Synthwave as a genre, is extremely unique when compared to other alternative music genres. Whilst some synthwave projects are bands, there are tons of synthwave projects that are invented by just a single person, even though these acts usually have more than a single member when they put on gigs. ALL THE DAMN VAMPIRES is a combination of both. This project is designed, and performed by Davey Oberlin, as well as vocalist Ryan Rose. What ultimately makes this project stand-out, is that it includes several features on their debut album Vicecore. It is extremely rare to find artists that are willing to collaborate when it comes to this specific type of music, and on top of that, Vicecore includes covers, as well as a good mix of fast and slow-paced songs which results in a debut album that has identity, ambition, and surprises throughout. The album begins with a short intro, before the first full track, the title track, begins. This song has a slow, mellow beginning and first verse, before the chorus explodes, bringing the song to life, because of the infectious vocal melody. One of the reasons why Vicecore stands out, is that the guitar seems like an afterthought, but you get surprised as the bridge is a guitar solo which segues into the final chorus, which ultimately wraps the official album opener up. Falling Into The Darkness is the first track with a feature on it. Jack Underkofler from the band DEAD POET SOCIETY lends his vocals to add a layer of passion and melody which truly makes this particular song sensational. The hook has an extended build in the form of a epic pre-chorus, and the guitar solo is simple, but does the job in getting us to the final chorus, which is a must listen on this record. The halfway point in Vicecore is marked by a song that is both fast paced, and slow at parts. Last Man Standing starts off with a slow verse before the chorus, which is exceptionally produced, with the different vocal layers sounding vastly different on the repeating line of the song title. Another unique aspect of this chorus is that it gets repeated twice, and each time it gets repeated, it speeds up. This makes the hook, and the overall way it was written that much more infectious. If there was one song which was expected to receive a cover on this album, it is the iconic In The Air Tonight. Throughout Vicecore, the PHIL COLLINS influence eases out occasionally, so this cover did not come as much of a surprise for us, but how good it is, did. The build up to the eventual world-famous drum fill is sneakily slow, and quiet. When the fill arrives, the cover transforms into a much more bombastic alternative metal version, and it works exceptionally. The one problem this version of In the Air Tonight is that it fades out not too long after the main beat and riff kick in after the fill. This section is easily the best part of the track and having it be so short is such a shame. The record ends with Sunset Over The Final Chapter, and features a guitarist who needs no introduction whatsoever; Miles Dimitri Baker. The closer starts with synths that introduce the vocals. As the first verse progresses, the guitars and drum machine get introduced before the chorus hits, showcasing the phenomenal vocals Rose has at his disposal. The second verse is much heavier with the drums and guitarwork being much more prevalent. Where this song shines, is the guitar solo played by Baker. His prowess fits this particular song perfectly, and he delivers a solo which is just as emotional as it is technical. The final chorus feels more impactful as a result too, which should always be what a good solo is all about. Overall, Vicecore is a really solid debut album, which combines the different music that inspired ALL THE DAMN VAMPIRES, with features from some of the best musicians in alternative music today. The songs are fantastic, and include some great choruses as well as solos, but some of these tracks have the potential to be much stronger, and if some of them were slightly longer, they could have been sensational. Debut releases should be an example of what an artist or band sound like, and ALL THE DAMN VAMPIRES have provided with a synthwave release that showcases their inspirations and musical ability extremely well, and it is evident that there is a lot more to explore sonically, and the wait for more will be torturous, just like a vampire draining the blood from a human. Score: 7/10 Vicecore was self released on 6th February 2026. Words: Itay Gilad Photos: Alexander Bemis

