Born in Jacksonville and raised in North Carolina, Fred Durst is the red‑capped chaos conductor behind LIMP BIZKIT. A generational icon and one of the internet's favourite punchlines, Durst has turned his lovable skate park bravado and low key hip hop swagger into something that people just love. In between breaking stuff and accidentally becoming a meme historian’s dream subject, he has found the time to grace some of the stages of the biggest festivals in the world. Fred Durst is just one of those types of people; love him, hate him, ironically stan him, he remains one of alternative cultures most endearing and enduring characters. He’s best known for being equal parts provocateur, showman, and the guy who somehow made a backwards cap into a personality. With that in mind, here are some of his top ten moments. 10) Juice Fasting Tumblr Back in 2012, Durst decided to start a 60-day-juice-only-diet, and even started a Tumblr page especially for people to follow his journey. He posted a photo of his “new best friend”, his juicer on day 1, before confessing to eating a bag of M&M’s on day 3 and then abandoning the entire affair (and the Tumblr) after only 2 weeks. He claimed it was due to “not seeing any significant results.” He reflected that though his “thoughts are clear and inspired”, he was discouraged and decided to pivot to cardio and weights instead. 9) Diplomatic Detour 2015 saw Fred briefly wander into geopolitics when he publicly expressed a desire to obtain a Russian passport whilst doing an interview for Moscow Rock FM. Russian media later claimed he had written to Crimean authorities asking for help to get his citizenship. A 5 year ban from Ukraine ensued and European promoters began to grow wary. Durst had to publicly state he actually never formally applied, recognising that it was “too sensitive” of a situation, but by then it was too late, a strange cultural detour became a diplomatic headline. 8) The Nu‑Metal Easter Egg In a truly blink and you’ll miss it appearance, Fred Durst appeared in the 2001 film Zoolander, popping up at the film’s celebrity‑stuffed runway finale like he wandered in from a nu‑metal afterparty. For just a few seconds, the LIMP BIZKIT frontman becomes part of the movie's glitter-soaked absurdity, with a cameo that captures the era's pop culture mash up energy perfectly, bringing with it his signature chaotic confidence. 7) The Dad‑Vibes Rebrand The man taking to the stage at Lollapalooza in 2021 did not look like Fred Durst. Gone was the man with the red cap and baggy jeans, and in his place was suburban silver fox stepdad, who secretly moonlights as a conspiracy theorist. At least, that’s what everyone thought until they realised, actually it was Fred Durst. He’d just chosen that stage for his reinvention, leaning into the absurdity of aging in public. The dad vibe paired with his trademark swagger sent the internet into a frenzy. 6) The Istanbul Drone Incident Whilst performing a show in Istanbul in 2015, Mr Durst came face to face with a rogue drone. In a moment that was equal parts slapstick and sci-fi, he broke character and concentration to swat at it like a man defending his backyard from a winged intruder. The drone survived his attack, and the whole thing was thankfully caught on tape and became another meme worthy moment in the world of Fred Durst. 5) The 2018 Shaggy 2 Dope Dropkick Fred was subjected to another almost otherworldly attack during a festival appearance in 2018 when INSANE CLOWN POSSE’s Shaggy 2 Dope attempted a flying dropkick on him and missed by a huge amount. Durst barely flinched, security swarmed on the situation and again, the internet was given another gif worthy moment, to be played over and over like a WWE blooper. Two icons of the 90’s music scene collided in a bizarre stunt that had people wondering, was this performance art or simply an assault art? 4) Woodstock ’99: The Plywood Surfing Incident Limp Bizkit's Woodstock ‘99 set has gone down in history as one of the most chaotic moments in music. By the time the band took to the stasage, the crowd was already volatile from extreme heat, poor conditions, and days of pent‑up frustration. Fred encouraged the crowd to “let out negative energy,” however his message was misconstrued and anarchy ensued. In the midst of the chaos, Fred Durst decided his best bet was to surf the crowd on a sheet of plywood, like a nu metal messiah, floating above his flock. After the festival devolved into riots, fires, and assaults, Limp Bizkit became the easy scapegoat. But the simple fact is LIMP BIZKIT fanned the fire that was already burning, but were not the ones to light the match. 3) Woodstock Flashbacks During “Break Stuff” Despite the chaos of Woodstock ‘99, the band performed again in 2015, and Fred was seen on stage, pausing mid performance of Break Stuff, looking out into the crowd and looking like he was experiencing flashbacks like no other. Durst soon snapped back into character, but not before being visibly transported back in time to the mayhem of yesteryear. 2) 2000 MTV VMAs: The Christina Aguilera Moment The MTV VMAs in the 2000’s were the pinnacle of pop culture and this was no more evident than when Fred Durst performed alongside Christina Aguilera, rapping the bridge from Livin' It Up. The duet was perfect tabloid bait; oddly charming but completely unexpected. A Pop Princess and a Nu Metal King on stage together was the kind of crossover that defined the era's cultural mash ups. 1) “Making Love to Morgan Wallen” 2025 saw LIMP BIZKIT release the track Making Love to Morgan Wallen; what many expected to be a diss track, turned out to be anything but. With surreal lyrics referencing Chester Bennington, David Bowie, dolphins, Trump resorts, scooters and UFOs, the song is equal parts parody, provocation, and internet‑era performance art. The title comes from a lyric in the song’s final moments, where Durst drops the line “Makin’ love to Morgan Wallen in an elevator”. It was a track that wasn’t so much a reinvention so much as a flex - Durst reminding everyone he lives in that weird sweet spot where sincerity and absurdity collide and nobody can tell which side he’s leaning toward. Catch Limp Bizkit headlining Download Festival this summer Words: Lou Viner-Flood

