BODYSNATCHER have never exactly been a band for easy listening, but Hell Is Here, Hell Is Home might be the most suffocating and confrontational record they’ve put out yet. Following on from Vile Conduct, this fourth full-length doesn’t just double down on their usual themes. It sharpens them into something uglier, more direct, and more real. From the opening seconds of The Maker it’s clear they’re not interested in easing you in. The track hits like a blunt-force trauma: dense riffs, relentless drumming, and Kyle Medina sounding like he’s ripping something out of his chest rather than just delivering vocals. It sets the tone for a record that feels less like a collection of songs and more like a sustained outburst. Lyrically, this is still very much BODYSNATCHER territory - there's grief, betrayal, anger, survival - but it doesn’t feel recycled. There’s a noticeable shift here where the personal and the external start bleeding into each other. It’s not just about individual pain anymore; there’s a wider frustration with the world baked into these songs. You can hear it in tracks like Writhe And Coil and Violent Obsession which carry this constant sense of tension, like they’re seconds away from snapping completely. May Your Memory Rot is probably the emotional core of the album, and it’s as uncomfortable as it is intense. There’s nothing abstract about it. It’s specific, bitter, and openly hostile in a way that makes it hit harder than the usual vague heaviness a lot of bands lean on. It feels lived-in, not written. On the other end, Survive or Die brings in Scott Vogel which makes perfect sense given how much hardcore DNA runs through BODYSNATCHER’S sound. It doesn’t feel like a gimmick feature either. It fits naturally into the track and adds to the album’s underlying theme of pushing back instead of folding. Musically, nothing here is trying to reinvent deathcore, and that’s probably the point. The band sticks to what they do best: punishing breakdowns, bleak atmosphere, and riffs that feel designed to wear you down rather than hook you in. But there’s a confidence to it now - everything feels tighter, more deliberate. Even at its most chaotic, the album knows exactly what it’s doing. Tracks like Blade Between the Teeth and Two Empty Caskets keep the momentum going without feeling repetitive, while closer Hell Is Home leaves things on a bleak but fitting note. There’s no resolution here, no sense of things getting better, just acceptance of the mess and a refusal to be passive in it. If anything, that’s what defines this record. It’s not just angry for the sake of it. It's anger with direction. The kind that comes from experience rather than image. It won’t be for everyone, and it’s not trying to be. But for anyone who’s followed BODYSNATCHER up to this point, this feels like a band fully locked into who they are, pushing that identity as far as it can go. It’s heavy, it’s ugly, and it doesn’t let up. Exactly what you’d want from them, just taken a step further. Score: 9/10 Hell Is Here, Hell Is Home will be released on 10th April 2026 via MNRK Heavy. Words: Jack Norris Photos: Bodysnatcher

For a band that hasn’t yet released an EP, BLUSH PUPPY are the band on everyone’s radar, already hitting the “Ones to Watch” and “Emerging Artists” lists from multiple music outlets after their successful support slots with BAD NERVES and POOL KIDS. It’s not hard to see why they’re already on everyone’s watch list with the arrival of their debut EP Here You Dream, a cinematic blend of emo/alt/grunge rock, set to release on 10th April via Venn Records. This is their initiation to the world and it’s absolutely stunning. Here You Dream started its humble journey in a garden shed, before progressing to the Midlands four-piece working with Grammy winning producer Adrian Bushby, to produce a visionary sound that will captivate a huge audience, from the playlist listeners to the gig-goers looking for their next energetic band fix. A quickfire, distorted riff leads us into Here You Dream’s opener Polish the Chrome before vocalist Luke Osmond leads the teeth-shaking fusion of instruments and backing vocals, the verses brief but the choruses hard-hitting with lyrics of “I’ll never let you in unless I know you could be trusted”, accompanied by swelling vocals. Bassist and vocalist Isabelle Smith makes her presence known throughout with a steely sound and a menacing riff between the chorus and breakdowns, with drummer Harry Rogers thrashing at his kit in a synchronised frenzy. Osmond descends into a powerful scream that fades into a dangerously soft breakdown before BLUSH PUPPY crash back in as a high-energy unit. Tears In Rain starts on a slower but no less impactful pace, guitarist Ciaran O’Sullivan’s dual clean and distorted riffs echoing hauntingly in the background, throwing in prolonged notes that add to the cinematic feel of the track. Osmond, Smith and O’Sullivan sing in an emotionally charged harmonisation, while Rogers progresses from an understated drumbeat to pulsing beats in tandem with the guitar solos and rising synth. Tears In Rain feels like the song for a protagonist standing in a downpour while they contemplate life, a la Bladerunner. Their first hotly anticipated single and video from Here You Dream takes on a fluid form in Under The Water, weaving floating vocals across the trio with Osmond’s agonised cries of “(under the water) you said that you could breathe”. Reverbed guitar and bass echo behind the commanding drum beat, while a clean riff balances alongside the vocals, plinky keyboard notes making an uplifting appearance. The vocals drop down to a low spoken word before reascending to a raw scream. Stay Awake is where the genre blending really stands out, giving DON BROCO mixed with THORNHILL vibes. With a brutal beat and bass line, the track begins in a near-stripped back form before the guitars drop into a foreboding pitch. Keys and sound effects are peppered in to make the track all the more compelling, before BLUSH PUPPY together pivots into a massively enjoyable, rapid-paced, screaming breakdown that’s guaranteed to generate pits when played live. Closing out their electric debut EP, Still Asleep falls in with dreamy, harmonised vocals from the trio, with simple guitar chords from Osmond and O’Sullivan, before Rogers snaps in with the drums and Smith delivers a low bass riff, both carrying us through the progression of this emotive track. BLUSH PUPPY drift between enchanting, disarmingly calm pitches and tempos, to abrupt screams and heavy instruments – it feels like when you’re trying to fall asleep and jolt yourself awake with adrenaline. If this is where BLUSH PUPPY are starting out from, then their dreams of drawing in more fans and filling arenas won’t be far away. Score: 8/10 Here You Dream will be released on 10th April 2026 via Venn Records. Words: Julia Stark Photos: Blush Puppy