After five years of quiet, TRIGGER THUMB don’t so much return as rupture the silence. PMP-EP is the sound of a Bradford three-piece refusing to re-enter the room politely; instead, they kick the door off its hinges with a wave of sound triumphantly announcing their return to the scene with a jolt of pent‑up invention, sounding like a group who’ve been stockpiling ideas and are now firing them off in rapid succession. It’s a chaotic, tightly packaged burst of rock that keeps you slightly off balance in the best way, and is unhinged without losing its musicality. Five years away can dull the edges of a lesser group, but the five-track PMP-EP lands like a band reclaiming its pulse. The trio sounds focused, hungry, and more deliberate than ever. There’s no sense of having to warm up after their hiatus; the energy is immediate, almost impatient, as if the songs have been coiled for years just waiting to be released. Mean It opens the EP like a controlled explosion - a frantic collision of blast beats, snarling hooks, and vocals so manic they sound seconds away from tripping over themselves in their urgency to announce that TRIGGER THUMB have zero interest in easing anyone back in. It’s a mission statement and a tug‑of‑war between plea and demand, insisting we “watch right to the end” - as if we could resist! It’s music that demands attention but never feels stiff; the band’s instinct for propulsion keeps everything moving with purpose. The track’s fantastically hooky chaos sets the tone for everything that follows, establishing a project that thrives on tension - emotional, rhythmic, and structural - and proving within seconds that the band’s return is anything but tentative. Textures stack in ways that feel both restless and meticulously engineered. What defines the EP more than any single riff or vocal moment is its sense of motion. TRIGGER THUMB write songs that behave like living organisms, constantly shifting shape, mutating just when you think you’ve found your footing. Yet the chaos is never sloppy. Each detour is carefully considered, rooted in the group’s deep understanding of structure and flow. Banana captures their experimental streak at its best - a groove-led, eccentric track that flirts with excess but ultimately pulls it off. It’s both infectious and faintly threatening. Opening with a flurry of Punjabi and vocal ad-libs, it’s difficult to sit still when this bouncy track kicks in. The chorus - “Look what we’ve started [...] we’re just getting started” - feels like a rallying cry, and a sly nod to the band’s own return. That’s not even touching on the pure, joyful nonsense woven into the rest of the track: tic‑tac‑toe, bangles, smashed cameras, and grammar jokes delivered with the confidence of someone who knows they’re being ridiculous and is having the time of their life doing it. It’s the kind of track that has a listener grinning at the sheer bravado while quietly admiring how precisely it’s put together. Pain Means Progress closes the EP somewhere between chaos and release. Where the earlier tracks twist themselves into knots of groove and absurdity, the finale features jazzy bass, off‑kilter guitar stabs, and a vocal delivery that feels equal parts playful and exhausted, the smile barely hiding the sting. It’s a song that refuses to settle, shifting from swaggering looseness to emotional gut‑punch as it delivers the EP’s thesis with a grin and a wince. The band manages to turn a hard‑earned truth into something triumphant. Where the earlier songs weaponise tension, Pain Means Progress sits inside it, studies it, and alchemises it into something introspective, turning the title not into a slogan, but a hard‑earned revelation. It’s a bold, emotionally complex closer that reframes the EP not just as a burst of pent‑up energy, but as a document of growth, grit, and the strange humour that gets you through it. Across the EP, TRIGGER THUMB lean into a fun, mischievous approach to music. There are moments that flirt with nu‑metal attitude, others that nod toward math‑rock’s angularity, and still others that feel like the band are daring each other to see how strange they can get while keeping the listener hooked. Addictive hooks lock in just long enough to lure you before mutating into something stranger. Tongue‑in‑cheek lyrics slip between accessibility and absurdity, and the vocals stretch into a surprising number of shapes, barked, autotuned, falsetto, sometimes all within the same track. TRIGGER THUMB’s unpredictability and playful weirdness is their key strength, and it makes for an EP full of sharp personality and versatility. In just 20 minutes, they remind you exactly why they’ve always deserved more attention - and why this new chapter could be their most exciting yet. PMP‑EP doesn’t read as a comeback record. It reads as a leveling‑up. TRIGGER THUMB is a band hitting a stride and embracing the full spectrum of their instincts, from the heavy to the humorous, and showcasing some technical brilliance along the way. If this EP is a reintroduction, it’s a powerful one. If you’re looking for both cerebral precision and gut-level force with a healthy helping of absurdity, this is your sign to get TRIGGER THUMB on your radar, stat. Score: 8/10 PMP‑EP will be self released on 9th February 2026. Words: Cara Hyndman Photos: Trigger Thumb