Coming to your speakers tomorrow is a true collaboration from two truly legendary acts within heavy music. MELVINS and NAPALM DEATH have joined forces to create a band built out of some of their current members in order to bring to life this amalgam of noise, sludge, unease and riffs. Taking the name Savage Imperial Death March from the two tours of the same name in 2016 and 2025, the album is the first studio project to be given that same moniker. The album was recorded at the MELVINS’ Los Angeles studio, with Buzz Osborne (vocals/guitar) and Dale Crover (drums) joined by NAPALM DEATH’s Barney Greenway (vocals), Shane Embury (bass), and John Cooke (guitar). The album itself is a groovy, psych-infused mix of guttural heaviness, freight train riffs, sludgy headbanging passages and plain-old heavy metal fun. Lead single Tossing Coins into The Fountain of Fuck contains a bridge that is as catchy as anything you’ll hear this year whilst still having bags of heft and being comfortably able to withstand any worries of not being ‘heavy enough’. It’s not only a new artistic venture for both sets of musicians, but also clearly a passion project with two sets of fans of each others’ output. In discussion about the album with Embury, Osborne and Greenway they all showed plenty of love for the other band: “I have loved the Melvins forever and their outlook on music,” Embury explains. “A chance to make an album of eclectic musical madness with them was truly an honour and a whole lot of fun, which surely is the whole point! Let’s do another one soon.” “Napalm Death are one of my favorite bands ever,” Osborne says. “It was an absolute pleasure and a dream come true to do this collaboration with them. We wrote songs together. I would write a riff and we would learn it and record it right there. They wrote stuff and we would learn it immediately as well. It was truly a 50/50 partnership.” "Funny how life turns out sometimes... collecting hard-to-find MELVINS 7-inches on Bleecker Street in 1989, and then touring twice and doing an album with them within the following 35 years,” Greenway adds. “Had a great time with it all, and nice to work with fellow travellers in the MELVINS who also couldn't care about pandering to 'demographics'. I felt myself almost babbling lyrically during the recording, and that alone made for very fun recording times." This sense of fun and freedom pervades the record, which - whilst on the surface doesn’t have much of a sense of enjoyment at all - is as exploratory and experimental as anything either band has created in a long time. Track two, Some Kind of Antichrist, is a nine minute plus piece that twists and turns with multiple vocal styles, synths, rollicking guitars, and more across its fantastic length, whereas finale Death Hour has a brief sample that every listener will recognise coming after plenty of murky, semi-spoken word synth gloom. Savage Imperial Death March is certainly not the most overtly NAPALM DEATH-esque record you could ever hear, and doesn’t complement every end of the MELVINS’ catalogue either, but perhaps that’s absolutely the entire point. This band isn’t a direct split of the two musically, it’s a collaboration between like-minded musicians who worked together to create something that they’re all proud of and clearly had a riot doing. Each song feels new and interesting, each choice feels conscious - there’s nothing here that feels particularly derivative or boring or generic, it’s all fun and exciting and fascinating. That alone makes it absolutely worth the ticket price. Score: 8/10 Savage Imperial Death March will be released on 10th April 2026 via Ipecac Recordings. Words: Jasmine Longhurst Photos: Chris Casella

AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS get bold on sophomore album DID YOU ASK TO BE SET FREE?, elevating metalcore with heavy electronic and classic rock influences and creating characters as vessels to explore what freedom means. Each track is varied but equally honest despite being played through a fictitious voice, making this project the quartet’s most layered project to date. Metalcore acts as the foundation for the heavy set tracks across DID YOU ASK TO BE SET FREE? while Adam Kerr’s guitar is focused on classic rock melodies that harmonise with the drum and bass style electronica that sit atop the albums soundscape. This is best shown in SET IN FLOW which feels like an homage to PENDULUM in its introduction of vocals increasing in volume and guitars mixed with warped synths. Its body is introduced by Charlie Rolfe’s scream and its tone by the vocals robotised by autotune and chopped into the chorus; the balance of hard rock riffs and dirty drum and bass is struck perfectly, so much so that by SET IN FLOW's gritty breakdown the stank starts to hurt the face muscles. The blending of genres has been intentional and sets the mood for each track: GASOLINE incorporates an 80s groove into the party rock atmosphere it has, opting for stop/start bridges over breakdowns and a halftime final chorus perfect for throwing it down at the end of the world, then changing to the use of a piano for the melody of FIND ANOTHER WAY which melts into the EDM in the introduction, and the drums in its intermission that creates a spaced out feel to a track that describes the struggle of moving forward. Not to worry though for fans of AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS’ original sound - POINT OF VIEW comes in with a heavy bassy introduction and chaos in its body, breaking down beneath Rolfe’s screams and sliding chords which crafts something sultry while packed with angst. The depth of DID YOU ASK TO BE SET FREE? comes in the songwriting, where Rolfe’s created a character as a bridge to explain and protects her feelings, many no doubt from coming to terms with the loss of her partner and AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS drummer Jamie Gowers. On the surface each track is storyboarded around a hard breakup, with references to death throughout feeling like a crack in a façade to what Rolfe was writing about in part with “living life in memoriam” from FIND ANOTHER WAY being the most obvious. However, this bridging comes to life in the themes of breaking free and the conflict of moving forward present throughout DID YOU ASK TO BE SET FREE? - REVERIE focuses on the latter in particular, where “rose coloured glasses broken in two/distorted deception through your lens too” sets up the breakup imagery, then moves between wanting to hang on and wanting to let go without a final answer. This answer seems to come in penultimate track EDGE OF FOREVER, which begins with a line that embodies going through the motions in “Life in colour but