We joined LORNA SHORE as they played their last UK date in Manchester, on their tour, following the release of their latest album I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me. This comes with support from fellow deathcore heavyweights in the form of HUMANITY’S LAST BREATH, SHADOW OF INTENT, and WHITECHAPEL. With HUMANITY’S LAST BREATH taking to the stage first, the Swedes setting the tone for the night. Shrouded in darkness, the set began slow and steady with Väldet before picking up the intensity with Abyssal Mouth and Human Swarm. Frontman Filip Danielsson’s stage presence was almost haunting, the cloaked man commanding the stage like a relentless onslaught and the band cramming nine songs into their thirty-minute set. SHADOW OF INTENT brought a more symphonic approach to deathcore, whilst still having brutal intensity as the backbone of their offerings. The rapid-fire nature of the evening continued as the barbaric They Murdered Sleep lead the procession of songs from their 2025 album Imperium Delirium featuring everything from choral moments to blistering breakdowns, rounding off with the chug-heavy Feeding The Meatgrinder, a song which appropriately features CORPSEGRINDER. The band concluded their set with the Halo-inspired The Heretic Prevails, a song which was a clear favourite amongst fans in the audience. American deathcore titans WHITECHAPEL were the final support to round off this intense lineup. This year marks the twentieth year of the band, with WHITECHAPEL remaining key figures of the genre, and that was entirely evident through the audience's reaction to every song. Following suit from SHADOW OF INTENT, WHITECHAPEL’s first half of their setlist comprised of songs from their 2025 release Hymns in Dissonance, including the title track, the audience even got the appearance of the iconic mask from the album cover, with singer Phil Bozeman placing it on his head before returning it to the drum kit where it remained for the rest of the set. This was broken up with an intense instrumental Necrotising before diving headfirst into some of their older tracks. They truly delivered a masterclass in raw deathcore excellence, proving they are still top of the game twenty years on. After the supports concluded, the crowd was thoroughly warmed up, and so was the venue. The duality of metalheads resulted in everyone belting along to BONNIE TYLER’s Total Eclipse of the Heart before the headliners commenced. It was now LORNA SHORE’s turn to take to the stage, and as the music began, the curtain displaying the band logo dropped, and the fans cheered and watched in awe. LORNA SHORE’s growth in the scene with the addition of Will Ramos has been amazing to behold, going from a sold-out Club Academy show four years ago to a sold-out Victoria Warehouse. Despite the frontman having the flu and announcing to the crowd that he was going to need their help, he still commanded the stage with unrelenting fury, powering his immense vocals. With plenty of pyrotechnics, epic guitar solos from Adam De Micco, and Will’s signature pig squeals, this show was testimony to the impact that LORNA SHORE is having within the deathcore and metal scene as a whole. The setlist featured mostly songs from their latest release, beginning with Oblivion, straight into the powerful and inspiring Unbreakable. After this, it was drummer Austin Archey’s time to shine with War Machine, a song which the band announced they would be filming the music video for. These were broken up with songs from Pain Remains, which included the ferocious Sun//Eater with guest vocals from photographer Nick Chance, and, of course, the emotional trilogy titled after the album, played in full. The band closed out the set with an encore of To The Hellfire, appropriately surrounded by fire. Words and photos: Libby Percival

In the twenty-four years that have passed since their formation, and through several line-up changes, personal losses and fifteen studio albums, experimental noise band XIU XIU (pronounced ‘shoo-shoo’) have become practised masters at stirring up dark, ugly feelings that would usually otherwise prefer to stay repressed. The bleak honesty and vulnerability of vocalist and founding member Jamie Stewart is a shaking hand holding a mirror for the listener to see themselves in, set amongst a world of chaotic percussion, synthesisers and twinkling bells. But in Eraserhead XIU XIU, we see the band at their most conceptual and experimental. In 2016 came Plays the Music of Twin Peaks, XIU XIU’s tribute to 90’s show ‘Twin Peaks’ and their first tribute to legendary filmmaker David Lynch. The album was met with wide critical acclaim, regarded as their most accessible album to date. But in the wake of Lynch’s untimely passing in 2025, XIU XIU sought to make tribute to his work once again, this time with his first film as the subject; ‘Eraserhead’ (1977). Over a small run of performances, XIU XIU examine and reanimate Lynch’s dreamscape exploration of sexuality, temptation, parenthood and suffering through their show Eraserhead XIU XIU. For their first night in London, the prestigious Institute of Contemporary Arts was sold out, packed full – and dead silent. The lights went dark twenty seconds ago, and since that moment not a single sound has left the crowd. The seconds ticked by without an inkling of life from backstage, until eventually a door opened, and two-thirds of the current experimental noise band XIU XIU’s lineup - Angela Seo and Jamie Stewart - emerged, taking their place before a complex set up of pedals, modular synths, keyboards and various homemade instruments. The crowd cheered. It was the only noise the audience made before the band left the stage again at the end of the night. A steady whirr began, and the screen behind the band lit up. A black and white clip of wasps, writhing on top of one another, was shown first. Then sea foam bubbling and frothing on the shore, then a crumbling concrete building falling and crashing into the ground below. An ominous ringing set the tone, as more images flicked on the screen. The atmosphere was suffocating. It was hard not to feel claustrophobic. The mood was heavy, and the images were grotesque, all varying degrees of disturbing and upsetting. There was a deafening screech, conjured by twisting dials and electrical interference. If the intention was to make the audience’s skin crawl, the artists were incredibly successful. Soon, there were animals on the screens. Monkeys, and birds, and finally hens. The duo used various bird call instruments into the microphone, looping and distorting them until they were indistinguishable from the rest of the cacophony. Images of the bleeding hen at the dinner table from the ‘Eraserhead’ movie came to mind, and that same queasy effect was evoked. The only live vocals from the show were also direct quotes from the movie; Seo repeatedly shouted “shut up” as baby gurgling noises were mixed and repeated on the