Thirty five years into their career CONVERGE is ready to release their eleventh full length album to the world. Calling it the apotheosis of their journey through the music industry and what it means to really be metal, the album encapsulates the sound that they have worked towards all these years. Love Is Not Enough is extremely concentrated with no filler tracks or ones that drop into a mix but just ten full tracks of pure metalcore and punk that comment on the political climate as well as touching on life and its never ending uncertainty. It's experimental in its walk while maintaining its high quality, tracks someone with a keen ear or music as we as a brain dead metal head can soundtrack their days to. The album opens up with its title track Love Is Not Enough, a shorter track that summarises the album well, introducing you to what will follow. The track drops you straight into riff lined carnage with heavy crash usage and cathartic screaming vocals. The vocals switch it up to more of a punk shout for the middle of the track before going back to screams, showing versatility that doesn't at all seem out of place or forced. Bad Faith has heavy riffs and a bouncy bass exploring more of a nu metal pace that will have any listener bopping their head along. Again the track blends screams but these are layered at times in a crowding shout giving it a different texture than the last track. The drums dance along with the guitar riffs, diverging from the traditional drum beats becoming an almost melodic component, some great work from their drummer BEN KOLLER. The next track as in its name Distract And Divide brings a more political and authentically punk narrative to the album and the music thrashes the listener around to reflect that, the track is short and hits like a punch to the gut. To Feel Something runs at a similar pace but brings in screeching industrial-esque instrumentals, it's another shorter track but packs so much into its two minute runtime it requires another listen just to absorb all the elements of the song. Beyond Repair is an atmospheric instrumental track, portraying a feeling of impending doom through reverbing guitars and slow echoing drums. Despite being vocal free it adds a whole different feeling to the album and stands out rather than blending into the background or being used as a transition. Amon Amok brings total destruction with punk and metal coursing through its veins, it's a slower pace than the majority of the album but keeps the anger and fury red as can be. Vocalist JACOB BANNON being one of the two original members of the band stretches his voice far and wide across the track to encompass the genres melded together, its clear his many years of experience have massively contributed to his ability to both flip between vocal tones and mix them together. Force Meets Presence goes against the grain with its tempo sporadically it crashes together with no two bards being the same as the last. It is exactly the kind of the track you can picture a push pit opening up to with fists and kicks flying across a grungy dark venue, these are the kind of tracks that capture a feeling as close as you can get to a live show. Gilded Cage opens with a low and building guitar riff, almost emotive in tone before bringing in a really grungy and twangy bass line and industrial drums. The vocals are slow and cathartic like a cry for help dragging out and echoing through the track. The lyrics revert back to the oppression from political systems on those below them and calling for revolution against those in power, something the band clearly feel strongly about and again embody what it really means to be punk. Make Me Forget You is one last fast paced punch to the gut, but this one lasts almost five minutes. The drums don’t slow for even a moment being packed with blast beats and a baffling amount of fills, the attention to detail in each beat is truly impressive. The guitars and bass riffs ring loud and brutal on the ear drums as they crash in time with the vocals, layering together. The closing track of the album is We Were Never The Same, which brings it to a desolate end with the rawest track on the album. It explores the themes of mourning and grief in relation to those that maybe you can't relate to away from that. The number switches between halftime beats bringing its infrastructure right down to the ground and pummelling your ears. It comes to an abrupt end leaving the listener wanting more making the repeat button look lustrous to even the strongest metalheads. Overall Love Is Not Enough is raw, it's authentically punk and metal to its core. The album is clearly an amalgamation of all that it takes to stay an active band for thirty five years, this could even be the band's musical pinnacle, we’ll just have to wait and see if they can possibly top it. With shows lined up around the world for the rest of the year they have a huge 2026 ahead of them and we expect only the best. Score: 9/10 Love Is Not Enough will be released on 13th February 2026 via Epitaph. Words: Amy Smyth Photos: Jason Zucco