equally in monochrome” on top of an acoustic guitar. EEDGE OF FOREVER is where DID YOU ASK TO BE SET FREE? admits that it does want to be able to continue to live and experience the world but is nervous i.e. “won’t let it in/won’t let it go”; a dichotomy known to those who are experiencing everything they’ve wanted, apart from being able to do it with someone who now isn’t there. Together, these create an accessible route to explain to the listener the conflicts of grief and growth in age without needing to lay bare each memory, with the character Rolfe speaks through being easy to sympathise and relate to. AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS have created an addictive blend of metalcore and EDM, taking classic rock riffs and melodies to create an elevated version of a sound they already created at strength. DID YOU ASK TO BE SET FREE? is vulnerable, with the use of characters and allegory foregrounding the fear of being free to feel and express oneself while providing a bridge for the listener to access the inner conflicts of grief and coming to terms with adversity. It's a layered project in its soundscape and in its lyrics, the two years taken to put it together is shown in the intentionality and passion of every element of every track. Score: 9/10 DID YOU ASK TO BE SET FREE? will be released on April 10th 2026 via Century Media Records. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: As Everything Unfolds

The rise of emotionally charged metalcore in the UK has never felt more electric or unapologetically diverse than it does at the moment. What was once a niche has exploded into a brilliant genre where guttural screams sit beside harmonising vocals. From fierce anthems of defiance to haunting ballads about mental health, it is here to stay. With a roster of three awesome bands on this EMPLOYED TO SERVE bill, it proved to everyone in the room that this scene belongs to everyone bold enough to claim it. The night opened with local band UNDER VIOLET SKY. With their first EP coming out only six weeks ago, and this only being their second gig as a band, it was hard to tell that they hadn’t been at this for years. Whilst some may say it can be hard to warm up a metal crowd when you aren’t established, this band said ‘hold my drink’ and proved everyone wrong. Vocalist Izzie’s blend of well tuned screams and growls juxtaposing her brilliant singing voice proved that this band is packed with the potential to grow into something quite brilliant. CAGE FIGHT stormed onto the stage with enough energy to power the room. Dubbing themselves as a male backed metal band, it felt incredibly fitting for this roster of incredible femme vocalists. Front-woman Rachel Aspe was a conductor of both the band and audience as she hypnotically entranced audiences with her guttural growls and amazing squeals. The songs were furious and angry with pits erupting in Pick Your Fighter and Eating me Alive giving a vibe of old school hardcore with a punch of new wave metal. The whole band were incredibly tight, which for a band that were formed over lockdown as a project to unleash their skills is testament to their talents and stage chemistry. If the audience weren’t ready for the headline act, they sure were after CAGE FIGHT’s set. Having recently released their latest album Fallen Star, EMPLOYED TO SERVE are on the rise having been working at the metal grindstone for well over a decade. Stepping into the spotlight of the metal genre, it feels like all their hard work has paid off. Their set erupted with Treachery and within seconds pits were formed and it felt like the band were where they belonged. Vocalist Justine Jones has perfected the craft of screams and stage presence and commanded the stage with gut wrenching screams and the perfect blend of catharsis and joy. Throughout the set it almost felt like a hometown show, despite being a distance from Woking. However it was the engagement between the band and audience that truly felt like the room was connected. Paying homage to their old school fans, they gave touches to the past with songs such as Good For Nothing which had the crowd screaming the lyrics back at the band. Whilst new songs such as Now Thy Kingdom Come and title track Fallen Star highlighted that this band aren’t going anywhere except up. Putting a rising star band in an intimate room is one way to show an audience how a band is on the cusp of shooting to success. The energy in the room was nothing but electric and with screaming vocals, drilling drums, and guitar riffs that infect your brain, it was seventy minutes of pure perfection. It may have taken EMPLOYED TO SERVE a bit longer to get onto this trajectory, but they aren’t stopping any time soon and it’s finally their time to take the metal crown they deserve. Words and photos: Laura Davies

Speed metal truly alive as Scottish metallers HELLRIPPER bring their take on metal to the stage. The headliner love metal and support the scene wherever they can, that’s why they have brought along DEVASTATOR and SCHIZOPHRENIA. Taking the opening set was Derbyshire based DEVASTATOR, who brought their take on blackened thrash with a speed metal direction, as all bands had on this bill, taking over the stage with attitude and direction from the moment they arrived. The crowd took a little while to warm up as the start of the bank holidays presented the band with a more tired than usual crowd. But throughout the crowd took every moment to enjoy it even if they were not moshing to full power yet. Their set was the perfect introduction for the evening to bring everyone into a metal mood. Next was Belgian death metalers SCHIZOPHRENIA, who brought some of the heaviest moments of the gig. From the moment they started to play, they brought an intensity only heavier metal bands can bring. They take you into their sonic world of death metal with speed metal elements and show how well they can play. As with many bands in the modern metal scene, they wore their love for the genre on their sleeves, or in this case sleeveless leather vests, by including a cover of a MORBID ANGEL track. Their sound was very old school and their entire presentation was a love letter to the bands that came before them in the genre. They got the crowd moving a little more but they still have not reached maximum carnage yet. HELLRIPPER are simply brilliant in all that they do. On record they showcase some of the best song writing in speed metal, and live the music truly comes