Real Life have been running the Punks For Palestine event at New Cross Inn, London since 2021 and this year, on 4th May, they are returning with more incredible live music, activism and more information about how you can support Palestinian-run businesses and projects in London. Since the start of the event, which brings together the underground hardcore, punk and hiphop scenes to support Palestinian charities, Punks For Palestine has raised over £10,000 for groups including The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), MAP (Medical Aid for Palestinians), The Palestinian Children's Relief Fund and many more. The proceeds from this year's event will be split between The Sameer Project - a Palestinian-led mutual aid initiative, and Da’m - an organisation set-up to support those who are facing state persecution in the UK as a result of taking direct action in solidarity with Palestinian people. This year's event has artists from every musical genre imaginable; from Bristolian hardcore band PERP WALK, metalcore from KILA KOSA, queercore band SHOOTING DAGGERS melodic punk rock/emo from BUDS and London based Post-hardcore/noise-rock from RITUAL ERROR. New London hardcore band UNWITNESSED will also be playing their first show. Powerful, hardcore/chain‑punk band from Bristol, PERP WALK are rising fast in the scene. They are best known for their South West hardcore identity, raw energy and a steady run of releases that have quickly made them a staple of the UK heavy‑music underground, with The Chain Of Infection and Permacrisis being released in 2023. As an exciting addition to the UK metalcore/nu‑metal scene, KILA KOSA are known for industrial‑leaning riffs, bruising breakdowns, and a South‑London‑meets‑South‑Coast identity that’s quickly pushing them further into the spotlight. Singles Pulse and Bodies showcase their crowd‑igniting breakdowns and aggressive vocal interplay, with new music being teased in recent live shows. SHOOTING DAGGERS are a London‑based queer‑feminist hardcore/queercore trio who manage to fuse blistering hardcore, riot‑grrrl energy and even shoegaze into intentionally confrontational tracks. Driven by their mission to carve out space for queer and marginalised voices in heavy music, Love & Rage was released in 2024, and was praised by critics for its dynamic songwriting, emotional depth, and ability to dip into multiple punk subgenres. BUDS hail from Southampton and deliver a melting pot of alternative punk, grunge and emo, through emotionally raw tracks delivered with punk energy. Self described as “a support group for recent divorcees,” they have played Manchester Punk Festival and 2000 Trees Festival, with their most recent release Picking Wounds being one of their most emotionally direct tracks, blending punk urgency with introspective, self‑critical lyricism. RITUAL ERROR will be bringing their politically charged, noise‑leaning post‑hardcore to the stage, following the release of their debut album Dial In The Ghost, which fuses nostalgic emo punk, with mid‑90s noise‑rock precision. Known for their sound that feels both paranoid and cathartic, as well as their incendiary, tightly controlled live sets, they are a part of a new wave of UK bands making punk feel dangerous and relevant again. Activism sits at the intersection of human rights, foreign policy, public accountability, and the UK’s own social fabric. The importance of the activism itself is undeniable and events like Punks For Palestine are more relevant now than ever. Writer: Lou Viner-Flood

There’s an old book out there your more mythologically inclined friend most likely owns. It’s a tome in a beautiful black hardback with a glossy golden embossed title, Folklore Myths and Legends of Britain. The front also displays a horned screaming face, the Ooser of Dorset. Within the pages is an exhaustive compilation of the wyrd and wonderful traditions of this very ancient land once known as Albion, and hardly a stone is left unturn’d. The book goes region-by-region and uncovers peculiarities from even the deepest and darkest corners of ye olde dragon’s back. No band encapsulates the vibe of that book quite like them; the eminence of British folklore themselves, the GREEN LUNG. The legend of the Lung began in the far-off year of 2017, when they were something of a supergroup formed of members from various doom metal bands. Londoners by the grace of god, they began by playing shows around their local haunts, spots like the New Cross Inn, The Dev, and The Bird’s Nest, and the ones who got to see them during these nascent days knew they weren’t destined for them forever. They had hunger, and they had style. They also had only one EP out back then, the extraordinary Green Man Rising, a phenomenally sludgy endeavour that very much still holds up. To the band now though, it represents something more like a child’s drawing on the fridge, a first attempt. Founding members Tom Templar, Scott Black, and Matt Wiseman were quick to up the momentum, releasing another EP that year of original songs and some more refined numbers from their first effort, this would come to be known as the Free The Witch EP record in 2018. Bassist Joseph Ghast also recorded backing vocals and organ for this one, and the band also recruited a permanent organist in the form of John Wright. Older fans will know the cover art was once different, more in line with what you’d expect from a London doom group. But with the development of their sound, so too did their aesthetic morph into the ones you see now. The artwork of GREEN LUNG is fundamentally tied to the lino work of Richard Wells, whose instantly recognisable inky style has become the staple of the band’s visuals. Drawn in by their strong aesthetic, catchy riffs, and their “Sabbath-meets-Queen” sound, the band attracted more and more fans. The following year would herald