCID EXPRESS seem to have perfected a balance between the two. Set Back comes in harder and heavier than other tracks, with screeching guitar solos littered through the track and a more melancholy melody leading it. This is the shortest in the album but packs a lot into that short time, repeating its vocal lines and riffs it sticks with you through the rest of the album. Stars in the Car brings back that echoing psychedelic guitar and a deep bass almost reminiscent of an 80s ballad bringing a certain nostalgia. The vocal melody slides around the scale feeling like a dragging as the guitar riffs become denser before almost dropping out completely for a moment at the end of the chorus. The vocals layer with a full drum beat in the second half of the song changing the atmosphere completely, with an almost unsettling feeling flowing behind all the noise in the forefront. Aster continues with the same psychedelic and nostalgic vibe as the last but intensified slightly, following its name in making itself feel like an outer space journey. A guitar solo rings through the latter half of the song, singing on its own and creating a melody without vocals. The instrumental continues till the close of the song and really gives you a moment to appreciate all the intricate layers that build together to create the complex sounds you hear as they drop out one by one to end out the track. Faux Sweetness cuts in and out with choppy vocals and riffs, it really stands out from the rest of the album and is unique in many aspects. An acoustic guitar underlays the entire track switching between a very small amount of guitars; it almost has the opposite effect to the other tracks, where the others feel grand and open; this feels contained and small. Dark Glass is the most intense shoegaze of the bunch with a howling instrumental weaved throughout and densely distorted riffs. The lyrics take up almost no space in the track where others might have been led by vocals; this one is overtaken by its hypnotic instrumental with the vocals as decoration. This is our personal favourite here at Out of Rage with a huge range of sounds being stitched together so well, not feeling overwhelming but filling every nook and cranny with noise it is a great display of talent in producing and song writing. The final track on the album continues the descent bringing everything into a turbulent ending. Instant Comfort has dissonant chords, tonnes of layering and contortion at every point imaginable. A pummeling bass drum builds bringing every other instrument with it, all the components used through the song crashing together for an almighty and abrupt ending. Despite their short time in the industry, LUCID EXPRESS have managed to curate a great balance between the genres that influence them to find a somewhat unique sound within a packed and growing subgenre. Each track brings a similar yet individual feeling along with it, it's a very emotive album, the kind that could soundtrack a whole life. The band have a great year ahead of them and we hope to see more and more growth through the release of this album into whatever they plan to release next. Score: 9/10 Instant Comfort will be released on 20th February 2026 via Kanine Records Words: Amy Smyth Photos: Lucid Express

There is lightning over the Tatras. Thunder roars high above the mountains of Slovakia once more, as the deluge of the venerable DEHYDRATED storms once more from the highland slopes directly into our ear canals. A tempest straight from 1991, their entry into 2026 with the compilation Victims: Over 30 Years Of Sickness is not just a waterfall of past and present hits: but a clear sign their best work is soon to come. While not boasting any new material, the compilation is a great teaser for things to come, and despite the DEHYDRATED name, leaves listeners refreshed and rejuvenated in a way perhaps only classic death metal can. With indeed over thirty years of experience, the compiled history here is more an adventure through time and space than just a simple listen-along. Divided into two separate CD’s and beginning with their latest shrieks into the world of sound, the listener begins with swift and eloquent introductions to the current cast: JANEK BEZOVÝ on joyously jazz inspired bass, ROMAN LAŠŠO and his unstoppable drumming that comes to define much of the tracks on Victim and After The Funeral, and with equal pomp the oldest and newest blood. BRAŇO JURÁK’s deft skill in mastering shattering, quintessentially death-metal riffs should be no surprise; being the oldest continuous member of DEHYDRATED, all the way from 1991. MAŤO BENKOVSKÝ’s vocals, on the other hand, come from 2022; and despite only four years tenure, clearly display a mastery of the most old-school, guttural screams as demanding of a band with a name such as DEHYDRATED. With a drummer and bassist from Trenčín, a vocalist from Trnava, and the august guitarist from the original Piešťany where the band first formed, Victims: Over 30 Years of Sickness takes one through a diverse feast of different influences, local metal traditions and new approaches that work tremendously well when combined by a band for whom the unity found in music matters most, from their first-ever 1992 Demo, Festered Find, all the way to their newest album, Victim; tracking how each member of DEHYDRATED, past and present has left their mark on the band’s sound and culture. For this reason, Victims: Over 30 Years of Sickness offers two unique approaches: whether to begin with CD One, or CD Two. The first includes three of their albums from the second half of their discography: covering Victim (2025), the EP And Death Shall Have No Dominion (2019) and Resurrection (2017). Having reformed with the deservedly loud release of Resurrection, it well informs the newest, polished and eloquent sound of DEHYDRATED, with all the experience of the current cast audible throughout. CD Two by contrast covers DEHYDRATED’s raw, truly classic recordings: thrashing ballads that take one directly out of the studio and into the damp, sweat-filled maelstrom of a Nitra basement club- in all the right ways. Including their final release prior to their hiatus - Ideas (1997) -the DEHYDRATED half of the Fuckland/Burnt split (1994) and the aforementioned classic Festered Find (1992) demo. The compilation not only allows old and new fans to experience their favourite approaches to death metal, but provides a most-interesting insight