alive. Although they started the set with a few mild sound issues, nothing can impede the quality of their delivery. It was a shock that the band nearly did not make it to the stage with their van breaking down. The band acted like true professionals and put everything they could into the set. Opened with fan favourite and statement piece All Hail The Goat and they were immediately hit by the passion and devotion of the fans present. Frontman and sole recording member of the band James McBain put his guitar mastery on full display as he showcased every emotion possible in metal, from shred wizardry to sombre slower moments, it was truly a spectacle to behold. The set clocked in at just about an hour which did feel on the short side, but it was still loaded with plenty of tracks to leave people satisfied. Every track played was a testament to the sheer quality of the band. The crowd became gradually more intense as the band kept playing, coming to a head towards the end of the gig with waves of fans jumping on and subsequently off the stage to crowd surf. Waves of fans came in just to share a moment with such a powerful unit of a band. They seemed to understand what people want in metal and provide, from thematic lyrics to face melting solos, HELLRIPPER is everything metal is at its greatest. Their intensity and passion live makes them an unmissable act in the current scene. Words: Will Freeman Photos: Claire Cabanac

PHOENIX LAKE are a UK-based melodic metal band from Nottingham, formed in 2018. They are known for their vocalist’s powerful vocals and blend elements of metalcore and hard rock to create a sound that’s unique and nostalgic at the same time. Having been on tour with bands such as SKARLETT RIOT and appeared at festivals such as Bloodstock, this debut headline tour seems like the perfect start for fans to see what a headline set sounds like. Unfortunately off the bat there was a change in lineup. Following a bout of illness in the band, the initial support act AETHORIA were unable to play. Despite the unexpected change, there was a last minute twist that allowed the other support act CIRCUS 66 to step in and play a longer set for the audience. Hailing from Maidenhead this self proclaimed hard rock band were ready to start the night off just right. Vocalist Annabelle Zaychenko is an enigmatic frontwoman who engaged the audience from the start. Her raw and brilliant vocals showcased a classic rock range from heavier songs through to softer melodic tracks. She could have sung a shopping list and the audience would have been hooked. The band itself had cohesive and tight riffs to match the head-banging vocals. Songs seamlessly moved from one to the other with no hesitation and questions about confidence. This was a band that was confident in what they do and do it well. Their set was non stop energy from first song to last truly getting the crowd ready for what is to come. They included songs from a new album Elements that was a softer version of what they are capable of and allowed Zaychenko to truly showcase her range. The songs felt familiar but different; like a hug from a band that you love. This was a band that has mastered their craft and ended their set to a rousing room that was definitely ready for the headline act. By the time PHOENIX LAKE came onto stage, the audience were ready and raring to go to see some fantastic melodic metal. Following the release of their album Seraphina: The Fall From Eden, fans were eager to hear not only songs from this album, but songs from their eight year discography. Kicking off the show with a melodic and almost cinematic intro, the band bursted into song after song without missing a beat. With a mix of harsh breakdowns blended with an incredible vocal range, they would not have been amiss amongst a bill of PARAMORE or EVANESCENCE with the vocal athletics of the singer Lana Phillis. With the band decked out in red accents, it felt like unity across the band, reflecting how tight they felt musically on stage. Nothing seemed out of beat, and nothing truly felt less than perfect, like they had poured their heart and soul into these shows. And it well and truly paid off. Both Zak Smith and Ash Wilson on bass and guitar spent the evening headbanging in sync and joining forces for some incredible riffs. Coupled with Joe Synnott on drums, this is a band to be reckoned with. Phillis’s seamless skills at transferring from harmonious vocals to guttural screams showed the versatility of the band and their back catalogue. Throughout the set they charted songs from their earliest days whilst also covering a large amount of songs from their new album, showcasing their development across the years. The crowd welcomed the band with open arms and celebrated this debut headline tour as if they had done this a hundred times over. Whatever happens next to PHOENIX LAKE is only an upwards trajectory. Slick riffs, glorious lyrics and vocals that just make your brain melt is a recipe for success and they have the potential to skyrocket to success. Words: Laura Davies Photos: Ben Young

Birmingham’s MIRRORTALK opened the show, bringing a polished take on emo revival that pulls their grunge and shoegaze influences together into a shimmering wall of fuzzy guitars and 00's nostalgia. It is not the most original formula in the world, but when it is delivered with this level of heartfelt enthusiasm, it is hard to not end up won over. Making the most out of an unfamiliar crowd to test out fresh material that takes in some modern hardcore influences, adding in the chorus heavy melodies and low end grooves that made TURNSTILE’s first record so popular into the mix you can see some real potential behind their easy smiles. LASTELLE's sweeping, cinematic post-hardcore takes the most anthemic moments and epic arrangements of acts like DEVILSOLDHISSOUL or THE ELIJAH and places an even greater emphasis on the vocal hooks and supporting melodies, that made their forebears so memorable, showering the audience with a rolling barrage of potential ear-worms. Frontman Adam Rigozzi, bassist/vocalist Freddie Whatmore and drummer/vocalist Mike Hayden's complimentary voices are the active ingredient in LASTELLE's sound, and prove that even pulling double duties behind the kit can't hold back good chemistry from winning out, that is, when you can hear them over the crowd. The pure love and sincere attachment that fans have for LASTELLE is literally overwhelming, the audience was pulled back and