soundboard, referencing the scene where the protagonist’s wife left him with their perpetually screaming, alien-like newborn. Later, Stewart screamed “okay Paul” repeatedly – another direct quote from the movie, where the protagonist’s head was turned into erasers in a twisted nightmare. This time, unsettling clown noises were played on a loop, along with circus horns and slide whistles blown into the microphone. The images on the screen were of abstract clown faces and fetish content now – women in bikinis, spilling milk over themselves. Cow costumes, suggestive poses, breasts and feet. Then suddenly... gargoyles. It was a dizzying array of ideas that felt like indoctrination. It was impossible to feel comfortable for even a second. Eventually though, the noise simmered down to nothing but a heart beat. Stewart carefully rang a tiny bell into the microphone, then two, the light twinkling noise a soothing relief after the onslaught of darkness. Like the closing moments of a séance. Finally, we heard the only sung vocals of the night – a cover of In Heaven, the only song featured in the original ‘Eraserhead’ movie. It consisted of only a few lines, but was a beautiful and touching final tribute. Just as the film concluded with a final act of violence, though, so did the show. Stewart rised from the pedals and machinery, over to a black crate at the side of the stage. They furiously grabbed glass bottle after glass bottle from the crate, throwing them into a large bin and smashing with a large stick. The glass shattered, tiny shards flying through the air illuminated by the white screen behind them. When they were finished, they dusted their jacket off and made their way to the front of the stage, where the pair took their final bow. As though the veil had been lifted, the audience cheered once more. The spell was broken. XIU XIU are masters of the abstract, and so it was not surprising that they were able to conjure up such a level of uneasiness so quickly and easily. Like everything they do, there was a level of honesty in this performance that is difficult to truly explain. It felt like looking in someone’s diary, and wondering if you should call the police to come and get them. Like a stranger telling you their deepest, darkest secrets. Like stumbling onto a dark corner of the internet, late at night. It was a fitting tribute to one of film’s greatest talents, and was just as sick and twisted as he was. For any Lynch fan who finds themselves fascinated with the macabre, XIU XIU do an excellent job of replicating the feelings that Lynch evoked almost fifty years ago, in a way that only they could do it. Past the nausea and uneasiness, it was impossible not to be in awe. Words: Ellen Lovell Photos: Atoosa Salamat

In a world that seems to be becoming more and more bleak, US indie rocker LIZ FURMAN, known professionally as EZRA FURMAN, stands proud in her identity to remind us of the importance of nurturing creativity and artistry in the face of oppression. With almost 20 years of experience as a musician after forming EZRA FURMAN & THE HARPOONS during university and ten studio albums, her latest album Goodbye Small Head released in February 2025, FURMAN has seen the world and herself change throughout the years. After multiple shows in Europe and parts of the UK, FURMAN and her backing band, supported by art rock band MODERN WOMAN, conclude on a rainy Wednesday night at the O2 Forum Kentish Town.Over one thousand people were ready for FURMAN’S performance. And boy, did she deliver. London-based art rockers MODERN WOMAN opened the stage with a bang, serving as a prelude for what was to come. Originally founded as a solo project by vocalist and guitarist SOPHIE HARRIS, the lineup expanded to what it is now, with bassist and saxophonist JUAN BRINT-GUTIÉRREZ, drummer ADAM BLACKHURST and percussionist, keyboard and violin player DAVID DENYER joining to form MODERN WOMAN. Aiming to blend punk and folk, their first single, Juniper, was released in August 2021. Now preparing to release their debut album, Johnny's Dreamworld this May, MODERN WOMAN are gearing up for a great year ahead. Despite having one single released, MODERN WOMAN treated the pit to multiple songs from their upcoming album, with HARRIS' operatic and haunting vocals taking centre stage when performing Daniel, accompanied with minimal instrumentals from DENYER'S violin and GUTIÉRREZ'S bass. Halfway through their set, HARRIS speaks to the audience about her experience being on tour with Furman, pointing out that she previously lived in Kentish Town and walked past the O2 Forum every day, making it quite surreal that she's been able to perform here for the first time. Ending the set with lead single Dashboard Mary, ethereal synths breaking down into dissonance and distorted, masterful guitars, MODERN WOMAN have made their mark on the audience, proving that FURMAN made the right call in having them tour with her. No wonder FURMAN said "Modern Woman forever" - we're inclined to agree. Everything is set for FURMAN’S arrival, and she received a queen's welcome. Wasting no time, she opens with Grand Mal, a cathartic display of rage and dismay with everything around her, pumping the audience for the full extent of her emotional expression in 20 years of doing music and being creative. Halfway through, FURMAN strips back, leaving only herself and an acoustic guitar on stage. Exclusively for London, she performs Why Don't You Record One of My Songs, an amusing song about selling her songs to other artists like Carly Rae Jepsen, because "let's be honest, my fan base is fading". A dry and witty commentary on the state of the music industry for the vast majority of artists, FURMAN’S unique sense of vulnerability and honesty in her music is what has drawn so many people to her ever since her solo career started in 2012. With the band reintroduced to the stage after The Queen of Hearts, FURMAN decides to throw things back to the late 2000s with an EZRA FURMAN & THE HARPOONS song, Take Off Your Glasses, with the midwest emo aspect cranked up to the maximum. Equipped with a harmonica and a guitar, FURMAN performs this song in a new light, reflecting on how she has changed throughout the years and ad libbing about her pre-transition self, with thunderous applause and cheers from the pit. FURMAN returns for an encore after closing off with Can I Sleep in Your Brain/Calm Down aka I Should Not Be Alone, and she comes back with a bang, pumped to close off this show and her UK/EU tour. An evident fan favourite, Love You So Bad was met with people clapping along to the beat of the song as FURMAN performs one of the songs featured in the soundtrack of Sex Education, choosing to close off her show for good in an upbeat fashion. Finishing with the appropriately named Tell 'em All to Go to Hell, FURMAN urges the audience to "join something you believe in" and fight against the people who are "trying to crush the human spirit". Who doesn't love cursing people out in a fun and upbeat way? EZRA FURMAN proves that despite those in power wanting to work against our best interests, there is still hope out there in people assembling and creating something meaningful together. Addressing the audience, FURMAN points out that "I just think it's an act of freedom to share stuff and to be like creative", and it's those words that should resonate with anyone daring to create. Words and Photos: Atoosa Salamat