into how the sound of such a band changes; how the styles, trends and ideas of the past reflect into the future, and how the new still holds fast to its’ bountiful lineage. With such a catalogue, it would be near impossible to cover all the vicious, gravel-spitting poetry on offer; but special mention must be made for Cold and Bleeding, the titular And Death Shall Have No Dominion, and The Glory’s Hangman. From the haunting, undead opening to the EP and the frozen death-march and the violence manifest in the executioner’s glory, these three tracks are modern DEHYDRATED at their best: impressive control over the bpm and sheer punch ensuring any listener headbanging along with soon find themselves lunging their entire body forward instead, snarling smile plastered wide across the face. It must be noted, however, that the compilation is but that. An easily accessible joining of the best of both old and new makes such a valuable album, but it is the unfortunate reality of time constraints that tracks and albums were not re-recorded and re-mastered for this release. This makes the age of some of the tracks on CD Two particularly audible: and while the near-feral noise reverberating from that Nitra basement is certainly audible art to behold, it leaves a little to be desired for the more casual listener. This is not just a complaint, but an admission: we want to hear more of the esteemed quality that is DEHYDRATED! CD One does more than introduce; it proves seeing what comes next is well worth waiting for, and we shall track it so with great interest. Score: 6/10 Victims: Over 30 Years Of Sickness will be released on the 20th of February 2026, via Paragon Records. Words: Jakub Tomasz Czaicki Photos: Dehydrated

TWAT UNION’s Don’t Blame the Peach is feminist punk packed with personality, finally bringing fan favourite tracks into their growing fanbase’s headphones and musing on everything from the change in how the world perceives women as they age to sneaking some self love in between work from home meetings. Don’t Blame the Peach opens with WFH, starting with a power chord riff and a smirk in KATE MAC's voice as she whispers “wanking from home” as an introduction. As this would suggest, WFH’s theme is having a cheeky wank while in the home office, and is packed with office based puns; KPI meaning kinky porn intake was the one that got an audible laugh on the first listen. The tongue and cheek in the lyricism carries well as the subject matter gets a little heavier in follow up Tiny Shorts, covering catcalling within the context of contemplating feminist theory while walking in booty shorts and having a man dare to interrupt your flow. Tiny Shorts in particular shows the skill of TWAT UNION’s lyricism despite its cheeky veneer - the contrast between the innuendo of “big deep thoughts” and the sensual “oh my god” ad libs in the second half when discussing the lack of sexual interest in the perpetrator of the catcalling was resonant, and the balance of levity when discussing the heavier topics was well struck at the end with the “would you look at the thoughts on that one” ad lib at the end. The middle of Don't Blame the Peach is where the anticipated recording of Period Sex sits: a fan favourite live, it is a mainly-spoken-word piece atop a tempo-climbing riff that matches the chaos spiral of the track’s story. The premise is evident in the title, while over the verses MAC starts with the joy of meeting a man happy to satisfy her needs at any time of the month before waking up the night after and realising the towel of safety had disappeared and the stains had hit the sheets. By this revelation the whole track has devolved into high speed screechy guitars as MAC considers blocking the man then blaming him for the towel-pull as she runs down his street. The lyrics of Period Sex exemplify the grounded comedy woven into TWAT UNION’s music: “I’m horny, lubricated, and I might even cry after” for the comedy; and the EPs namesake line “You wouldn’t blame the peach for getting the juice down your hand” screamed with the exasperation of a crash out is a testament to the feeling that TWAT UNION are writing what they know with great effect. Penultimate track and single Pay Me More stood out sonically, with its angsty feeling and thread of trying not to say sorry when advocating for yourself in the workplace. As with Tiny Shorts the levity through jokes is balanced well with the pit in the stomach that the confrontation portion of the track develops - “don’t beat around the bush when we’re talking about pay” garnered a chuckle while the portion of her smiling through the pain of creating a whole Powerpoint just to be paid equally hit home in the real experience of being a career-focused woman. The cut off call and response of “sorry” woven throughout is effective in crafting the anxiety and offsets the on the nose nature of the open discussion of workplace discrimination. Closing out Don’t Blame the Peach is W.I.T.C.H, which muses on the hormonal changes of aging, from the perception of a confident adult woman becoming more and more unsavoury to the angry urges of PMS becoming harder to quell. The second verse stands out with the witch imagery being woven less directly, with the justification for stewing soup being because of batch cooking and the punchline of liking how the kitchen broom feels between the legs, then Don’t Blame the Peach closes with MAC's screams of “I’m melting”. Don’t Blame the Peach is as delightfully cheeky as it is resonant to the experience of women with their feet firmly landed in adulthood, where reckless office decisions meet the genuine fight to excel as they deserve, sonically MAC's tone when she sings is a richer low tone, matching perfectly with a 70s punk soundscape that feels refreshing within the current modern punk scene. The main thing missing from Don’t Blame the Peach is BETH HOPKINS and TESSA ALISON's horns - hopefully they’ll be more present on TWAT UNIONs next stint of live shows in the coming year. Score: 7/10 Don’t Blame the Peach will be released on 20th February via Alcopop! Records. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: Lily Doidge