their first album, the now classic Woodland Rites, which would elevate them into the stratosphere. For a while before the world was plunged into lockdown, in metal circles it was nearly impossible to miss the beautiful Branca Studios designed Let the Devil In shirts featuring a dead-eyed nun praying to heaven. Many songs from this album are still show staples, Templar Dawn, the title track, the aforementioned Let the Devil In, and Call of the Coven. With this, they established themselves as an alternative offering to the London doom scene, something faster and more traditional, but as deft and chunky as the best of them. And a bit like those feet in ancient time, GREEN LUNG soon embarked upon England’s mountains green and began to tour extensively. With each show the fanbase grew. Word-of-mouth saw attendance at the shows grow and the band cultivated something of a cult following. This culminated with their 2021 show at Bloodstock festival. All around the camps, the festival goers seem to all have had one friend who said he was excited to see the “cool band what had the awesome album come out” and that the camp should “give ‘em a chance”. This resulted in the Sophie Lancaster stage being packed straight to the back for the band’s Bloodstock debut, where they proceeded to blow the faces clean off of everyone who attended. This was the catalyst of their superstardom today. Soon afterwards, the follow-up album emerged, Black Harvest. The album is still immense, larger and louder than their previous endeavours with a fat organ lazing underneath the whole damn thing. Beautiful stuff. Old Gods, Leaders of the Blind, Reaper’s Scythe, Born to a Dying World - all killer, no filler, and now the big dogs in the metal press were also getting in on the action, you’d be hard pressed to find a review that didn’t love this thing to death. More touring ensued, more amazing shows and more publicity. The band was going relentlessly from strength to strength with no signs of slowing down. After signing with Nuclear Blast the following year, they began to tour with some larger bands. Their tour with CLUTCH awarded them more exposure, and their later tour opening for OPETH did much of the same. By 2023, they were a force to be reckoned with in the scene, with increasingly large stage productions and a mighty legion of fans – they even managed to get their own Ooser. You could go to any metal festival in the country, and there’d be at least one GREEN LUNG shirt or patch (a principle that still remains today). With their third and most recent album, This Heathen Land, the bangers continue. The Forest Church, Mountain Throne, One for Sorrow, Oceans of Time. Here they doubled down, and the album doubles as a guidebook to various magical sites on the isles. The release cycle saw them return to Bloodstock festival, this time on the main stage (which also included the worlds slowest circle pit, perfection). Their tours now extended beyond England, and over the oceans wide and far. But when they did play in England, it was to massive fanfare, their headlining show at the O2 academy Islington being the most potent example, as bodies were thrown and crowds surfed over evermore to the tunes like a rough sea. This leads us to today, where they’ve just announced they’re headlining the amazing Desertfest, a festival the boys have always gone to as attendees in previous years. Not only that, but the recording of their highly anticipated fourth album is now complete, and like the waning of the moon, we enter a new exciting phase of the Lung. It’s exciting to see these guys get to where they are now, and if you’re just hopping on for the ride now, hang tight, there’s plenty more goodness to come. That should do for a basic GREEN LUNG primer. Now go and lowball some guy on Vinted for his copy of Folklore Myths and Legends of Britain. You won’t regret it. Green Lung will headline Desertfest on the 17th of May 2026. ths

BROADSIDE has never been a band built for standing still. Over the past decade, the trio from Richmond, Virginia has treated pop‑rock less as a genre and more as a moving target, reshaping their sound with each release rather than settling into a familiar formula. Their palette spans the emotional volatility of Taking Back Sunday, the cinematic sheen of The Killers, the brooding grit of AFI, and the arena‑ready swagger of Kings of Leon - touchstones that emerge less as imitation and more as influences filtered through their own modern lens. With Oliver Baxxter at the mic, Domenic Reid on guitar, and Patrick Diaz handling bass and harmonies, BROADSIDE enters a pivotal new era with Nowhere At Last. Cherry Red Ego Death opens the album, lyrically and musically as it means to go on. With heavy guitars from Reid and Diaz, and lyrics that have Baxxter lamenting he’s ‘become unlovable, waiting for somebody to rescue me’, the track is one of those openers that gets you excited for what else is coming your way. Title track Nowhere At Last follows, with an unexpected 80’s electro feel, where Baxxter sings that he is “finally nowhere, at last”. The lyrics give an insight into the incoming paranoia that we feel throughout the rest of the album, where the narrator opens up his inner thoughts to us. Warning Signs captures the irresistible chaos of a relationship you know is toxic but can’t bring yourself to leave. The track circles that familiar emotional loop with sharp precision and when Oliver Baxxter admits that “the same high that gets me off will probably put me in my grave,” it becomes the track’s defining admission. The track sits in the band’s sweet spot as a glossy, melodic pop‑rock anthem. It’s catchy, conflicted, and painfully self‑aware, which is BROADSIDE at their most compelling. The second single from the album, Control Freak is a sharp, slow‑burning confrontation with emotional manipulation. Rather than focusing on the fallout, the track zeroes in on the precise moment of awakening, with the track featuring some of Baxxter’s most incisive writing. He describes the experience as “being controlled by someone else, the quiet violence of being told it’s all in your head.” The phrase quiet violence captures the song’s entire emotional architecture. Dead Roses presents itself as a self deprecating confession with the narrator slipping into a familiar negative headspace, fully aware he’s edging toward “an early grave” if