forth with each soaring chorus and lent their lungs to the songs entirely. With a seemingly bottomless momentum the set continued to escalate with Rigozzi launching himself into the crowd over and over again, and by the time an epic rendition of Breathe Me In rolled around to end the set, both the band and the crowd had screamed themselves hoarse. To those who were not around for the wave of creativity that emerged in the immediate aftermath of BEING AS AN OCEAN dropping their classic debut Dear G-d, the sheer speed with which the bands and labels cropped up, pushing the boundaries of the brutally candid and emotionally vulnerable sound of melodic hardcore is hard to explain. It spread like wildfire through forums and social media, and the global phenomenon took a particular grip on the UK, and it was in this feverish atmosphere that CASEY emerged from the valleys of south Wales with hearts pinned firmly to their sleeves. Now after twelve years, three albums and a mercifully brief hiatus they're back and stronger than ever. Times have changed since the heady days when a memorable lyric with a good edit on tumblr could launch an unknown band into the limelight, and with time the more expansive elements of CASEY’s sound, touches of emo, post-rock and other alternative that used to be the garnish in the formula for melodic hardcore have now elbowed their way through to the front of the mix. Opening with a string of songs from their comeback LP How to Disappear, it was that matured and developed sound that shined brightest at the set. The energy and raw emotion behind songs like Unique Lights and I Was Happy When You Died created a tangible sense of intimacy in the room from the moment CASEY took to the stage. Tom Weaver was a humble frontman and alongside his powerful voice, it was his earnestly articulated gratitude that secured the connection with the audience and showed with perfect clarity just how they have managed to maintain that connection in spite of their hiatus and subsequent measured return to performing. There were no frills in their set and as they touched on some older material, it was clear that they simply did need them, being able to rely purely on the strength of the songs like breakout favourite Hell, which got a deeply cathartic airing before a triumphant Little Bird closed out the show. Words: Anton Smeeton Photos: Jynx Cosgrove

If the name ‘Lambrini’ sends a shiver through your soul and an ache in your head just to hear it, it’s time to realign those thoughts to something powerful and daring – LAMBRINI GIRLS, the punk-rock band that have the chaotic, dazzling energy of firecrackers. Hailing from Brighton, the enigmatic duo is made up of vocalist Pheobe Lunny and bassist Lily Maciera, touring drummer Misha Phillips, and the fourth unsung hero that is their absolute grit and ambition to get their sound and message out. Since their first leap into this project in 2019, LAMBRINI GIRLS haven’t stopped working or allowed themselves to slow down, intent on producing and releasing riotous tracks to bear your teeth and fists to, or else touring around the world in support of IDLES, THE LIBERTINES, and IGGY POP, not to mention hitting as many festival slots as they possibly can, including as an opening act on the Reading & Leeds Festival 2025 main stage. Spotted by the label Big Scary Monsters at Brighton’s local artist event The Great Escape Festival 2021, the band have gone from strength to strength in their personal lives and their musical career, producing punk bangers back-to-back, as well as the music video for their 2023 track White Van, a song about catcalling being unwanted and outdated, with visceral screams and a primal outburst of beats and riffs. “Put your hand up if you’re a gay legend” is one hell of a way to let the crowd know what kind of vibe they’re in for with their debut track Help Me, I’m Gay. When they first announced this in their 2022 shows they were lucky to get one person react in the crowd - flash forward to 2025, where LAMBRINI GIRLS are met with deafening cheers of legends and allies. But slogans like these aren’t new or performative for them, they’ve been representing their stalwart activism since day one, telling NME magazine in 2024, “A lot of people are being celebrated for shouting these slogans. It’s the bare minimum, and everyone should be acting on it. We’ve got a long way to go.” Their refusal to stay silent on real world issues and insistence that music is always political echoes loudly through their revolutionary lyrics calling out for awareness and change, mixed with edgy, rebellious punk-rock instrumentals that rattle your teeth. This is heard loudest in tracks like Cuntology 101 and Big Dick Energy from their 2025 album Who Let The Dogs Out, released under their new label City Slang, as well as their singles Boys in the Band, God’s Country, and Terf Wars. LAMBRINI GIRLS aren’t afraid to go for the jugular and speak up for marginalised groups, no matter how much criticism they get. But the tides seem to be turning where there are less protests against them and more protesting with them, finding unity in the band’s raw and tenacious sounds and their refusal to be disillusioned by society’s issues, all while careering around their stage and calling for mosh pits. Ready to take the world on yet again, they’ll be delivering their high-intensity, crashing sound across America on their April tour, before returning to kick off the summer’s festival circuit at Bearded Theory Festival on 20th May. LAMBRINI GIRLS lit a fire back in 2019 and they’re still building into an absolute fireball of blazing power and heat. Words: Julia Stark Photo: James Smith