Kent groove metal crew STRUCK/DOWN have been grafting for this moment. Since dropping From Demons back in 2021 and following it up with To Witches in 2023, they have quietly built a reputation through Bloodstock appearances and support slots with RAGING SPEEDHORN. Now they are stepping up properly with their debut full length, Queue For The Cure, landing 20th February 2026 as a self-release. If you sit somewhere between MASTODON, LAMB OF GOD, and the crunch of early 2000s METALLICA, you are going to want to pay attention. Straight away, Queue For The Cure feels confident. Not over-polished, not trying too hard to prove a point. Just solid, groove-led heavy metal that knows exactly what it wants to be. Opener One Last Drag sets the tone with thick, coiled riffing that feels built for a packed venue with sticky floors and no breathing room. The guitars from PETE MCLARNEY and IAN SPURRETT lock in tightly, favouring weight and rhythm over unnecessary flash, which works massively in their favour. Previously released singles sit comfortably within the flow of the album rather than feeling like obvious streaming bait. The Slog still hits with that stomping persistence, all driving drums and clenched-teeth energy, while A Queue For The Cure leans into the band’s hookier instincts without sacrificing bite. There is a clear understanding here of how to write a chorus that sticks without softening the edges. Latest single Leach is arguably the emotional core of the record. The band describe it as being about “today's abundance of fakery and fickle perspectives, artificial views, selfish uses of alleged kindness, a care coated sheep on a manipulative wolf.” It is a sharp concept, and the execution matches it. The main riff feels tense and slightly unhinged, like it is circling something ugly. LINDEN TWYMAN delivers the vocals with grit, but there is control underneath it. He is not just shouting for the sake of it. There is intention in the phrasing, especially when the track drops into more groove-focused sections that let the rhythm section breathe. Lyrically, the band dig into emotional drain and the kind of low-level toxicity that creeps into everyday life. On Leach, they expand on “parasitic types exploiting the kind and the anxious,” which feels uncomfortably current. It is heavy music with something to say, but it never slips into preachy territory. The frustration feels real rather than performative. Elsewhere, Who Stole The Sun? and Eat the Fear, Drink The Worry keep that darker introspection running, pairing weighty subject matter with riffs that feel deliberately grounded. Low gives bassist WILL MIHR more room to shine, bringing a thicker undercurrent to the mix, while This Tall to Ride injects a bit more pace and urgency to stop the album from settling into one tempo. Production wise, the album strikes a strong balance. Produced, mixed and mastered by PETE MCLARNEY, it sounds clear without feeling sterile. You can hear every instrument, but there is still grit in the edges. In groove metal, that balance is everything, and STRUCK/DOWN mostly nail it. If there is room for growth, it is in pushing further beyond their influences. At times, you can clearly trace the DNA of their inspirations, and while that is not a bad thing, a few more risks would have elevated the record from strong debut to undeniable breakout. That said, this is a seriously assured first full length. With Queue For The Cure, STRUCK/DOWN prove they are not just another UK heavy band filling a slot on a festival line up. They have the riffs, the hooks, and the thematic weight to stick around. If you are into groove metal that feels current without forgetting where it came from, this one is absolutely worth your time. Score: 8/10 Queue For The Cure will be self released on 20th February 2026. Words: Kelly Gowe Photos: Struck/Down

There are heavy bands, and then there is SYLOSIS. For nearly two decades, JOSH MIDDLETON’s riff machine has been operating at a level most bands do not even attempt to reach. After 2023’s A Sign Of Things To Come reminded everyone exactly why they matter, SYLOSIS are now gearing up to drop their seventh studio album, The New Flesh. If the title track cracked the sky open last year, new single Erased kicks the door clean off its hinges. Let’s start there. Erased feels urgent in a way that only deadline pressure can produce. The band have said, “Erased was one of the last songs to be written for the album. As we were approaching the deadline to get everything submitted there was a pressure there that really helped shape this song into something special.” You can hear that tension baked into the riffs. It is tight, coiled, and constantly threatening to spill over. When the chorus hits, it is massive without feeling forced. It is one of those moments that will absolutely detonate live, especially with the UK and European run culminating at O2 Kentish Town Forum. What makes Erased stand out is how naturally it balances precision and power. The main riffing has that unmistakable SYLOSIS bite, technical but never indulgent. The middle section, which the band call “one of our favourite middle eight sections that we've ever put together,” genuinely earns that confidence. It shifts gears without killing momentum, adding texture rather than just piling on weight. If Erased is anything to go by, The New Flesh is shaping up to be a serious statement. The record opens with Beneath The Surface, which wastes no time getting straight into punishing grooves and rapid fire aggression. Across the tracklist, titles like All Glory, No Valour, Spared From The Guillotine, and Circle Of Swords hint at themes of conflict and consequence, while closer Seeds In The River promises something more expansive and cinematic. What sets SYLOSIS apart in 2026 is that they do not just rely on brutality. Yes, the riffs are destructive. Yes, the drumming is relentless. But there is melody threaded through it all, and a level of song writing maturity that keeps things from becoming one dimensional. The press notes describe the album as “brutality and catchiness in perfect symbiosis,” and that feels accurate. Hooks are embedded inside the chaos, not awkwardly bolted on top. There is also a sense of momentum behind this release that cannot be ignored. A full UK and European headline tour alongside REVOCATION, DISTANT, and LIFE CYCLES, followed by a North American run with BLEED FROM WITHIN and GREAT AMERICAN GHOST, signals a band operating at full throttle. These are not small rooms, and these are not small line ups. SYLOSIS are stepping into 2026 with serious intent. If there is any critique to level at this stage, it is more of a challenge than a flaw. SYLOSIS have set their own bar dangerously high. When you are this consistent, the expectation is constant evolution. From what we have heard so far, The New Flesh sounds harder and sharper than its predecessor, but the full picture will depend on how deeply the album explores the dynamics hinted at in Erased. Right now though, it feels like SYLOSIS are not just maintaining their legacy but actively reinforcing it. The New Flesh has all the makings of a record that will dominate setlists and year end lists alike. If you want skull rattling, technically sharp, emotionally charged modern metal that refuses to water itself down, this is it. Score: 9/10 The New Flesh will be released on 20th February via Nuclear Blast Records. Words: Kelly Gowe Photos: Jake Owens