he doesn’t pull himself out. It is one of the heavier tracks on the album, pairing this with melodic lift, turning self‑reckoning into something quietly hopeful. Someone You Need is tender, bruised, and painfully human. The track is one of the band’s most vulnerable moments as a raw, self‑reckoning pop‑rock confession about wanting to be enough for someone while feeling fundamentally broken. The track opens with the devastating admission, “I wish I could give you all of me, But I’m just pieces of a man I used to be,” setting the tone for everything that follows. BROADSIDE wraps that honesty in a melodic, aching pop‑rock frame, letting Baxxter’s voice lean into fragility rather than force. Returning to the earlier 80’s electro pop feel at the midpoint of the album, the lyrics of Mushroom Cloud talks about waiting for the end of the world with your love, with Baxxter admitting “To die next to you would be heavenly”. It is potentially the only track on the album that doesn’t quite fit with the rest; despite the “impending doom”, it seems like the track with the most upbeat feeling, which catches the listener off guard a little. I Think They Know plunges us straight back into the spiralling, anxious inner monologue, capturing the band at their most paranoid and self‑interrogating. The track traces the contours of social anxiety and the fear of being watched, “I don’t belong here, everyone’s staring, I swear” drifting into dissociation. Intrusive thoughts take shape as voices on the radio, a recurring motif that blurs the line between what is real and what is imagined, with the production mirroring that feeling. Oliver Baxxter’s vocals swing between tight restraint and unravelling emotion and an urgent, pulsing rhythm section drives the track like a racing heartbeat, while atmospheric guitars wrap everything in a tense, fog‑like haze. Blissed Out is a meditation on burnout, disillusionment, and the emotional crash that follows years spent chasing every possible high. The track traces the narrator’s slow unravelling: the exhaustion of constantly trying to be “enough,” The track pairs BROADSIDE’s melodic pop‑rock instincts with a heavier emotional weight, with a mid‑tempo, reflective pulse anchoring the song, while atmospheric guitars drift like emotional fog around Baxxter’s voice. The chorus lands with a mix of resignation and clarity, and Baxxter leans into vulnerability rather than urgency, letting the cracks show. Track Dark Passenger was unveiled alongside the album announcement and sets the emotional tone for Nowhere, At Last with a shadowy, introspective punch. The track dives into the inner shadow of anxiety and depression, tracing the exhaustion that comes from fighting the same harmful patterns over and over. The track is atmospheric and emotionally heavy, blending the band's nostalgic rock influences with a sharper modern edge, resulting in a brooding, cinematic track. What Are You Leaving Behind is perhaps the darkest track on the album, both lyrically and musically. The track is another confessional admission from the narrator, with “I know what it feels like to want to walk away when nothing feels right, not enough to make you stay” giving further insight into the dark corners of his mind. The guitars from Reid and Diaz mirror the darkness of the lyrics in a perfectly complimentary way. Closing track Is This It is the final lament of the narrator, the last chance he has to tell us his story. It lands heavy; with Baxxter asking “Is there a right way to cope? Is there a cure to being alone?” and wanting to know if there is more to “this”. The track is an open and honest reflection into mortality, which bookends Nowhere At Last expertly. Nowhere At Last captures BROADSIDE at their most grounded and self‑aware, reflecting on movement, identity, and the quiet clarity that comes from finally arriving after years spent searching. Where earlier releases sketched the blueprint, Nowhere At Last feels like the culmination, shaped by experience and rooted in a deeper understanding of who they have become. It’s a meditation on the physical, emotional, and creative place, with the realisation that sometimes “nowhere” is exactly where things start to make sense. With a packed touring schedule ahead including a set at Slam Dunk Festival, BROADSIDE stands on the edge of their most impactful chapter yet: fearlessly evolving, unapologetically themselves, and more certain than ever of the path they’re carving. Score: 9/10 Nowhere, At Last will be released on 10th April 2026 via Thriller Records. Words: Lou Viner-Flood Photos: Broadside

On the backend of the EU and UK leg of their Prowler Tour, Pop Punk veterans WATERPARKS entered the O2 Academy in Bristol last Wednesday to deliver a high energy, crowd-pleaser of a set. Whilst the momentum of the evening was catapulted to a difficult high to follow by support in Irish emo’s GREYWIND, WATERPARKS were able to build off the back of that movement and keep the crowd’s spirits high. First up were the openers and alt-emo vanguards GREYWIND, who were able to bring a calculatedly frantic energy to the room despite the time constraints. Front-woman Steph O’Sullivan is the key figure in this equation with her flare for the theatrical and dynamic stage presence demonstrated by her constant outburst of intensity and unending onslaught of falsetto vocal as well as though the on-stage interplay brought by her brother and bandmate Paul O’Sullivan in the form of thrown hands and beaten guitar. Whilst the venue itself was already well filled out by the time of their arrival, the ability GREYWIND showed to win over and captivate an audience anticipating a cult band such as WATERPARKS, in a city that they have not previously been able to make an appearance in since their last show at Fleece three years prior, was remarkable. Crowd interaction was kept lively and did not become overbearing, with a brief interlude to introduce an assortment of medical hats adorned for Antidote. GREYWIND chose a tight and multi-faceted selection of songs which worked to liven up the tepid crowd of younger attendees, while also providing a taster of the group’s own My Chem-adjacent post-hardcore and emo flavoured palette. Control over the stage was exerted and reflected in the adequate head bobs and new fans made of the Wednesday audience judging by supportive chatter at the merch