A Saturday night in Sheffield with VUKOVI and friends, for the second leg of the MY GOD HAS GOT A GUN Tour - what more could you want? Following on from an outstanding first leg of the tour, the Scottish alternative heavyweights set out across the UK to bring their wildly unique mix of electro rock and nu metal riffs to adoring crowds once again. Kicking off the evening was shoegaze noisemakers FLESH PLANET who are a four piece band hailing from West Yorkshire. Despite recurrent issues with the mic, DAMIAN HUGHES (vocals, guitar, synthesiser), ANDREY PAVLOVIC (guitar), JEMAL BEAU MALKI (bass), and CONNOR FISHER-ATACK (drums, vocals) delivered an energetic shoegaze-infused grunge rock set to the eager crowd. Following up next was goth-adjacent rockers SAINT AGNES, a four-piece from London. Straight off the bat, the crowd was loving their sound, and vocalist KITTY A. AUSTEN delivered an intense vocal performance, backed up by guitarist JON JAMES TUFNELL, drummer ANDY HEAD and touring bassist MAXINE CAHILL. Track You Belong to Me gave heavy NINE INCH NAILS vibes, which only added to the energy of the room. The pivotal moment of the show came when AUSTEN stated how hot they were in their suit, which when met with a typically misogynistic heckle of “Take it off!”, she batted it straight back at the guy with a perfectly timed “You take yours off!” retort. VUKOVI took the stage with an entrance worthy of the main stage at Download; vocalist JANINE SHILSTONE appeared, bottle of champagne in hand, swagger engaged. She doesn’t just command the room, she detonates in the centre of it in a blur of glitter, grit and high energy. A VUKOVI show always promises chaos, charisma and a guaranteed high octane performance and at Foundry, on a rainy Saturday night in Yorkshire, they delivered and then some. They opened with THIS IS MY LIFE AND MY TRAUMA, then slammed straight into GUNGHO, MISTY ECSTASY and SLO, a run that whipped the room into an early moshpit. SHILSTONE, accompanied by guitarist HAMISH REILLY continued to bring a raw, but delightfully chaotic stage presence, stating early on how “Sheffield’s fucking class”, much to the enjoyment of the crowd. A heavy set list of tracks from the Fall Better, NULA and MY GOD HAS GOT A GUN albums followed; Violent Minds, C.L.A.U.D.I.A, MERCY KILL, HADES, FALLEN BEYOND, CREEP HEAT, each welcomed with open arms by the crowd. It’s clear that you don’t just watch VUKOVI perform; you get swept into their gravitational pull and you can’t get out, even if you wanted to. Amongst all of the chaos, a man called Dan loses his anime girl t-shirt and just has to make sure JANINE is aware of this ‘emergency’. The enigmatic front woman plays along with this and demands a full scale search of the floor before she takes a seat on the edge of the stage to perform a stripped back version of Colour Me In, taking a well deserved break from what seemed like running laps. An incredibly curated run of heavier songs followed; LASSO, BLADED, MY GOD HAS GOT A GUN, I EXIST and Run/Hide, which prompted the age old ‘YORKSHIRE’ chant at the close. The performance of the closing track of the night La Di Da, however, made the rest of the set seem like a warm up. SHILSTONE performed the song entirely from a crowd member's shoulders, still holding the bottle of champagne, whilst spinning around, with people also running circles around her. It was utterly, almost violently exceptional, proving that it’s not just Sheffield who were “fucking class” that night. Watching VUKOVI that night showed just why they have one of the most devoted fanbases across the UK alt‑rock and metal scenes. There’s a strange beauty in the way they weaponise atmosphere; a metallic edge to their live sound, drums that hit like machinery, and vocals that cut through the noise with surgical clarity. Every chorus delivered by SHILSTONE lands like a firework shot into the ceiling, and REILLY’S guitar work slices through the mix with a kind of playful violence. Even in their heaviest moments, there’s a dreamlike quality to their performance, a sense that the whole set is teetering between euphoria and collapse, and the fans are there, ready and waiting. Words: Lou Viner-Flood Photos: Conrad Newton

With a sold-out London headline show, a top five German rock chart entry, their biggest UK tour successfully finished and a fresh signing to the Epitaph Records, London-based four-piece LEAP are riding a wave entirely of their own making. Following their first full album release - Entropy, an emotionally charged statement of independence, catharsis, and friendship - we sat down with the frontman Jack Scott right after the big release to discuss this leap of faith that has clearly paid off. Jack spoke with a mix of warmth and humility that makes LEAP’s recent success feel even more hard-won. When we talked, he was still processing the chaos of the road. “We had quite an eventful day yesterday,” he laughs. “We just played a show in Manchester and we were leaving to go to Glasgow, but twenty minutes in, our van just completely gives up.” Six hours stranded on the roadside later, the band were forced to cancel the Glasgow show, which was a first for them. “We were pretty gutted about that,” Jack admits, “but we’ve got a big show at Village Underground in London tomorrow, so we’re super excited for that. It’s like seven-hundred cap, and sold out.” Setbacks like that have become part of LEAP’s story, but they handle them with humour and heart. The band’s foundation is simple: friendship. “It’s made up of four best friends. That’s me, Hector, who I grew up with in Edinburgh, Declan, and Adam. We’re just four best mates doing our thing, a totally independent band [at the time of the interview] touring all over Europe.” That closeness gives them strength when touring starts to take its toll. Jack describes it as “a big sort of holiday; a very stressful holiday.” Between the exhaustion and emotion, it’s an intense experience. “It’s definitely quite an emotional rollercoaster,” he says. “One moment I’m gonna cry, and then I’m having the best time, it’s a bit of a mindfuck.” That vulnerability carries straight into ‘Entropy’. The record fuses anthemic alt-rock, grunge textures, and big energy, but at its core it is all about connection: between the band, their audience, and the people who find comfort in their words. “Because we’re quite open with our songwriting, I think people feel like… connected. After shows, when we’re meeting all the fans, sometimes we’re having really