Getting the crowd started at the Utilita Arena in Cardiff, all the way from Perth, Australia, were metalcore outfit MAKE THEM SUFFER. Initially the band looked a little small in comparison to the size of the stage that they had to play with. But that feeling abated by the time they hit the first breakdown in Ghost Of Bones. Frontman Sean Harmanis is a Duracell Bunny of intensity and he spent the whole time darting back and forth between the gloomy corner that Alex Reade’ keyboard was set up in, to the front riser where he would absolutely cut loose. Their set was tight, it was frantic, it was everything you want from an opening band; sadly it was all too brief for our liking, just seven tracks is all that could be squeezed into the thirty minutes that we had with the band. Oscillator had the crowd jumping up and down, there was one particular section of the audience taking it to the extreme by appearing to run line out drills, perhaps they were trying to catch Steve Tandy’s eye for a callup during Wales’ next match at the Principallity Stadium. Penultimate song was the mega Erase Me, the final drop saw the music cut and the crowd, acapella style, arms aloft screaming the lyrics back to Harmanis who stood at the front of the catwalked stage jetting out into the audience absorbing every word like it was powering him up for the huge anthemic finish “Why would you save me? I’m not worth saving, You’re suffocating, So just erase me”, this song in particular is meant for nights like this, a moment shared between five-thousand like minded souls. The final song from MAKE THEM SUFFER was Doomswitch, the vibes in the crowd were now nearing critical mass, the security at the barrier were given a real workout with the number of crowd surfers sent in waves to the front, and even the Slam Dunk Cookie Monster was spotted getting up and over the top a number of times. With a slight shift in tone it was on to DAYSEEKER, with some of the more aggressive hard edges knocked off, their brand of metalcore leans more into synth’s and melody and at times a distinctly emo vibe; the change in pace acting as a pallet cleanser between the huge bouts of energy experienced before hand and were eagerly in anticipation for for the headline act. If the band's performance had to be summed up in one word, it would be captivating, the way that Rory Rodrigeuz was able to hold the crowd, every member of the audience fully locked in and hanging onto every word that was belted out on stage. Burial Plot saw Rodriguez asking everyone to pull out their phones and raise their torches up into the air, illuminating the entire arena in the process. But the biggest reaction from the crowd came in the later half of the set when arguably the band’s biggest hit to date, Sleeptalk got an euphoric spin. The audience’s time with DAYSEEKER came to an end with a tribute from Rory to his dad, Dennis Rodriguez, and the emotional Neon Grave. The, in comparison to the rest of the lineup, subdued set was perfectly placed to allow those congregated in Cardiff to collectively take that metaphorical deep breath before the plunge that would be MOTIONLESS IN WHITE. The first inkling that the evening was close to the main event, Alice Deejay’s Better Off Alone being pumped into the room, the whole venue, fans, stage crew, security and bar staff all bopped along joining in on the beat with the “do do do do do do dooos”. 2000’s club banger out of the way, the sound cut, the lights went out and all eyes were fixed on the stage in anticipation of the next dose of unserious aura, the meme central as the big screens lit up with the bands logo alongside OIIA OIIA (Spinning Cat) hurtling its way through the galaxy. All of this had got the crowd so worked up, by the time the headliners, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, had fully emerged and got straight into Meltdown they were virtually ready to explode. The shows production was phenomenal, the lights were mesmerising, the visuals on the big screens totally captivating, there were pyrotechnics, there were confetti, there was fake snow and the Cherry Bombs at points spinning fire at other causing sparks to fly from their collective crotches with angle grinders; all of this before the eyes of the fans were even able to fully take in what the band themselves were doing on stage. Dressed predominantly in black and very much active on stage, trading standards may need to have a word with the band about their name. It would be hard pressed to find a metalcore band with a fan base as dedicated as those fans of MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, so it was surprising to hear that in the band's twenty year history, this was their first ever time making across the Severn Bridge to play a show in Wales. And the band were making the most of assimilating into the local culture, Mr Chris Motionless himself orchestrated a rendition of Oggy Oggy Oggy early on in the night, followed up by holding the Welsh flag aloft on stage alongside the Cherry Bombs during Scoring The End Of The World. The set was filled with bangers from start to finish and although Sign Of Life, Voices, Afraid Of The Dark and Another Life were all played, the biggest response of the night from the crowd probably came for Slaughterhouse. Chris reminded the crowd that he will say two words, and they just had two words to scream back, “One Mutilation”....... the roar from the crowd of “Under God” was something that took everyone aback, Chris included, who commented that he could hear that even over his in-ear monitors. The set came to a close with Eternally Yours with Chris at the front of the stage tossing roses out, one by one into the crowd, and there were even rumours of a proposal between two fans in the middle of the pit during the song. Words and photos: Simon Arinze