table. GREYWIND’s ability to gracefully move between moods was demonstrated in their balanced setlist consisting of cathartic 2000s-esque ballad 2024 single Swing and Sway to the bass driven ripper I.K.A.M.F. from the new album Severed Heart City. The dynamics of the venue were on the band’s side that night but actively elevating them, with a noticeably clear mix allowing each member’s parts to be distinguishable and articulate in a way that unfortunately did not translate for WATERPARKS. Overall, with a set like this (particularly set against a backdrop of younger and more WATERPARKS focused fans), GREYWIND were able to present an engaging warm up, that left an audience well prepared for the high energy pure pop punk of the headliners. Definitely a band to keep an eye out for if you’re up for a night of screaming and throw back fringes punctuated by driving riffs and a frenetic onstage dynamic. Following an elongated interlude due to technical issues, sudden screams permeated from the front as Handycam tour footage reminiscent of an MTV show circa 2003 began to play on the rear projector. Through the wall of it all, WATERPARKS entered the room with a running jump onto the stage followed by a dive straight through fan favourite Blonde and newer album cuts, with Sneaking Out Of Heaven particularly grabbing the audience. An audibly heavier shift in the band’s sound is clear in how they have chosen to perform their back catalogue live, the influence of politically charged single Ice is clear, with an uptick in harsher edges and guitar tones interweaved with the nu-metal infused speak singing of rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist Awsten Knight. What strikes most about the entire show is the tightness and rehearsed nature of it, from every on-stage jump, the brief kiss between Awsten and Lead guitarist Geoff Wigington, to the between song banter and even the use of swears (which at one point caused a mother in the audience to physically recoil as her younger son thrashed himself around). Whilst the energy brought by the crowd definitely carried the show and there was a clear love for WATERPARKS in the room, the show definitely felt as though the crowd’s dedication was carrying the weight rather than the band themselves. Sections of crowd interaction definitely helped to alleviate, but these moments still felt stilted at points with no real connection to the audience bar a few pre-planned cues. Vocally, Awsten Knight was able to deliver a solid performance that contained a solid energy but lacked a lot for the rawness that their more aggressive guitar tones live would suggest. Even considering this was the back end of a gruelling European tour. Whilst the clear dedication of the fans definitely showed, and they were in full force to help carry the energy of the show, WATERPARKS delivered a set that felt comparatively safe next to the gripping and spontaneous feel of openers GREYWIND. Whether it was touring induced tiredness, a lack of time to settle into a newer sound, or something else behind the scenes it might be wise to give some time to the group to settle before making the trek to see them on their next set of dates. Words: Zach Davis Photos: Jack Walsh

After over a year, Australian indie rock outfit LAST DINOSAURS returned to the UK for their run of anniversary shows to celebrate their second studio release Wellness; with a re-issue back in February, it was about time the band brought a small intimate show at the Garage in London. Starting off the night, REBOUNDER from New York graced the stage. While experiencing some technical difficulties, their bassist picked up a guitar and just started serenading the crowd as we waited for them to start, handling the difficulties with a lot of grace and decorum you don’t see with a lot of bands. After a few minutes the lights went down and REBOUNDER got the crowd warmed up. The beautiful harmonies between the two Baritone singers really made for a chilled out set that showcased the band’s talent; only ever elevated by the insanely impressive solos that took the instrumentals to the next level, even cooler when they mixed in No Scrubs by TLC into a song too. Fog filled the room and LAST DINOSAURS entered to thunderous cheers and applause, really signifying the dedication and love the fans have for this band, which they absolutely deserve as there was a warm presence in the room. These Aussies had such an amazing upbeat energy that proved the Australian music scene is heavily passionate and so rich in love. The singer definitely escalated it with some insanely powerful vocals with catchy hooks that just felt so good to sing back, the crowd really filled the room with sound creating a very strong connection with the band. They turned up the heat when they played Purist, hands threw up in the air along with plenty of beers as a little push pit opened up for probably one of the nicest pits ever seen, just jumping and singing as they smashed into each other for fun, it was a perfect example of how great a sense of community this band curates. Words and photos: Ben Blissett

The kings of drone metal SUNN O))) are always caustic by design, with long songs of intense slow noise whilst often having no vocals. This new self-titled album is another release in line with their past work and will be adored by current fans - but is unlikely to convert anyone who hasn't understood them before. Despite SUNN O))) functioning as a two piece, their sound is as complete as ever on these six tracks. They know what works for them and they stick to it. They create an atmosphere that no other band can come close to. Their drone creates a challenging sense of dread that when complete, creates a catharsis for completing their experience that then becomes addictive. Their pure brutality is their strong point, and this self-titled album has it in full. In a world where metal has pushed to be more SUNN O))) is doing less to achieve similar yet different results. Their sound is not built on complex riffs; instead it pushes the limit on what can be achieved by one simple note. It’s a textural experience that rewards the listener for listening to every second. Skipping through a track may feel as if little has changed, but on a complete listen every time a small change happens it hits harder. There is an obvious element of repetition on the album, but that is how