deep conversations about quite heavy stuff,” Jack explains. “It is quite emotionally intense, because you feel like you’re trying to express yourself every night and be honest on stage.” One of the album’s most affecting moments, Messages, deals with grief head-on. “‘Messages’ is about when I lost my old man in 2021,” Jack says quietly. He tells me that fans have reached out to share their own stories, often about loss or healing. “I think that’s a really beautiful thing,” he says. “We’re kind of creating a community of slightly damaged individuals that can sort of, you know, look after each other. And there’s this little expression that we sort of came up with, we call it rock and roll therapy.” That phrase feels like a mission statement. LEAP’s live shows are loud, sweaty, and cathartic, a communal release for band and audience alike. “There’s no better feeling than just getting into a mosh pit with a bunch of these people that all feel the same way about things as you. It feels like a really healing experience.” That openness, he insists, is not calculated. “I wouldn’t say it was like a conscious decision. I just think it’s sort of like when a song is flowing out of you, that just tends to be what comes out.” The process of capturing that honesty, though, can be brutal. “I wish I could give the really sexy answer that it’s all one take, but it’s definitely not,” he laughs. “It’s quite a painful process… I’ve spent whole afternoons doing like two lyrics before.” However, over time, the band had learned to embrace imperfection. “We’ve tried to learn to not be as much [of perfectionists], because I think the most important thing is just getting the songs done and getting them out. Trying to capture that little moment in time.” Jack points to I Was Never There as the perfect example of how spontaneity pays off. “It’s a really dancey one, and it almost didn’t make the album. Then we were like, no, let’s add in some fun, something spicy,” he jokes. “And then playing that one at the shows, it’s been great to see people actually properly dancing to it.” If that track represents the euphoric side of LEAP, the closing song Eclipse offers something more introspective. “It seems to be connecting really well with people,” Jack notes. “So I’m happy with how those are going.” Between the highs and lows of touring, LEAP are constantly writing, even on the move. “If you stop for too long, you start doubting yourself,” Jack admits. “We’ve started this thing where we get some of our demos that we’re working on, and we listen to them while we’re on the road. You just start singing along and coming up with ideas while you’re still in that sort of rock and roll mindset.” That drive to keep creating is absolutely paying off too. At the time of the interview, the band were midway through a massive UK and European tour, with a U.S. run already planned for next spring. “We’ve got big plans. We’ve kind of got the next two years of touring mapped out, and then past that we’re looking at places like Australia and Japan.” Jack’s previous band was signed to a major label, and the experience made him wary. “It’s just easy to spend money that’s there when you have it,” he reflects, “but if it’s not going to the right places, then you’re just essentially putting your business into the hole.” So, this time, LEAP are doing it all their own way, and it is working. “Now we’re almost at 700,000 monthly listeners [on Spotify], and we’ve sold like 15,000 tickets on this tour already.” While admittedly stressful to manage alone from the start, it is a cause to celebrate. “It’s a good problem to have. If you’re not a little bit stressed, then you’re not doing something right.” Their breakthrough came through sheer persistence. On their first European tour, the band took a gamble, booking dates in countries where no one even knew their name. “We didn’t have any listeners across Europe,” Jack recalls. “We just said, let’s put the tour on and see what happens. And suddenly so many people were showing up to these shows all over Europe. What the fuck is going on?” The momentum snowballed from there. Their single Sinking Feeling found major traction on Spotify playlists, and LEAP suddenly found themselves in front of growing audiences across the continent. “That really boosted our listenership, it all just started this snowballing effect.” For Jack, though, success is not about numbers, it is about purpose. “The whole reason the name LEAP came around is from being in a situation where I wasn’t believing in myself anymore,” he says. “I was doubting myself and depressed. I just really hope that people who listen to LEAP, if they’re in that sort of position, can find the courage to believe in themselves and give themselves that chance. Take the leap, you know what I mean?” He smiles, the sentiment sincere and unguarded. “I’m hoping people can put it on nice and loud in their headphones and be like, “I am going to fuck today up.” “ With their debut album Entropy out now and their recent signing to the Epitaph Records, LEAP are doing exactly that - taking the jump, and never looking back. Words: Zuzanna Pazola Photos: Jennifer McCord With thanks to: Leap and the Good As Gold Group

POWER SNATCH is the new project from singer HAYLEY WILLIAMS and songwriter DANIEL JAMES, who WILLIAMS worked with previously on her latest solo album Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party in late 2025. Together they have now released a debut of three new songs, known as EP1, plus a single on streaming services called ASSIGNMENT. WILLIAMS is famously known as being the lead singer of PARAMORE - whose last release was This Is Why back in 2023 - and has been using her creative powers ahead of her upcoming worldwide tour for her solo work. Let’s have a dive into the three tracks that create EP1. It is an online exclusive that can be purchased on Bandcamp. The track DMs talks about reminiscing and processing the emotion of a different version of herself, from within her memories. It also shows a reflection of personal growth and a chance to process closure. Lyrically it’s as if she mourns that version of herself but cannot let go. DUH is taken literally and is used as a melody, whilst the lyrics explain everything that consumes her mind and how that may differ from what other people think. It also gives some thought pieces to inspire the listener to ponder the same items, with lyrics such as “I think about Wayne’s World the way some people think about the Godfather”. HOLE IN THE CEILING has a clear emotion of sitting in your own feelings after the end of a relationship, and not wanting to ever entertain another “leave me alone, it’s much too soon”. It also relates to the outside influences from people trying to influence a person’s love life. The way the instruments blend together in the song creates a bit of a disorientating notion. Released as a separate single into streaming services, the track ASSIGNMENT has a spoken word with a very strong guitar riff and an almost haunting electronic sound. The track starts with a bit of a story telling motion, leading into a spoken monologue that lyrically sounds like an internal dialect of keeping herself level headed whilst processing emotions and the details of what she has been through. The project as a whole has been received greatly by fans with a lot of them enjoying the freedom that POWER SNATCH has given WILLIAMS creatively. There are strong baselines, thought-provoking lyrics, and a true indie sound to differentiate this work from the former. There is a true indie sound across this EP that feels stripped back, raw and back to WILLIAMS’ roots; with a certain change from the pop rock sound we are familiar with hearing from her. We are all looking forward to hearing more from this project and any future releases from this band. Score: 9/10 EP1 was released on 1st February 2026 on Bandcamp. Words: Angel Turley Photos: Zachary Gray