Metal is truly at its finest when it has its tongue firmly planted in its cheek. The tour was billed as Heidenfest, a celebration of all things folk metal with a lineup of five bands, and it would be no stretch to say the evening could be categorised somewhere between a festival and a standard gig. The crowd was a collection of metal heads who just wanted a fun time. The first band of the night was THE DEAD CREW OF ODDWOOD, bringing their acoustic folk metal to open and set the mood. Their setup was built on double bass, accordion, flute and metal drums. The music is what you want to open a night of folk metal with - tales of drinking and fighting epic monsters. It was a short set of everything you would expect. Despite being an acoustic band, they still retained their metal feel through passion and speed, and it is not every day you see someone shred on an accordion. Next on the lineup was TROLLFEST, who hit the stage dressed in pink flamingo inspired garb. Their set was simply just fun chaos. Songs about flamingos and - in a true folk metal style, drinking. The band brought an infectious energy of pure joy through every track they played. Musically, they primarily stand out thanks to the use of saxophone, which gives their music an extra dimension of chaos. The band led the crowd in dances and a record attempt for the longest conga line at a metal gig - the record was not broken, but the line nearly crashed into itself from its length. If this were a more traditional festival, this would be the part where everyone ran through muddy pits to be a bit silly, but luckily at this time of year it was indoors. The third band of the night was HEIDEVOLK. The band utilises the power of two vocalists, making the stage seem more dynamic than usual. Their style is on the heavier end of folk metal, yet they were not the heaviest band on the bill. Unusually the majority of the band’s lyrics were in Dutch. Thematically it was folklore based, complete with the band using shields on stage. It was another shorter set as there was the challenge of fitting five bands into one bill. The set featured a range of tracks from their discography, including some of their rare English language tracks. The band showed who they are and what makes them HEIDEVOLK. The second to last band was FINNTROLL, who brought their mixture of folk and black metal. Unfortunately, for this tour their vocalist Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns was unable to join them, but luckily was replaced by the more than capable Mathias "Kistelach" Dahlsveen, who blended into the band seamlessly. The microphone stand was decorated with skulls and featured a built-in smoke machine, creating some interesting visuals. The music was heavy, which whipped up the crowd into a frenzy. The whole venue seemed to join in on some level with the pit. The band’s stage getup featured them wearing elven ears which hopefully allowed them to hear how loud the crowd was. At first glance they could be the night’s headliners with how the crowd seemed to enjoy them. Their music is uniquely “FINTROLL”, as it has a certain dynamic quality other folk metal bands seem to lack. As the heaviest band on the bill, they managed to keep their power for the entire set. As it contrasted with the rest of the lineup, it did make the bill seem more festival-like by standing out musically. FINNTROLL are everything you want from a combination of black metal and folk and they put everything they can into bringing it live. The headliners of the evening were the folk metal legends KORPIKLAANI. The best way to describe them would be a metal party band. Their music is as folk metal as it comes, songs about drinking featuring violin and accordion, after all their biggest song is called Vodka. They brought a true party atmosphere to the stage as soon as they started. Early in the set they played the fan favourite The Man With the Plan which caused the audience to sing and dance along with every lyric, as it is one of the band's few true metal classics. KORPIKLAANI are one of those bands that are a staple of metal festivals, so headlining their own mini festival makes a lot of sense. They know how to entertain on stage. Everything is the right side of cheesy, just enough to make you smile enthusiastically. As the band’s set went on they used the middle of the set to play some of the lesser known tracks. Although these were not as popular or really sing-alongs, the crowd still enjoyed them as it was all distinctly KORPIKLAANI. The set did lose a slight bit of momentum at this middle point, as the band’s better known songs stood head and shoulders above the rest in the minds of metalheads. As the set drew to a close they ended on the legendary track Vodka, which left the crowd to have one last burst of energy before departing to their normal live. It was the well deserved finish after six hours of metal on a Tuesday night in the middle of February. Words: Will Freeman Photos: Katerina Stepanikova

A new spectre looms over the scene of alternative rock, ready to strike and inject its venom with silver-gilded fangs. It’s STARBENDERS’ fourth album offering, The Beast Goes On: haunting in parts, jaunty in others, and an all-around knockout. This is the first project to feature new drummer Qi Wei, and “holds a special place in [the bands’] hearts” for that reason - the opportunity to make brand new mayhem together. The album launches you straight into the mix with anthemic, overlaid choral vocals from Kimi, gruff riffs from Kriss, and a moody overture of organ-playing. We spend no time playing around! The sound matches their carefully crafted aesthetic, inspiring visions of glittery glam set in dark cathedrals. Across the album there are moments you’re really punched with attitude, and others that are twinkly, glitzy, and synth-heavy. It’s this seamless mix of no-nonsense anthems and dreamy soundscapes that really make the band so compelling. “To me, it’s just classic Starbenders,” Kimi tells us. “There were a lot of points on the record that harkened back to our earlier stuff in our past, and nods to all of those elements. We’ve just gotten more adventurous. Matthew Pauling - the producer for the majority of the record - his approach was to be organic and run everything through the tape and just really capture who we are as a band.” It does sound like this