Having been around for over a decade, HO99O9 have been hailed as one of the best punk rap duos of a generation. Founded in New Jersey by theOGM and Eaddy, they have made waves on the music scene and are a musical force to be reckoned with. After three full length albums and countless EP’s, this now LA based band have certainly made a name for themselves for making more than just a bit of noise. Having not stepped on UK shores since 2022, this tour to celebrate their 2025 release Tomorrow We Escape had a sense of anticipation surrounding it, with many fans eager to see them grace a Southampton stage for the first time and unleash their electronic punk riffs on the audience. Opening the show first however was N8NOFACE from Arizona. Having created music for as long as he can remember, and creating it as DIY as he possibly can, N8NOFACE is a name you may not initially know, but you certainly would not forget. His music on the surface is synth punk, however it is much more than that. It is chiptune, glitchy, lo-fi ranting whilst moshing onstage, and getting lost in the music. After touring with LIMP BIZKIT on their Loserville tour, he has created a frenzy of fans and engaged the audience from the first beat until the last. Drawing inspirations from his life across Tucson and Long Beach, his storytelling through short, repetitive songs touch on themes from romance to substances and everything in between. However unique in performance style N8NOFACE may be, he most certainly had the audience entranced and hooked until the closing note. It was not long before the powerhouses that are HO99O9 stormed onto the stage with enough energy to wake the dead. It was not hard to see from their stage presence and performance that inspiration has come from the likes of ROB ZOMBIE and the PRODIGY’s Keith Flint, with masks, stand out clothing, and lighting that flashes and draws you in in an almost theatrical nature. With only drums, pads, and vocals, you would have thought there was a band of ten on the stage with the noise that was being created. The songs seem to be made for the stage, with energy and tag team vocals that help make the songs come alive. From loud drums, power vocals and electronic beats, no song is left unsung by the crowd. Highlights throughout the night included The Dope Dealerz, and Sub-zero, whilst it was also brilliant to see nods to their latest release such as Escape and LA Riots alongside older hits to showcase that the talent on stage is only getting better. With nods to other songs such as FRANK SINATRA’s My Way nestled amongst the chaos, it allowed light moments of juxtaposition that allowed both Eaddy and theOMG to dance on stage and show even more of their huge personalities. From an audience perspective, from the moment the pit opened up, the whole room started moving. Whether you wanted to be involved or not, the movement left you feeling united with everyone else in the room, and towards the end of the show, the band jumped into the audience, closing the gap between performer and fan to create something truly magical and frankly chaotic and slightly dangerous in the best way. HO99O9 are a band that has a stage presence like no other. From the opening song to the closing one, this tour not only celebrates their new album, but pays honour to the previous ones too. They are a band that have been ferociously making waves and will continue to do so with their superhuman energy and their music that incites emotions, and excitement. Hectic? Yes. Iconic? Absolutely. Words and photos: Laura Davies

“And how can this story not break your heart?” This line from the track Terence, shouted into the audience, did not feel like a statement but a genuine, pleading question to the world. MERYL STREEK stepped up onto the stage from the audience, not the last time he was amongst the crowd during the set, as the intro to The Beginning played “We should not have 150,000 vacant homes,” set the tone for what was about to come, as MERYL paced back and forth across the stage like a barely-contained tiger. Punk guitars drove over electronic soundscapes to take control of the audience and insisted on movement, on action. The lyrics were clearly the focus, the point of it all, but at no point did the set feel like a sermon; it was too raw for that, and there was no moral lesson or even call to action coming at the end. Maybe there was some brief comfort from being in a dark, loud room with people who were frustrated at the same things you were frustrated at; that is what was offered there. Though the lyrics shouted about Irish stories, that deep frustration at the systems caused them to reach out to the audience. Predatory gambling businesses, landlords, corruption, and cover-ups; if anything, MERYL STREEK’s specificity about the cases in his lyrics just highlighted how common these stories are, and how angry the public should be about that. Diving into the audience again and again, everything about the performance felt off-the-cuff and energetic without forgetting the music itself. It was an impressive balance, never felt over-produced and never lost the thread that kept the sold-out venue moving throughout. Achieving this with a full live band would be notable, but MERYL STREEK was on stage by himself, and the sheer force of his energy filled the entire room all by itself. The show powered forward at an unstoppable pace, and it took us until the next morning to realise that at no point the thought of, “I wish he had a live band with him,” occurred, which is, frankly, the biggest compliment the artist can get. Words and photos: Adam North