As we're finishing up with whatever chocolate we've got left over from Easter, here at Out of Rage we're getting ready for the summer; sunglasses on, drink in hand, and fresh new music blaring from our speakers. Here's what we've been listening to lately: Against The Current - Heavenly It may start with an uplifting electro melody and feature a lifting guitar riff and drum beat, but don’t be fooled; AGAINST THE CURRENT are feeling anything but angelic in their new single Heavenly. It’s deceptively upbeat and steady-paced until vocalist Chrissy Constanza expressively sings about letting “the empire fall for a chance at peace”, holding a sinking note on the emotive breakdown, while guitarist Dan Gow and drummer Will Ferri deliver their classic pop-punk sound we’ve loved for 15 years. The tune swells again to a crashing of instruments and clean vocals before fading away to Chrissy’s lone voice asking for a reprieve from this hell. AGAINST THE CURRENT are ready to build their new empire in 2026. Words: Julia Stark ANKOR - DANZO · lying ghost (ft. SiM) An electrifying collaboration between Spanish alternative metal band ANKOR and Japanese genre-blenders SiM, “DANZO · lying ghost” delivers a high-octane punch wrapped in a mischievously eerie atmosphere. The anime influences continue as the song's inspirations are found from Naruto’s Danzo Shimura. The themes of manipulation paired with unsetting tone shifts are evident. Despite the band’s contrasting styles, the track’s intensity is maintained with the inclusion of heavy breakdowns and melodic lyrics. SiM’s MAH screams pierce through the chaos that anchors the aggression within the track. With the release of new singles, fans are speculating about a new ANKOR album. Words: Theviya R Karunaharan Converge - Hum of Hurt CONVERGE, fresh off releasing the album Love Is Not Enough last month, have shocked everyone, announcing upcoming album Hum of Hurt. Better yet, it’s one of the best songs the band have released in 35 years of making music. While perhaps not as overwhelmingly loud as much of their previous work, it still manages to feel just as, if not more, in-your-face than ever, with an oppressive atmosphere persisting throughout the multiple phases the track goes through. CONVERGE managing to fit several songs’ worth of ideas into such a short runtime certainly isn’t new for them, but this is easily one of their best efforts on that front. Words: Noise Leonard Holding Absence - Whisper of a Dream Back with their first release in three years, HOLDING ABSENCE kick off the start of a new era with new track Whisper of a Dream. With Lucas Woodland pushing his voice to its most silken and most savage extremes, and the band meeting him with a crushing intensity that turns every peak into a jolt, it’s the kind of song that snaps you to attention. Lyrically and conceptually, the track leans hard into cyberpunk influences, exploring contemplation, sentience, and the act of dreaming in a world that never stops evolving. With the music video introducing the bands robot mascot “Y4-BB0”, HOLDING ABSENCE has evolved into something entirely new but still entirely familiar. Words: Lou Viner-Flood Lambrini Girls - Cult of Celebrity If you're also sick of the 1%'s knack for escaping justice, LAMBRINI GIRLS have taken that disgusted fury and channelled it into Cult of Celebrity, a scathing take down of the predatory rings in celebrity spaces and the rings they run round the authorities. Distortion off the charts, bassist Selin Macieira-Bosgelmez delivers a sickening bass line at bone rattling levels to rival the thrashing drumbeat. Guitarist and vocalist Phoebe Lunny kicks off the song with a strong riff before going all in on the lyrics, sounding wearied by the world's bullshit and letting out cathartic screams. Never meet your heroes, but always punch a pedo in the face. Words: Julia Stark LEAP - The Downfall / Do Or Die (Stripped) Amid their breakthrough European and US Entropy tours, LEAP have again shown their raw talent and gifted fans with stripped back versions of their hit tracks The Downfall and Do Or Die. Hector Cottams switches his drums for soulful piano, while Adam Mason and Declan Brown echo softly in the background on guitar and bass, at times building in sound and then falling away. Jacky Balfour Scott holds back his vocal power, but delivers more emotion that enhances the stripped back sound, swapping to a lower octave. Evoking both devastating and hopeful feelings, LEAP truly can’t miss with their refined sound. Words: Julia Stark muti - juliet If you’re looking for a brand new shoegaze, hyper-pop influenced non-binary artist, MUTI might be exactly what you’re looking for! juliet is their first single in a while, being accompanied by the incredibly atmospheric and spacious instrumental you dropped that mask and wrapped up my bloody hand by the wall. juliet is an emotion-filled track, the yearning echoing through their voice as they sing the lines “is it too late? ‘Cause I can’t stay away, when those eyes keep calling my name”. The distortion rings through the entire track making it sound full, an especially well produced track for a debut single and we can’t wait to hear what he has to bring next. Words: Amy Smyth Opus Kink - Come Over, Do Me Wrong After half a decade of building up goodwill via some stellar EPs, making them a shining example of what has been dubbed “Windmill Scene” by some, OPUS KINK are finally gearing up to release a debut album. In preparation for The Sweet Goodbye at the end of July, as well as various tour dates lined up around the UK, their new song, Come Over, Do Me Wrong, debuted on Radio 6 a few days ago. While technically not the first song released to be on the album, as a lead single there’s a lot to love. Playful as ever, with an earworm-y trumpet hook and surreal breakdown in the middle of the track, anyone following modern UK post-punk at all needs to keep their eyes out for this one. Words: Noise Leonard PRESIDENT - Mercy The faceless band taking the UK by storm has released their second single of the year, now marking their eighth song overall. Their 2026 has already taken off with a headline set at takedown festival in Portsmouth followed by a huge Europe and US ‘campaign’ about to kick off this new single Mercy has dropped at the most opportune moment. The track is one of the band's more vocally impressive, higher and longer notes held by the mysterious lead vocalist, with devastation raining over the pre-chorus and chorus. The chorus runs extremely catchy, the kind you can catch onto in just one listen, with a bouncing bass line and beats to accompany. We’re left to wonder if there's more new music to come. Words: Amy Smyth Static Dress - Nostalgia Kills (ft. Underoath) For the longest time, STATIC DRESS were hiding in the shadows, plotting big news the fans could only dream of. Within two days, not only have the Leeds-based quartet announced the new and highly anticipated sophomore album injury episode, but they've also released the emotionally charged single Nostalgia Kills. Taking onto this project with the powerhouse that is UNDEROATH, both bands created a haven that is not pretending to be pretty or appealing, yet draws the listeners in the more they listen to it. Unveiling the rawness of the lyrics, coupled with