album is the band’s most fully-realised form yet - writing with new member Wei in mind, yet honouring the legacy that Starbenders have carved out for themselves thus far. “Legacy is a very strange thing,” muses Kimi, “And identity in and of itself. It’s like a new school year - who do you want to be this year?” STARBENDERS, at this point, is “its own machine”, according to bassist Aaron, and it’s quite exciting to hear that now, they’re being inspired by themselves. So what is it like planning a setlist with a catalogue full of fan-favourites, and making room for new blood? “It’s a nightmare!” Kimi laughs at the thought of it. “We have a whiteboard. The things we pay attention to is trying to make sure that there’s no lulls in the set, that the chill moments, and the spookier and witchier songs have their place, and piecing that all together.” It’s a fun kind of alchemy figuring it all out - “trying to make sure that nobody’s dying because we put too many fast songs next to one another”. This consciousness towards their fans is woven within the ethos of everything Starbenders does. Their recent album release shows in the US have come with a 10% ticket discount for students, making sure anyone struggling financially whilst studying can still take part in their scene. “We don’t want to be that decision point in people’s lives. Students as a demographic are fairly easy to identify in that regard,” says Aaron. It’s a very intentional choice taken to widen access. “Accessibility is important to us in general - we’re never going to be that band that outprices our fan base,” Kimi continues. “I think a lot of people are struggling, and if you have to make a decision between going to see a show or, like, eating, it just makes it a lot harder.” From the sounds of it, STARBENDERS’ community is very tight-knit and welcoming. It’s something they take great pride in, and are thrilled to see it morph into something negotiated by the fans themselves. There is a tradition of people bringing toys and “knick-knacks” - often little ducks - to the merch table after shows, sometimes writing their Instagram handle on the toy for other fans to find and connect with them. Kimi in particular is really happy to have seen this tradition evolve, even if it literally weighs her down - “It’s funny, I have a whole box full of just like, random shit that I’m lugging through all parts of the country! But, you know, it’s fun!” One rabid fan followed them from France to London, stowing away on their tour bus - “We were rolling up to the MOTHICA show, and I’m looking at our sound guy that was sitting across from me. My eyes travel up to the ceiling… and I see a spider that’s the size of my hand. It was a French spider! We had jokes about it, wearing a beret!” Kimi sounds traumatised, Aaron is just glad it wasn’t from Australia. Mr. Sound Guy eventually bested it - though when he smushed it with paper… it “popped”. Yikes! It sounds like it’s only upwards for STARBENDERS - they hope to tackle new ground touring, crossing off every continent. They’re particularly excited to play in China to be on drummer Wei’s turf, marking this brand new era in a fresh lineup. The tracks Nothing Ever Changes and Forever Mine are two they’re particularly excited for people to hear, with “adventurous instrumentals and vocals” stylistically. Whilst we prod for any information about a return to the UK, they later announce their glorious return to the UK in June. We look forward to seeing them again, hopefully sans French spider this time. Starbenders’ fourth record “The Beast Goes On” will release on the 27th February 2026. Words: Erin Strom Photos: Alec Weeks

London’s O2 Academy Islington played host to a night of power and symphony as the “Pirates & Kings” co-headline tour between VISIONS OF ATLANTIS and WARKINGS (also with INDUCTION in tow) stopped by for the second and final night of the tour’s UK leg. Sadly, a delay to doors opening and bottle-necked nature of the entrance meant that when Italian/German/Finnish Symphonic metal outfit, INDUCTION, took to the stage at their advertised time (just thirty minutes after the doors should have been opened), the room was still quite sparsely populated. Bringing an ‘old-school’ hair metal twist to the melodic/symphonic metal genre, the band, decked out in a futuristic combination of silver boots and harnesses, took the audience on a fantastical mad-max-esque ride for the thirty or so minutes they had with them. Having only just last week released their latest album Love Kills! to the world, it was understandable that the night’s set list was primarily built from there. The dueling guitars of Tim Hansen and Justus Salman were both fierce and proficient, with Gabriele Gozzi vocals cutting seamlessly over the top. INDUCTION’s performance was crisp, it was engaging, but above all it was unapologetically fun, which by the end of the set, was exactly what the rapidly swelling crowd needed. MANOWAR’s Warriors Of The Word played through the venue PA (queue synchronised fist raises from the crowd) as the crew made the final preparations for the next act. The stage, now set with imperial aquila, spartan shields and banners regaling “Senatus Populusque Romanus”, was bathed in fog and red lights awaiting the entrance of some mighty warriors. Initially, the Londimium crowd was greeted by a figure, emerging from the mist bearing a lantern and large warhammer, getting the audience up ready for the arrival of the German/Austrian force that is WARKINGS. One by one the legendary warriors enter the stage, The Spartan sat high atop his drumkit behind a phalanx of spartan shields, The Crusader with his holy relic guitar kneeled in prayer as The Viking rushed the stage with his bass. Last to emerge was The Tribune, great warrior of Rome, commanding the centre stage. Kicking off with Genghis Khan from the newest album, 2025’s Armageddon, this was going to be a real show, power metal at its theatrical finest. The set was filled with fast paced bangers that you cannot help but to pump your fists, stomp your feet, clap and chant along to. The four legendary warriors were frequently joined onstage by, permanent member at this point, The Witch Morgana le Fay, adding a level of grit and harshness, elevating each song that she would feature in. The Tribune was a powerful force, not only did he mountain over the stage, his voice was truly something else, his ability to command the crowd had everyone