PONY’s third album Clearly Cursed dropping on February 13th, with five songs already released from the album, and a recent busy touring schedule with JIMMY EAT WORLD, MSPAINT and POOL KIDS to name a few, is inspired by feeling cursed. That feeling sparked a memory for singer SAM BIELANSKI who visited a psychic at 21 who told her she had a ‘dark spirit attachment’. After a challenging time working on this project BIELANSKI and other founding member MATTY MONRAD were joined by touring collaborators CHRISTIAN BEALE and JOEY GINALD to create a musical identity that they have dreamed of since they first formed over a decade ago. It takes their glittery power pop sound and adds an 80s inspired synth and 90s grunge creating a nostalgic feel to the album. Kicking off the album is the track Superglue which talks about the feelings of jealousy and processing those emotions rather than feeling ashamed about them. The song feels like it could be played radio wide with ease. Following on is Freezer which is a song about being lied to and mistreated with lyrical themes of sweet versus bitterness with some of the analogies being more literal. The sound is more electronic with heavier guitars and drum presence bringing that nostalgic feel. Sunny Something has a slow build up, which gives it that perfect movie soundtrack vibe, whilst being a reminiscent feeling of how it was and how not to get left behind. Middle of Summer is the lead single from the album, which was written to honour their cat that they lost a couple summers ago, and the lyrics show that with a theme of surviving with phrases such as “tread water”. The very catchy Hot and Mean has a spoken word bridge that grabs your attention after being engrossed in the chorus that will get stuck in your head. Originally to be a SHERYL CROW inspired song, Blame Me talks about a strained relationship, with a drum riff changing the pace after the chorus, which could also be a nod to the fact the song went through many versions before landing as is. Title track Clearly Cursed talks about portraying a front when feeling troubled mentally, which also fits for the theme of the album. Brilliant Blue encapsulates those first dates kind of feelings with a higher vocal range and very catchy rhythm. Every Little Crumb has a very strong guitar presence compared to the last few songs, with a lot of extra background vocals which makes it feel like “every little crumb” has been taken literally into a jam packed song, which suits the theme of talking about a very full mind. It creates that busy mind sensation with the layers all intertwined. The close off the album Swallowing Stars talks about wanting to be a certain type of person but not being able to uphold that role, but also the pressure of realising that being a relief. The way in which the album has been compiled is very enticingly nostalgic with a variation of lyrical emotions and layers. Each song has its own level of emotion, as well as the work as a whole being very relatable. It’s a very enjoyable listen and a great way to show the stage in which the band is currently in! Score: 8/10 Clearly Cursed will be released on 13th February 2026 via Take This to Heart Records. Words: Angel Turley Photos: PONY

Valentine's day may be coming up, but here at Out of Rage, the only thing we're falling in love with is the wealth of new music coming out lately. Here's what we've been listening to: The Amity Affliction - House of Cards THE AMITY AFFLICTION have released their first single from their upcoming album of the same name HOUSE OF CARDS! This song marks the start of a new era and sets the tone for what they have to bring to the table. The track opens atmospheric and echoing with electronic components filling the spaces in the back ground. JOEL BIRCH comes with his melodic vocals as the instrumentals morph around him building into a screaming prechorus. The end of the second verse breaks into a pounding breakdown, a jumpy beat with a chanting vocal line, the kind perfect for a crowd to all shout together. This track is lined with everything metalcore is all about and is in line to become a well known banger, it just makes us amped for what more the album can give! Words: Amy Smyth Bilmuri - Twice With the announcement of a brand new album, BILMURI have released the track TWICE for a taste of what's to come. The track is jumpy with thick guitars lining the beat and the lyrics are, as expected, extremely catchy. Of course the track had to include a glorious saxophone solo from GABI ROSE becoming a bit of a signature on the BILMURI sound. Featuring a breakdown that you can envision being sung along together with a crowd at all their live shows in 2026. The song is at the core what BILMURI is, it's their self made signature sound that resembles everything the band is and is totally unique to them. With a huge 2026 lined up already they've announced the new album, a brand new world tour and many festivals as well as a few more shows opening for BAD OMENS, this is about to be their year! Words: Amy Smyth Delilah Bon - ILLEGAL ALIENS After making the difficult but necessary decision to cancel her upcoming US tour, DELILAH BON has released brand new track ILLEGAL ALIENS, as a heavy response to the current human‑rights violations happening across the Atlantic, as well as echoing through our streets and our homes. ILLEGAL ALIENS is a quintessential protest song; angry, emotional but full of truth, a call out to all to stop just watching and start acting - “I’m scrolling my phone and feeling so helpless just waiting for someone to act. The release is already facing regional censorship and the audio is being muted on social feeds showing just how much we need songs like this in 2026. Words: Lou Viner-Flood Knocked Loose - Hive Mind (ft. Denzel Curry) KNOCKED LOOSE have had the pleasure of being quite well known for a while now but after their recent performances in the mainstream eye and the release of their 2024 album doing incredibly well, they're