the powerful sounds of guitars and drums, it is a statement that STATIC DRESS are here to escape the hunger of the industry and implement their own rules. And their supporters are living for it. Words: Katerina Stepanikova WREX - Paranoia After an agonising 2-month wait from their last single, Consume, WREX have fired back in with the haunting single Paranoia, a guaranteed boot-stomping track that showcases vocalist Mae Seaton’s full range and power and guitarist/producer George Donoghue’s bone shaking riffs, overlaying nu-metal-esque pulsing drums and a bass line that rivals KORN. WREX don't shy away from addressing mental health issues, and Paranoia demonstrates their respect for this; from lyrics that could be aimed at someone or an internal attack, to how the instruments rise in sound and strength before falling away, staying unexpected and dangerous. Otherworldly vocals and blurred instruments give way to a gradually building drum roll, Seaton's vocals swooping from dreamlike to absolutely cutting, layered with Donoghue's raw screams. Words: Julia Stark Editor: Naomi Colliar Duff Photos: Various Artists

LOVE RARELY were created in the Leeds alternative music scene in 2023. After touring the country with THE CALLOUS DAOBOYS and set to play at some of the UK’s biggest festivals, their debut album Pain Travels has come just at the right time to show what vulnerability can sound like surrounded by heavy music. Exploding into the album is the opening track and single Will. A track that perfectly summarises what’s to come on the record. Indie-esque guitar riffs juxtaposed with harsh screams and melodic math-core moments showcasing the themes that will run through the album and giving a taste of influential bands such as PARAMORE and ROLO TOMASSI. The album is a complete blend of short songs filled with emotional fury laced with longer tracks that weave amongst emotionally complex themes. The former feels like angry interludes of emotional release amongst the cathartic lyrics of the latter songs. Vocalist Courtney Levitt sings the lyrics “Am I lost now? Where do we go?” in the song Severed, with pain and rawness flooding through the speakers whilst the next track I’ll Try leaves you feeling like you are on a rollercoaster of emotions as she screams “I’ll try, you’ll find out’. The album touches on some heavy themes with moments spoken about generational trauma, toxicity of growing up in complex homes, and the band’s own personal experiences throughout their lives. It feels like an almost coming of age movie soundtrack where the actors are at their personal turning points, standing on the top of a hill screaming their emotions away. Guitarist Lew Taylor’s lyrics in the song Haunted feel wrapped in an aching sense of self reflection with the line “I’ve been haunted by you all my life, couldn’t leave you if I tried” layered amongst Levitt's screams. As the album progresses you can definitely see that the album itself is mainly a DIY project, but for all the right reasons. With all band members writing their parts separately before coming together to form each track into what it is today, you can see that this messy and chaotic approach to songwriting and track building is testament to a band who can work so cohesively together to create something rather spectacular for a debut album. Shorter songs Blame and Whiplash feel like LOVE RARELY songs that have been concentrated into pint sized songs that explode onto the speakers and feel like they are over as soon as they have started. They catapult us into the latter half of the album with Dormant where vocals and instruments feel a mix of softer and harsher at the same time, leaning into chaotic riffs and ghostly, almost haunting layers of vocals. Throughout Disappear the instruments begin to feel almost like an orchestra of sound as Levitt screams “I want to be something”. By the time we reach the closing track Through Families the emotions feel like they have moved from fury to exhaustion. It ends with a melodic explosion as Levitt screams “how could we possibly be fine after this”. A truly cathartic ending to an emotionally fuelled album. Pain Travels feels like a ferocious emotional release full of vulnerabilities. It feels like an album of a band that has been doing this for a long time. It’s an uncomfortable listen that is full of chaotic energy, but in all the right ways that make for a brilliant album. Score: 7/10 Pain Travels will be released on 10th April 2026 via Big Scary Monsters. Words: Laura Davies Photos: Love Rarely

2026 has already been an excellent year for fans of more extreme styles of metal, with comebacks from NEUROSIS and CONVERGE, so it feels like an absolute treat to be covering a new offering from death metal legends IMMOLATION. Known for a consistently excellent discography from 1991 to the present, with albums like Close to a World Below being considered a landmark death metal album. Their most recent release, 2022’s Acts of God, managed to garner a fair bit of attention as well, even this far into their career. So with this in mind, how do you follow an album like that up to prove without any doubt that you’ve still got it? Lead single Adversary was released in January this year, the first taste of Descent. It’s certainly one of the highlights on the album, four tracks in. An absolute barrage of killer riffs, throwing about ten different ideas at the wall and somehow making them stick, with BPM changes, solos, and even a little bit of call-and-response from the performers for good measure, somehow managing to feel completely natural over the course of three minutes. In the final minute, it suddenly shifts to a backdrop of chugging guitars, with a doom-y riff almost gliding over it, before finally returning to the riff from the start of the song. For the world’s first look into Descent, perhaps they couldn’t have chosen a better option. This was followed up with second and final single Attrition, coincidentally the following track on the album. Not quite as fast-paced, but equally as smothering - they really know how to make a song feel like the end of the world, with dissonant solos performed over harmonic-laced riffs. At almost five minutes, it manages to break up the pace slightly after the previous tracks were so high-octane, going from 0 to 60, proving once again that IMMOLATION are by no means one-trick ponies. Later on the album, we have False Ascent, another intense listen, which you should be used to by now on the