mesmerized. But the highlight may have been The Crusader on guitar, as he was having the most fun on the stage. The theatrics continued throughout the entire performance, Morgana le Fay had a number of costume changes; the warhammer wielding chap from the start of the set ended up in the middle of the jam-packed crowd orchestrating an ‘eye of the storm’ circle pit around him; at one point a girl crowd-surfed back to the bar to fetch a beer for The Tribune atop the “largest dragon cock-ring in existence” (an inflatable rubber ring). Closing out the set, with The Tribune duel wielding a pair of Gladius swords, to the tune of a certain ‘mighty morphin’ show from the nineties, smash hit Gladiator brought the curtain down. With all remnants of Sparta and Rome stripped away, the stage now resembled a ship's galley, skulls and cannon and tiers of wooden deck in an anticipation of the main event, Austrian pirate themed symphonic power metallers VISIONS OF ATLANTIS. The vocal performance was split between The Pirate Queen, Clémentine Delauney and Michele Guaitoli who play off of each other wonderfully. When not actively singing, Michele was moving menacingly across the stage, brandishing a cutlass, whereas Clémentine was often swooshing a gorgeous red ‘can-can-esque’ dress. The remainder of “the crew” looked like they would equally not be out of place down in Davy Jones’ locker as they do on stage. Watching all of the interplay between the members of the band on stage, the audience sometimes had to remind themselves that they were watching a show and not a piece of theatre, this is why power metal as a genre is so appealing and so enduring, even if you took the music out of it, it’s still great fun. Mid-way through the set, the band was rejoined on-stage by The Crusader, The Tribune and Morgana Le Fay for a spin of their recent collaboration single with WARKINGS, and title for the tour, Pirates and Kings. The night was not only the final night of the UK part of the Pirates and Kings tour, it was also Clémentine’s birthday, straight after Pirates Will Return - which featured a customary row pit from the crowd, to great cheers from the audience, Michele brought on a birthday cake to surprise the Pirate Queen. Then to close out the main part of the set, instead of the audience singing back “Hail Jolly Roger” during Armada, the lyrics were changed to “Happy Birthday Cléme”. An encore of Master the Hurricane and crowd favourite Melancholy Angel signalled that the set had reached the final destination and it was time to disembark from the good ship that was VISIONS OF ATLANTIS. A night jam-packed - literally, come the end of the evening there was absolutely no space left to move in the venue, with symphonic choruses and power metal revelry. Words and photos: Simon Arinze

CONVEY are leading the charge in the hardcore scene and their latest album delivers a new dynamic to the genre. A Place in Hell For Us Both isn’t just loud; it’s emotionally engaging with compositions that fuse genres to create a high energy package that leaves your blood pumping and head rocking. It’s a fierce EP with crushing breakdowns, rapid-fire riffs and a blend of screamed and melodic vocals giving the intensity and emotional depth. It’s chaotic, it’s energetic, it’s fierce. It's everything you look for in a hardcore album. The four piece from Worcester; whom have already preformed at Bloodstock festival and gained a strong reputation due to their energetic live shows have not held back with A Place In Hell For Us Both. It sets itself up as this chaotic cluster but yet you can hear the rhythmic guitar that almost fits poetically beautiful along side the battle like drums. JACK GANNON as the lead singer creates a tone that drives the music through a brick wall as a hardcore band should. OLLIE MILES hits some addictive riffs during the frequent breakdowns throughout whilst also shredding to keep up with the blistering pace set by ALEX CROSS on drums. Rounding off the four piece on bass is MATT CHURCH, in a genre where bass can sometimes be buried he cuts through with crushing tone and razor tight precision. If it’s the first time listening to CONVEY then strap in because from the very off Eternal punches you square in the face with the aggressive tones and fast pace the band have built themselves on. Masquerade follows and it’s arguably the bands most melodic track on the album where the Nu-metal influences shine through most clearly. Adrenaline fuelled guitar riffs drive the track and guarantee to have your head nodding. The dark elements of the sinister vocals by and the switch up in tempo gives Death Rattle an unleash of anger that shows off their dynamic ability. Say it Again oozes Nu-metal, with its KORN-esque vibe whilst standing firmly in the hardcore territory. You can envisage the way this will go off in the pits. The standout track in the album is Lie to me which hints at the direction the band is heading. There is a breakdown that just hits something - you can’t help but move to it. The war-cry-like chants toward the end feel destined to echo across future festivals. Severed their heaviest song on the album giving it the hard hitting finale the EP deserves, combining deep screams, heavy drums, and crushing guitars. The fade-out leaves you both rocked to your core and amped to level 10. A Place In Hell For Us Both isn’t just an hardcore metal album, it’s a nod to influences in the Nu-metal scene but equally creating a different direction. Gut-punching guitars, deafening drums, and banshee-like screams that will give their already hyped live performances and excel them new heights. If you’re looking for a rage album with the occasional groove metal then lock in to this. Score: 7/10 A Place In Hell For Us Both will be self released on 18th February 2026. Words: David Waites Photos: CONVEY