bigger now more than ever. HIVE MIND is their first track released since the 2024 album and it features none other than American rapper DENZEL CURRY. The track brings the well known chaos that KNOCKED LOOSE add to anything they touch, then switches to a trap beat, going back and forth between the styles of the two artists featured before finally mashing them together when DENZEL comes in for a fire verse over the catastrophic metal instrumental. A KNOCKED LOOSE track would be nothing without an insane breakdown, this one lead by DENZEL and the line "when I say jump you gon' motherfucking jump bitch" which had jaws dropping here at Out Of Rage. The chorus is extremely catchy, the breakdown is brutal, there's nothing the song is missing, we would love to see this become a legendary track just like past KNOCKED LOOSE releases. Words: Amy Smyth Shoreline - Youthfully Naive Next month up and coming emo punk band SHORELINE will be releasing their 4th full length album Is This The Low Point Or The Moment After? and have released the track Youthfully Naive in advance. The track is nostalgic and reminiscent of all those early 2000s punk bands we grew up with. The lyrics touch on the pains of being young and naive; it's almost an emotional listen. The song lacks much structure and doesn't really let you know where it's going next, creating an interesting listening experience. The bridge has layered soft vocals before dropping back into the addictive chorus. The number patters out into an instrumental with a last "it must be so overwhelming" from the chorus leaving you wanting more. With the release of their album and shows lined up for the album release we're very excited to see what they do next! Words: Amy Smyth Skindred - This Is The Sound The second tantalising teaser for SKINDRED’s soon-to-be releasing April You Got This album, This Is The Sound that even after all this time still makes us go crazy. Every new track of theirs must compete with a truly venerable, legendary discography – but the groovy thunder on display here well shows the ragga metal mavericks are still far from done with us. On the catchier spectrum, this sound still dreams of a burning Babylon while enlisting a rumbustious refrain sure to be stuck in your head and get your body bouncing. The classic sound is all still here: hearty ragga-blasting bars still riding the lightning of SKINDRED’s patented devilish drumming, simply well-tuned to the modern scene style. Words: J.T. Czaicki Varials - The Hurt Chamber Just 3 weeks away from the release of their 4th full length album, VARIALS have released the 6th track on the run up. Coming from the heart of the album, it’s a meaty number that really gives us a sneak peak to what the whole album can offer. The track opens ominously before bursting devastation with echoing vocals and maximum distortion. Switching between highs and lows the contrast gives the listener whiplash. The breakdown brings quick blast beats, a thick twangy bassline and drum beats that give the drums a voice of their own. The last sections bring together screams and airy vocals, layered together making them quite frankly addictive. If this track is anything to go by, the album will be something to behold. Words: Amy Smyth Editor: Naomi Colliar Duff Photos: Various Artists

ANGEL DU$T are a true underground gem, having been releasing fantastic music for a decade and playing for even longer. With a roster of current and former members as long as the average football team, they’re a true hardcore punk project of DIY community love, and that exact idea pervades new record COLD 2 THE TOUCH - from new members joining, to old members still helping write, and a number of exquisite guest appearances, the list of contributors is seemingly never ending. New to the fold are guitarist JIM CARROLL, of AMERICAN NIGHTMARE and THE HOPE CONSPIRACY, as well as drummer NICK LEWIS. Whilst there’s a notable edge to the band that has not necessarily felt quite this pronounced due to CARROLL's input, this does nothing to dampen the incessantly high spirits of their music, and in fact acts to hone their direction on tracks like Dust when the music swells. LEWIS simply finds himself running the pocket like nobody’s business, holding the band together and finding groove and making them that much more infectious, even as he produces high-octane drum lines that draw from both hardcore and pop punk. As always, they run the gamut of sounds and genres - one moment able to compare to BAD BRAINS or GORILLA BISCUITS, and the next closer to ALICE IN CHAINS than anything else, before sharply veering into TURNSTILE territory, and plenty more. The entire LP feels like one great exploration of everything good and fun within rock n’ roll, never sitting still for more than a moment and embracing every twist that presents itself to them. Each song is a new listen and should be treated as such, yet the whole album manages to be entirely cohesive in a way it frankly should not be. From the title track’s upbeat punk attitude and gang vocals, to the grungy start of Man On Fire, and the enormity of final track The Beat’s sledgehammer riffs, ANGEL DU$T prove themselves replete with talent even amongst the vast experience of contributors like FRANK CARTER, TAYLOR YOUNG, WEZ EISOLD and PATRICK COZENS. Track four Jesus Head starts out in a blissful haze of surf rock tone, where Downfall brings a stomping beat, even as Nothing I Can’t Kill approaches the listener like a post-hardcore version of what’s come before, and Zero swings for the tip-top of 90’s alt rock with a hardcore heart. Every moment feels fresh and new, never once stopping to consider what to do other than to carry on forwards. The energy and enjoyment is palpable, and the dedication to the scene they’ve come through and grown with is joyous to witness, along with the ceaseless opportunities given to others within it to show themselves off. ANGEL DU$T are of course heroes within hardcore, but hopefully this album will break out a little bit to give them more recognition from the wider music community, as this band have been owed their flowers for some time and it would only be right to receive them for an album this brilliant. Score: 9/10 COLD 2 THE TOUCH will be released on 13th February via Run For Cover Records Words: Jasmine Longhurst Photos: Angel Du$t