the band’s sound is designed. Every track is a complete work outlining what the band can do, but as a complete package, every little trick they use is shown in different light by contrasting with other songs on the album. Being a guitar forward album, it feels like a celebration of what electric guitar can do. Often the guitar feels tortured through the way it hits a listener’s ears. Moments sound almost like cries for help, a guitar being punished by the music it creates. This is what SUNN O))) excel in, a brutal sound of pain and anguish expressed through the power of electric guitar. This sound is otherworldly and engulfs the listener - it’s a parallel world of sound, where conventions do not exist, but the same emotions can. Intense moments build gradually; there is no way to jump into a song - you have to start and finish it in one go to feel any amount of the experience. Being built different in the world of metal is one the best parts of SUNN O))), but is also why they aren’t for everyone. It fully makes sense why people would not like them; they defy conventions of what makes people enjoy music. Songs that last for nearly twenty minutes, with little diversity and nothing typically impressive, yet that is why they have their success. They do what other people won’t or can’t do. Their peculiarity is the main reason to listen. When you return to more traditional styles, you appreciate what they have, then in turn appreciate what SUNN O))) is. SUNN O))) by SUNN O))) is more of what you expect from the band, and is another release of the same quality they have become known for. Heavy, scary, brutal and unrelenting; creating something truly strange and appealing. They still remain unique and a must listen band for anyone into bizarre music and refreshing sounds within metal. Consume them at the right time and you’ll understand why. Score: 8/10 SUNN O))) was released on 3rd April 2026 via Sub Pop. Words: Will Freeman Photos: Charles Peterson

A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS have long been highly influential figures in modern shoegaze. It seems that every new acclaimed band appearing in the genre these days are taking more cues from post-hardcore and noise rock outfits than the dreaminess of SLOWDIVE, for example. Of course, a lot of this can be traced back to the first group most people think of when they hear “shoegaze”, that being MY BLOODY VALENTINE, but A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS almost feel like spiritual successors in that sense, with their aptly-titled 2009 record Exploding Head combining fuzzy bass, ethereal vocals, as well as a sensible helping of sheer loudness, to create a record that seems to just work. Their frontman Oliver Ackermann also runs a guitar pedal company called Death By Audio, so he also takes after MBV’s Kevin Shields with his clear passion for guitar effects and experimenting with making as much noise as possible. This is clear all over the band’s new release, Rare and Deadly, which is a sort-of-compilation, sort-of-not. The pitch is that each format it’s being released on has a different tracklist, so for example some songs that exist on the CD version aren’t on the vinyl version, and vice versa. The idea being that it’s a sort of scattered snapshot of the way these different songs were formed from 2015-2025 - “less a compilation and more a documentary”. We could talk all day about how we feel about this from a listener’s perspective, but for all intents and purposes this review is solely covering the digital version. So to begin with we’ll talk about the two most noticeable constants on each tracklist, the opener and closer. Song For Girl From Macedonia is exactly the kind of thing anyone who enjoys the band at all could enjoy, which isn’t a bad thing at all. There’s a constant driving rhythm of the snare every two beats for the whole song, never once faltering, and the almost DEERHUNTER-esque vocals and lyrics that feel like a heavier version of a song from something like Weird Era Continued. Of course, the guitars end up absolutely devouring the song at the end, almost like a tidal wave, before abruptly cutting out. It’s a great showcase of the band’s talents from the get-go. Meanwhile, the significantly more sombre Where Are We Now is more reminiscent of the 2010s Calgary post-punk scene, with maybe the most minimal approach to songwriting on the whole album. It’s a fine closer, and it makes sense to bookend the album with both of songs, but Where Are We Now, at least on the digital version, is in stark opposition to the previous song, Acid Rain. Recorded in 2020, this song was previously released on the Talk - Action = Zero compilation benefitting Black Lives Matter. Heavily influenced by industrial music with its pounding electronic drums, it’s the closest thing on here to a danceable song. The intro also features recordings from a George Floyd protest which best highlights the choice to rerelease it now in this way, as a sort of snapshot of the band at various intervals during the past ten years. However, the standout moments here are the noisier tracks, like the third track, Crash. While maybe a bit of a jumpscare compared to the first two tracks considering the abrupt opening effectively being pure noise, it’s such a thrill ride from start to finish. Whether it’s because of poor recording quality, malfunctioning pedals or an intentional attempt to just be really loud, it just comes together in a way that makes it so addictive to come back to. When people call a band “noise merchants”, this is what you expect to hear. While it would be easy to say that this is one for the fans, we think that anyone could jump into this record and get some level of enjoyment out of it. The range of influences and styles from a band that have honed their craft over twenty or so years and refuse to be held down by any one particular style is just a joy to listen to. It does lead to it feeling somewhat disjointed, which is very much by design, and there are ups and downs, but those ups are quite unbelievable. Score: 7/10 Rare & Deadly will be released on April 4th 2026 via Dedstrange. Words: Noise Leonard Photos: A Place To Bury Strangers