NIGHT RITUALZ’s second album arrives with a title that sounds almost cliché, until you sit inside it. Time does steal; it steals hours, momentum, youth, clarity. On Time Is A Thief, NIGHT RITUALZ leans into that quiet erosion and turns it into something you can dance to in the dark. Based in San Antonio and releasing his sophomore effort through Metropolis Records, NIGHT RITUALZ continues refining the sound he’s half-jokingly labelled “fuck wave” - a collision of darkwave, EBM, synth-punk, and post-punk that feels more cohesive here than it did on his self-titled debut. The edges are sharper. The mood is thicker. The emotional centre is clearer. The title track, Time Is A Thief, sets the atmosphere with patience rather than grandiosity. The drums land strong and deliberate, but the track never rushes. Dreamy darkwave textures bloom around the percussion, and the vocals drift through the mix like they’re emerging from a fog. There’s a lot of confidence in that restraint, and as both opener and namesake this track establishes the album’ thesis: we are not sprinting through these songs, we are inhabiting them. That sense of suspended time becomes more intimate on Living In This Bed. The line “this is the best I’ve ever felt” lands with a thud rather than a triumph. In a time where “bed rotting” has become comedic shorthand for quiet burnout, the lyric cuts depressingly close to home. It’s both comforting and unsettling to hear someone articulate the paradox of relief in stillness, where the underlying suggestion is that life outside the duvet may be too overwhelming to cope with. The bass carries the emotional weight of the track, tying together hazy synths and giving everything a quiet gravity. The album’s political undercurrent rises most obviously on Brown Skin. Here, NIGHT RITUALZ asks “why’s it feel like people want us to disappear?”. It’s a stark line, and feels uncomfortably precise in the current political climate. The question hangs in the air rather than resolving into anger or defiance. That restraint gives it more power, capturing the quiet, insidious feeling of erasure. The production mirrors that tension, balancing warmth and unease so the track never tips into didacticism. In the latter half of the album, Cluster shifts the atmosphere. At just over ninety seconds in length, it’s a purely instrumental pulse of industrial texture, metallic but measured. There’s no vocals, no narrative handrail, acting as a pivot point and tightening the tension before guiding the listener into Whoreish. The track’s EBM drive and confrontational edge land harder because of that stripped-back build-up; nothing here feels accidental. Threaded throughout all of this is NIGHT RITUALZ’s bilingual lyricism, weaving English and Spanish in a way that feels organic rather than ornamental. It isn’t deployed for aesthetic flair, instead reflecting his lived experience. This duality gives the album a fascinating texture, especially on tracks Ya No Está and Un Tiro, where the language shift mirrors an emotional shift. DEPECHE MODE’s influence can be traced in the melancholic electronics of both tracks, but the cultural layering pushes their sound somewhere much more personal and regionally grounded. The bilingual thread feels especially fitting on the closing track, My Baby, My Love. After an album preoccupied with stagnation, erasure, and the slow theft of time, the blend of language here softens the edges without dissolving the darkness completely. It feels intimate, almost disarming. Love, in this context, isn’t naïve or escapist. It’s another way of marking time, a stark reminder that connections persist even as everything else erodes. What makes Time Is A Thief really resonate is its refusal to treat gloom as mere aesthetic. The beats are club-ready, the synths immersive, yet there is always a human pulse beneath the machinery. NIGHT RITUALZ isn’t simply crafting an atmosphere, he’s mapping survival and identity. The album moves, but never hurries. It invites you to dance while quietly asking what you’re trying to outrun. Score: 8/10 Time Is A Thief will be released on February 20th 2026, via Metropolis Records. Words: Zuzanna Pazola Photos: Night Ritualz

Manchester’s BRUISE CONTROL are quickly carving out a name for themselves on the punk scene, and this new EP makes it easy to see why. They mix the raw punch of late hardcore with jagged, restless indie guitars, and it hits like they’re playing right in your living room. The vocals cut through every track with sharp, no-nonsense energy, driving the songs forward while never letting the chaos run wild. By the end, it’s clear. BRUISE CONTROL are a band with confidence, bite, and a sound that’s only going to get bigger. BRUISE CONTROL gets straight to it. It's a six track EP. No breathing space. No attempt to clean things up for the sake of it. This is DIY punk in its natural state. Tense, rough around the edges, and fuelled by the kind of pressure that doesn’t politely wait its turn. Be Like You comes flying out first, all noise and nervous energy. It’s scrappy, loud, and charged with that end of the week head’s gone feeling. The kind of release you need before everything tips over. There’s no gentle intro, no build-up. You’re dropped right in the middle of it. Left Behind bites harder. Written after the loss of Manchester’s Brunswick Mill rehearsal space, there’s real frustration running through it. The guitars feel tighter, more pointed, and the drums push everything forward with purpose. It sounds like a band watching their city change for the worse and refusing to shrug it off. There’s anger here, but it’s controlled. It's not just volume for the sake of volume. It's speaking to be heard. Spinners Mill and Gone To Ground keep the pressure up. The riffs groove and twist, the rhythm section barely lets the songs settle, and there’s this constant feeling that things might fall apart at any second. It’s the sound of burnout and carrying on anyway, of being stretched thin but still moving. If You’re Not Mine hits the deepest. It’s got a hook that stays with you, but it doesn’t smooth out the rough parts to get there. There’s a push and pull to it. Desperate, urgent, and completely believable. You can already see how this one goes off live. Bodies crammed together, sweat dripping from the ceiling, every word coming back at the stage twice as loud. Jumping Ship closes things out without any big dramatic finish. Instead, it feels drained, not defeated, just worn down. It’s the sound of someone stepping back for a second because they’ve got nothing left to give. A low-burn ending that suits the record perfectly. This self titled EP doesn’t aim for perfection. It aims to be heard, and that’s exactly why it works. It captures a band in the moment, still wired, still frustrated, still loud. BRUISE CONTROL aren’t pretending to have solutions. They’re just letting it out and sometimes that’s the most honest thing you can do. Score: 9/10 Bruise Control will be released on 20th February via Republic of Music Words: Jack Norris Photos: Lauren Quarmby