London's very own DEATH OF YOUTH are back with Nothing Is The Same Anymore, their second full length album since their debut in 2018. Having been almost five years since their last release, the band’s progression and improvement is all portrayed through this nine track album. It takes you through all walks of genres, the foundation being hardcore, but with influences drawn from all over like Midwest emo, screamo and 2000's post hardcore. The band only has a small following that does not at all reflect the talent and care put into this album, underrated isn’t a word we like to use lightly but it seems necessary to describe this band as so. Desensitised opens with crashing waves of growing riffs before the desolate screaming joins the chorus. The lyrics explore the themes of the media desensitising the public to the horrid goings on in the world, being extremely relevant to the current times. The minor riffs perfectly paint the rage and helplessness that the lyrics speak with amounts of distortion that make the sound feel as grand as an ocean that drowns the listener. As the first track set the tone for the album, the second track Rumination continues the desolation, with a shorter runtime but a faster beat, the riffs cycle round feeling like a churning stomach. The song changes tempo half way through switching to a jumpier beat flawlessly switching between the two bpms, then ringing out at the end of the track. Fix Your Heart or Die is the only track that has been released before the album, it draws more influence from those nostalgic 2000's post hardcore guitars. The number is very catchy and is clear to see why this was the pre-released track and is probably the most notable from the album for us at Out Of Rage. Around the two minute mark it drops into a half time breakdown and a chorus of screaming vocals, creating a grand feeling of doom and longing. Bystander opens more mellow than the rest of the album and is then followed by a spoken monologue as the music builds behind it. The monologue bashes the justice system and calls for revolution before jumping into hardcore chorus as the vocals morph to screams of frustration. The last minute builds and builds, the kind of lines you can picture a packed sweaty venue all shouting together. The fifth track brings the biggest change in the album so far with The Inverse of Patriotism leaning more towards a punk aesthetic. The song is fast paced with rampant drums and distorted guitars, the song has a disrupted structure giving no clues to what's happening next. Invertebrate leads with a nostalgic guitar riff, extremely reminiscent of those that lined the early lives of most alternative fans. At this point in the album, many of the songs do seem to meld into each other but that's not a knock to the quality of each of them individually. Each track is well produced and is a great display of composition and talent but the band would definitely benefit from branching out to different sounds and genres. Performance Art features more solo guitar sections and brings in a different beat with a hint of an electronic bass to add to its building bridge section. The breakdown is catastrophic with lines you can picture fans screaming together with the artist which leads to the end of the song, pattering out and leading into the next. Castle Rock melds together two vocal tones we've heard in the rest of the album with screams that become so desperate it's like spoken word. The instrumental is slower and hopeless in tone with guitars and bass dancing around each other and a beat that drags you through the track. Ending in a grand instrumental that echoes and again leads into the next making a three song amalgamation that takes you through many different notions. The last track Nothing is the Same Anymore, with the same name as the album it bursts straight into a full track with no time wasted on an intro. The lyrics are much more personal than the rest of the album, directly targeting a past that the protagonist is trying desperately to remove themselves from with the mark still deeply engrained in them. The track really leads back into the first track of the album being very similar in sound; it's an album that would be easy to instantly press replay on. The album isn't perfect but it is raw, it is a genuine accumulation of anger that most people living in this time feel and the music does a brilliant job at reflecting that. The album is bursting at the seams with real gritty and nostalgic hardcore and it seems the band will only go up from here. With a few gigs planned for the year, we hope to see them grow and flourish within the scene in 2026 and this album is just the start. Score: 7/10 Nothing Is The Same Anymore will be released on 16th February 2026 via Engineer Records and Grapes of Wrath Records Words: Amy Smyth Photos: Death of Youth

Newcastle gave VIANOVA a show they will never forget in the graffiti-covered attic of Zerox, packing into the venue for a sold out evening with support from SHIELDS. The show itself was short and sweet, with only the two on the lineup, but the energy from the two made for a perfect Thursday evening that wound down in time for the last metro home. The lights went down and metalcore outfit SHIELDS opened their set with Kill and Red & Green, where frontman Joe Edwards was not too talkative in the beginning, bar the standard “Hello Newcastle”. Edwards seemed to settle into the evening by the time they played Lacerate; first he coaxed the crowd to move by musing that the crowd had been mental, though later he remarked that he used to live there and was happy to be back. By the halfway point Zerox had found its energy and the pit opened up for yet another song, be it a bit of a stop and start situation at the beginning due to the clean vocals, but the rest of the room was still happy to put their hands in the air and keep them there, and by the end of the set there was a side by side as a finale. On stage, SHIELDS performed like they never left, with the tempo changing drums that made their latest album stand out being just as satisfying live. The performances from each member were passionate, with Edwards in particular gripping the mic to belt like a soul singer or standing with arms stretched out to invite the deep feelings that the Death & Connection track brought up. SHIELDS made a solid return to live shows and Zerox were very happy to have them. As the clock ticked half an hour, a glance out the side door of Zerox would show you VIANOVA, all donned in different versions of white shirts and white linen trousers, from drummer Paul Vogelgesang in a white vest, to frontman Alexander Kerski’s full three-piece accented by a white ushanka and sunglasses. The quartet took a couple minutes to pose for pictures through said doorway for the fans that could see them, before strutting towards the stage to M PEOPLE’s Moving On Up. As the track faded, Kerski started a clap for opening track Squier Talk, and the floor did not need much convincing before the whole room started bouncing. Vianova had the whole of Zerox electrified, with the rows before the circle pit bouncing with the band and the rows behind dancing in groups and couples. The pit itself took up half the room and was empty only for the one slow paced song on the setlist - Future Nostalgia, and despite the tight fit and low ceilings, a couple of patrons managed to crowdsurf their way to the stage. As for the crowd control, Kerski was joyous and happy to crack a joke, be it admitting that Oh No was hard to sing or laughing off that no one in the sold out room remembered