German thrash giants KREATOR brought their high production and perfectly curated lineup to London for a night of moshing, energy and metal magic. Opening the night was the most modern band on the bill, NAILS who brought their trademark grindcore short form songs. From the moment they started, their sound was dense and heavy, for a three-piece, without being overwhelming. The band worked as one unit of sound. Their stage setup was simple, harking back to the band's roots of smaller shows. A significant amount of the crowd were wearing NAILS shirts, especially the younger fans in attendance. The band have earnt a place in the hearts of many young metal fans as they have an infectious energy and give you that metal hit in short bursts. Their set was short yet they got through many tracks. They played a near perfect opening set to showcase their sound. Bringing the night more in line with traditional thrash was American thrash legends EXODUS — arguably one of the founders of the genre. Their lineup has been constantly revolving, wiith the only consistent member being the guitar icon Gary Holt. His guitar skills were on full show in the live setting, and every solo he played was a textbook example of how to play live. The band played a few classic tracks and newer tracks to satisfy fans of every era. Gary Holt even payed an homage to his time in SLAYER with a tease of Raining Blood. The older fans in the crowd appreciated the change in sound to be in line with bands they already knew and the younger fans appreciated the chance to see some legendary songs. CARCASS are extreme metal titans and have long been a fixture on people’s battle jackets. They remain as heavy as ever and still feel like a breath of fresh air within metal. Their sound is wholly their own. Bringing their trademark northern charm to London whilst cracking a few jokes about the north south dynamic. A longer set than the two bands who played before, giving more time for fans to hear their favourite tracks. During the set they announced a last minute small show which sold out within minutes as the fans at the gig were excited for more. CARCASS gave just enough for a support set but left everyone longing for the headliner. KREATOR were brilliant live. Their current stage show is arena level, high levels of pyro, plenty of props and custom staging, it is everything you want in a big metal show. The show started with the typical metal cheesy curtain drop. Opening with high energy and showing little signs that the band has been around since the 80s. Although the band were not the heaviest band on the bill, they kept their metal status by putting everything they could into the set. The crowd started with pits forming as soon as the curtain dropped. With the rest of the crowd head-banging in unison, as all great metal shows put the crowd into one group of fans. This tour was based on KREATOR’s latest album and did feature tracks from it, whilst still keeping many fan favourites in such as Satan Is Real, which is almost a statement piece from the band, satanic imagery and heavy riffs. The staging elevated each track with cinematic moments such as two goblins with torches on stage or flaming effigies. In a world where many tours are built on screens, it was refreshing to see a fully physical set with a traditional backdrop. Confetti and streamers helped create some unusual moments for a metal show whilst still feeling in theme with the overall set. Everything happening on stage worked in tandem to create a truly unmissable metal experience, there are not many better stage shows that currently exist within the genre. KREATOR retain their status in metal by never resting on their legacy live, but instead constantly produce a spectacle that will create an army of die-hard fans who will stay with the band for life. Words: Will Freeman Photos: Jake Owens

On the opening night of their Under Celestial Alignments tour, NORDIC GIANTS arrived at Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff to a strong crowd turnout and an expectant room. From the start, this felt like something more than just a live show — closer to a cinematic experience than a traditional gig. Opening the evening, FALSE HOPE FOR THE SAVAGE set the tone early with an energetic and melodic performance. Driven by strong, punchy drums and expansive soundscapes, their set pulled the crowd in quickly, with the room already filling up as they played. There was a steady sense of build throughout, leading into a final track that felt both intense and uplifting. The lighting worked particularly well here, adding to the atmosphere rather than overpowering it, and helping to ease the audience into the night ahead. AARONSON followed, bringing a noticeable shift in mood. Their set opened with a long, atmospheric intro paired with flashing lights, creating a more introspective and almost dreamy tone. Where the first support leaned into energy, AARONSON offered something softer and more immersive. Their sound felt warm and optimistic, with moments that invited the crowd to really sink into it. Between songs, they spoke to the audience, which added a more personal touch. That said, the overall set leaned quite heavily into its calmness — at times feeling a little too gentle for a second support slot, but still easy to get lost in. By the time NORDIC GIANTS took to the stage, the room had settled into a kind of quiet anticipation. A curtain hid the stage before they began, adding to the sense of mystery. When it finally parted, the duo appeared in their detailed, Nordic-inspired masks — immediately striking, and unlike anything else on the bill. What followed felt less like a set and more like a fully thought-out audiovisual piece. Each track blended into the next as if it were part of a wider story, with cinematic projections playing behind them throughout. Some of these visuals included narration, which helped guide the meaning without feeling too on-the-nose. Everything felt deliberate. Musically, the set constantly shifted between tension and release. Heavier, more intense sections would build and swell before dropping into quieter, more reflective moments. That contrast kept things engaging without ever feeling overwhelming. The use of smoke and lighting added another layer, creating silhouettes against the screen and giving the whole performance a slightly surreal edge. One of the most striking parts of the night was the crowd itself. There was no dancing, no pushing — just stillness. People stood and watched, completely absorbed. It felt collective, almost meditative at times. Some moments leaned into something softer, almost romantic, while others carried a heavier emotional weight. There was also an underlying sense of reflection running through the set. Through both sound and visuals, NORDIC GIANTS touched on themes that felt relevant to the current state of the world, without ever being overly direct. It left space to interpret things in your own way, which made the experience feel more personal. As the set came to an end, rolling credits appeared on screen — a small but perfect detail that tied everything together. It reinforced the idea that this wasn’t just a gig, but something closer to a film being performed live. NORDIC GIANTS don’t just perform music — they build an atmosphere and let you sit inside it. And for an hour or so, nothing else really matters. Words and photos: Klaudia Skalska