album, as the eighth track. But then something happens towards the end of this one. It retreats to the mid-tempo, a crawl by this album’s standards, before going straight into Banished, an instrumental interlude focusing more on creating this sort of ambient soundscape. With a string section and piano, it’s an instrumental palette we haven’t seen on the album up to this point. The electric guitar plays over all this, with a tone as decadent as ever, with a morose solo. This track is mostly to act as a bridge between False Ascent and the upcoming closer, but it’s not a wasted effort by any means. So now we reach the longest song on the album, the closer and title track, Descent. It manages to follow the trend of the title tracks on their records as one of the standout moments on here. If you thought the rest of the album might be an accurate depiction of what Hell feels like, the infernal riffs and claustrophobic atmosphere of this track will convince you. In fact, the pitch for this album is along the lines of Earth descending into Hell. We may have been Close to a World Below before, but this album documents its Descent. “We’ve reached the point of no return”, growls vocalist Ross Dolan halfway into the song, this statement perfectly matched by the instrumentation, never once letting up but being undeniably gloomy. The song fades out on this note, the choice to leave the song and album as a whole without resolution feeling like a conscious choice from the band. So have IMMOLATION proven that they’ve still got it? Absolutely. To be releasing material of this calibre this far into your career is surely a joy to see for fans and distant onlookers alike. Even with a different approach to songwriting, they’ve not lost what makes them so intriguing to listen to. While unlikely to be seen as a classic in the same regard as their earlier work, when the bar is set that high, an excellent album is still an excellent album. Score: 9/10 Descent will be released on 10th April 2026 via Nuclear Blast Records. Words: Noise Leonard Photos: Immolation

TIGERCUB are at the forefront of alt-rock bands leading the new wave of sound that’s impacting the rock scene, soaking the music world with their momentous new album, Nets To Catch The Wind, releasing 10th April via Loosegroove Records. Recorded over barely a week and produced by Tom Dalgety (who’s worked with legends ROYAL BLOOD and GHOST), it shows TIGERCUB at an emotional and intense level not yet seen. Consistent in its sound and impeccable production, Nets To Catch The Wind is trancelike, ensnaring the listener into a full body sway and head bang. There’s an emotive quality to it that feels just out of descriptive reach, evoking feelings of yearning and a sense of danger where the risk is worth any consequence. Sensually evocative and expressive, Nets To Catch The Wind is an atmospheric journey through the darkness. Starting slowly and introducing one instrument at a time, Silver Smile is a heartbeat in song form, with a pulsing drum beat, guitar chords that complement perfectly against the faint strings in the background, the bass blending into the melody before rearing up. Jamie Hall’s vocals have a desperate and despairing feel to them, as if begging to be released from whoever’s got their hooks in him but also not wanting to be let go. Fall In Fall Out kicks in with a deceptively upbeat guitar riff and Jimi Wheelwright’s deliciously heavy bass notes, that both quickly fall into minor chords while drummer James Allix makes his presence felt with shoulder swaying beats and a gradually building snare roll. Stuck in the Melancholy fades in with a funky and eerie riff reminiscent of THE KREEPS, feeling slightly understated until the instruments crash in together in a catchy cacophony. Hall delivers ranging and yearning lyrics of “wake me up again, so I can pretend” over his crispy distorted rhythms and stirring solos; Allix switches from an understated beat to hammering tones; Wheelwright consistently delivers a bass line guaranteed to sway bodies. By this point, it’s clear to see no two songs are the same, yet all are consistent in their tones and production. I’m Breaking Out evokes a ROYAL BLOOD feel in its sound. Instruments and vocals are packed with power before suddenly falling away for the stripped back breakdown of Hall’s echoing solo vocals. They tear back in for a final adrenaline rush in its crispy, pounding melody. A Black Moon holds juxtaposing chords against high-pitched guitar notes, while Hall’s singing swells in a smoothly captivating manner. It’s the breakdown that really hits different though, for a moment feeling like John Murphy’s In The House – In a Heartbeat, dropping down to a tasty riff and Wheelwright’s pulsating bass beat before climbing back into a dark atmosphere. Starting with a soft falsetto, Head Over Heels pivots to a thundering chorus and a breakdown of haunting vocals echoing over guitar solos and jarring feedback, epitomising the push and pull of being in love or obsessed with someone. Nightmares slows down with a simple instrumental introduction that reverbs in the background while Hall bears all his vulnerability, before soaring into a clash of distorted instruments over the lyrics “let the world collide”, accompanied by a spicy, descending riff. A deceptive ballad start of stripped back guitars and faint acoustic, My Paper Heart grabs you by the neck and slams you into an atmospheric sound that feels like ROYAL BLOOD and RADIOHEAD cooked together. 12-second interlude Golden Sands breaks up the album with muffled piano and snare, before launching into the fast-paced and edgy Magic Sleep. Allix and Wheelwright crash in from the first bars and command your attention while slick riffs dominate throughout the track. Cut The Eyes Out Of The Photographs is hypnotising in its rhythm and vocals, switching from an understated verse of unstoppable drums and bass, to an electrifying chorus where the band ramps up into a daring, pulsing beat. CLUTCH’S Neil Fallon features for a borderline ominous spoken word section, giving way to a charged guitar solo. Closing out Nets To Catch The Wind is a tempo building, bass heavy Sadness, Don’t You Worry that weaves between pitches and moods, falling back only to boom back in again. Nets To Catch The Wind is an album you can feel yourself sinking into with ease. Score: 8/10 Nets To Catch The Wind will be released on 10th April 2026 via Loosegroove Records. Words: Julia Stark Photos: Andreia Lemos