the band’s square guitar phase. The frontman expressed enjoyment for their first time in the north of England and Zerox enjoyed them right back, shown by the chorus of voices singing the words back to VIANOVA, even for the new album Hit It!. This enjoyment really came to the fore as the show was due to come to a close: VIANOVA did the classic “give us an encore” move by shuffling to the side stage due to the lack of backstage in Zerox, coming back on by joking that Newcastle was going to pretend that they could not see them. The real closer was Wheel of Fortune, a funky rock track that had Zerox jumping, moshing and singing after a clap that never quite timed itself right. Vianova wished Newcastle "Thank you and goodbye.”, as the mirrors on the side wall of the venue misted bottom to top, but the hoots and hollers turned again to “One more song!” to which Kerski bargained that they wanted to be able to come back and they had to confirm with the venue; the sound tech’s thumb came up from the back of the room and the elated-thought bewildered Kerski asked, if Zerox would settle for a song they already played. Happy with this, the vocalist introduced with If you’re happy and you know it, launching into the second run of Más Rápido to the highest energy of the night. The pit opened wide, as the whole room bounced, and the lead crowdsurfed over the final chorus, but as the song ended and the chants started once again, Kerski simply said “Get the fuck out!” to end the evening. VIANOVA’s Newcastle leg was a sea of sweat and happiness nestled on the cold and rainy riverfront, with a crowd bursting with personality and artists able to bask in doing what they love. Zerox is a hidden gem of a venue with its underpass feel and intimate energy; it was easy to think this was the show VIANOVA will have compared all the others to as they closed out their UK tour on Saturday. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: Aylise Delano-Brown

The virulent beauty of annihilation has long been confirmed, ever since der Reise was first recounted from the ancient scrolls. But from the far, frigid north, a new Behemoth is set to awaken this February - the awe-inspiring The Beauty of Obliteration, the anticipated debut album from Reykjavik’s SLEEPING GIANT. Ground-shaking and havoc-inducing, the prophecy of destruction recounted here by the awakening beasts of the Earthrealm is sure to bring any listener on a tour of the grungiest, most distorted, vile, and downright devious riffs, all to the apocalyptic myth of an Earth shedding the hubris of humanity. Fans of the boiling tar rhythm of sludge doom metal will be more than pleasantly surprised by what these particular Giants have concocted; more than deserving of their name and doing the MASTODON track of the same title certainly proud. In production since 2024, The Beauty of Obliteration showcases the talents of vocalist ÞORSTEINSSON, BJÖRNSSON, PÉTURSSON and EIRÍKSSON on certainly-bloodied guitar strings, JÓHANNSSON on drums he may have fashioned from the skins of conquered peasants, and EINARSSON on a bass that seems to only get groovier with each sacrifice given in his name. Both EIRÍKSSON and PÉTURSSON feed their tenured talents from past project PLASTIC GODS directly into the Earthrealm’s maelstrom; however, both with a greater focus on a more bludgeoning, ice-cold growling sound over their past warmer, more stoner-inclined tunes. The album, if it was not one of music, would take the form of a blunt battleaxe, searing through swathes of mortals in the hands of a “merciless beast” through sheer force of inertia alone. No better is the sheer pungent, power-hungry groove of obliteration evidenced than in each song’s waveform: sheer blocks of sound, each track an awakening jotun itself. There is truly only one way to describe SLEEPING GIANT’s debut, from emotion, to theme, to tone: and that is as a reckoning. Opening with the rampaging victory of Conqueror, a song enough to shake the very ground, crumble empires and break the realm, the album ensures each of the substantial tracks has plenty of time to shine itself – with the shortest being the crisp, headbang-inducing Venom Ripper, Gorgon Blaster at just under three minutes - with no riff left behind in the storm of sound. From Mobilizer of Evil through to Slay the King of Hell, the listener is blasted with electric riffs from the shoulders of giants that leaves only concern for the health - and sanity - of the guitarists. One would be remiss to not include EINARSSON in that worry; with the delectable funk opener to Slay The King of Hell seemingly descending from the heavens themselves before being subsumed into the mass of sound. Each track follows a particular pattern: the audio barrage escalated with intensity midway through with truly unique and cannibalistically delicious breakdowns. Whenever these moments occur, and the guitars are truly allowed to breathe, it is as if some ancient tonal magics from the volcanic core of Iceland itself briefly awaken in your eardrums- throwing, rather than pushing, each song from good to great. While parts of each song can occasionally appear almost safe in its commitment to a coherent, overly-consistent barbaric sound, the valiant riffs near the end of Venom Ripper and the very middle of The Monk, for example, stand out, and we hope SLEEPING GIANT’s future releases will only showcase more of these creative and song-defining breakdowns. The Monk particularly brilliantly sears the ears, the most stoner metal experience of the album certainly amplified by hitting the monk in time with its heavy guitar plucks, inhaling brilliant “unspeakable filth” through lungs and mind alike. Ending with Abysmal Flame, the album in spirit and sound provides not a final hurrah or encore, but a terrifying, awe-inspiring and hefty ten-minute power-ballad, no longer prophesying but announcing the terrible awakening of the SLEEPING GIANT. With its own ultimate mid-song breakdown staring in horror at the “setting sun” of man, it is the perfect culmination; as the oldest of the album, it well shows elements reproduced with their full beauty in each other track - from thrash interludes perfected in Venom Ripper to doom distortions made manifest in Conqueror. The Giant has, certainly, awoken. Bringing The Beauty of Obliteration to man, it’s clear SLEEPING GIANT rouses, hitting the ground running, and shows great, raw promise to descend from Iceland as a true reckoning across the scene. Bring forth more destructive, more impactful and more sound-defining breakdowns to be dispersed through each song, more confidence in their well-practised craft, and (just in case) more medical attention to bleeding fingers and frayed vocal cords, and 2026 may yet be the summer of SLEEPING GIANT. May the reckoning come. Score: 7/10 The Beauty of Obliteration will be released on 6th February 2026 via Octopus Rising and Argonauta Records. Words: Jakub Tomasz Czaicki Photos: Sleeping Giant