There begins an almost divine premonition at small, personal venues, the first weaving stanzas of a story born in a manger of sticky floors and blown out speakers. A prophecy found somewhere between the dark ceiling, its pattern lost under layers of thick paint and grease, between the bands politely shouting to a sound-tech only across the room, and the screeching roadworks just outside. That, sooner rather than later, the bands here will be found on great, windswept stages, for crowds for whom eye contact with their favourites is a pipe dream to be lost in the maelstrom of the pit: that those spectacular stages will, simply, never compare to the biblical beginnings. RIFLE’s lightning campaign across Europe celebrating the release of their self-titled LP last January has stormed across Britain in the closing days of March- flanks guarded by the neighbourly LUXURY APARTMENTS on their return to London. Stopping for provisions and pure northern hospitality in Manchester—courtesy of the local BIG PROBLEM—the reception found at RIFLE’s “second home” was warm, pleasant and blazing. Gritty, and with a certain inalienable whimsy inherent to such “Anarch-oi!” bards, the triple-threat run through Manchester’s Star And Garter was a show to boast of. To open any venue is an interesting challenge for any band, but BIG PROBLEM’s probing volley well set the standard for the upcoming musical assault, making Manchester proud in welcoming the Londoner guests. With a certain rawness embedded throughout their grunge-drowned performance, their slower, more emotional pace bore their bloodied northern soul with passion, from their Grudge album tracks to The Grip. Distorted, gazing through the ceiling at the stars far above, their post-hardcore sound appeared designed to be listened to while driving the highways of Los Angeles after a traumatic night, but was more than ready to fill the compact venue with a sound California’s JULIE would certainly be proud of. As BIG PROBLEM passed the torch of the stage on, melting right back into the cultured crowd of like-minded punks and anarchists of all ages—a sign punk truly never dies, venerable boot-cut jean wearing SHARP hooligans side-by-side with young punks with the glint of their own bands reflecting in the light—LUXURY APARTMENTS dove upon it like a band possessed. Less a torch and more an artillery barrage, their descent into a maddening rampage of a sound blessed them with an instant presence, marching, speedy beat emphatically emphasised by Matthew Turner, the singer, deftly juggling vocals fit to be yelled across a burning protest with a keyboard played with an almost fantastical touch. Their performance had grabbed the entire hall- and refused to let go. Mastering a macabre, foreboding undertone deftly slotted in-between the wide-eyed, half-crazed intensity spewing out the speakers, there was as much rage as there was humour to be found between the sound waves. The sheepish silences between songs perfectly framed the performance: quietly announcing “if you’re in the police force, this one might not be for you,” before dropping a near thermonuclear performance of Dicks Hate The Police, drowning out any potential pig-excusing criticism. The arrival of RIFLE was less a walk to the stage, and more a gun suddenly pointed at the head of the universe. As if a prophet, Max Williams—the lead singer’s—ascension to the stage brought but one command: “Come closer.” Shoulder to shoulder, hall packed, face in the speakers and Max’s leather boots shining to a sheen at the crowds’ teeth-level, there could be no better way to experience Punk. Detonating almost instantly off of the stage with Gauntlet Of Hate, their performance was more than a victory lap of their new album, but a celebration of the community they brought together. To the left of the stage were band compatriots from Liverpool, and in the beauty of small venues, RIFLE did everything to show their continued support was much, much appreciated. Jumping from stage to floor, between smiling faces and fists raised high in the air, rambling across the venue with knee-jerk jubilation—coupled with Max’s downright loving treatment of the microphone stand—it was instantly clear RIFLE not only has the musical talent, but the sheer cultural presence to match. Much should be said for the sheer whimsy on display. Absurdism and joy as resistance is near gospel amongst all sects of Punk, and RIFLE’s neatly dressed ensemble—fine pressed shirts, the singer’s delightful red jumper—did more than pay homage to the culture’s unserious sensibilities. It gave the impression of true friends, pub regulars at your local, who, despite all their humanity, despite their soul, had deigned to pick up arms and scream their rugged protest on behalf of all. Not constrained to the LP, RIFLE’s prioritisation of the inherent great time of such a gig brought forth both their older classics, and covers- blasting out MOTORHEAD’s Ace Of Spades to much the cheer of the united crowd, and ending on their own classic, Warfare. To an infinite chant of “Rifle! Rifle! Rifle! Rifle!” from every corner of the creaking building, the bands’ descent back into the crowd was the perfect culmination to a gig fit for soon-to-be legend. Taking photos and drinks with wide-grinning fans, it truly was as if your regulars had simply descended from their brief heaven, perhaps unaware of the masterclass they had just performed. Their crowd will take today’s performances to the grave. Words: Jakub Tomasz Czaicki Photos: Ace Cheng