Just remember ALL CAPS when you spell their name – YAKKIE is here with no fear, unabashedly queer, and with their mission statement unreservedly clear: death to the unrelenting horror that is misogyny, and death to all that stands in the way of freedom. Their debut album, Kill The Cop Inside Your Head, is neither a punchy punk call-to-arms, nor a portfolio of brilliantly thought-out political poetry; neither a rousing rally nor a grungy bath of sound – because it is all four of these things. All at once. Fronted by JANEY STARLING of prior DREAM NAILS fame – one would be remiss to mention their utter anthem of Vagina Police – who’s vocals may remind of the legendary DOLORES O’RIORDAN in quality and sheer control, the YAKKIE supercluster of talent includes ROBIN GATT, bringing their fierce and instantly recognisable riffs directly from their time at PETROL GIRLS, LAURA ANKLES of COLOUR ME WEDNESDAY and her smooth, cushioning bass fantastically framing the ensemble, and MAEVE WESTALL of ITOLDYOUIWOULDEATYOU and JASMINE.4.T, who’s beautiful blending of frantic drumming ever-ready to break down truly takes YAKKIE’s sound to the next level. Multiplied together, it is as if listening to a reborn punk giant from the 1990s: a band whose posters once hung on your walls during better times, returning with an absolute bang. And, truly, the accolades of this album begin long before the first strum of a guitar, in the exceptional artistry of YAKKIE. Special mention must be made to the bountiful and endless creativity that permanently flows through this project – from their psychedelic-grunge merch and album art bringing a distinguished band identity instantly, the talent in each member, and most notably, the album’s distribution. The art of DIY and self-publishing is a holy tradition, and YAKKIE are already its masters- Kill The Cop Inside Your Head recorded entirely analog, live, in one take, and personally published. YAKKIE’s presentation is legendary – and their sound is not one step behind. YAKKIE’s art continues even into the album’s orchestration- many songs brilliantly designed to play in succession, highlighting their sound – and most importantly, message – in the utter experience of listening to this debut. The titular track Kill The Cop Inside Your Head, from its first semi-automatic volley of electric riffs, introduces the listener to YAKKIE’s style with an almost protest-like chant to “kill the panopticon inside your head”- all until a breakdown begging for a pit to collapse into itself to its refrain. With a great message truly informed by well-read anti-fascist thought, the seminal demand – to not “fall asleep in your enemy’s dream” is echoed in its importance by its accompanying, violent drop – a sure inspiration to emulate in pursuit of the cop-in-the-head. What YAKKIE does next, however, is fascinating. Each following track well relates to the next – Criticise Me and He Sleeps Alone, first up, cement a much-deserved criticism of toxic masculinity and misogyny, protest songs about the ever-present patronisation and belittling that most men truly believe they should be allowed to get away with. Interestingly, these two also begin the pattern of genre play: YAKKIE is in no means boxed in by the speedier, riot punk of the titular track and explores sounds ranging from speedy skate sounds as in Rabbit’s Got A Gun, to beautifully haunting unplugged ballads, as in the case of Atlas. The album’s structure allows these messages to be repeated in the progression from Right Of Reply into Secrets – where the sexism of individual men is expertly linked to the horror of structural misogyny. Anxious basslines, manic drumming and emotional vocals scream against the systemic murder of women and its subsequent downplaying in the media, and the ever-present sexual violence in the world order; the songs and their messages, especially in Secrets, made only more haunting and pertinent by recent political revelations. Lean Out stands out, particularly. The thrashiest, rawest track, it best showcases GATT’s talents as a savage riff dispenser, making YAKKIE’s anarcha-feminist intersectional power-ballad tying class consciousness and gender together even more enjoyable. Despite the horrors, the album ends on a much-deserved high note. The longest track, Under The Pavement Is The Beach is a holistic exposure of the world’s political rot, capitalism’s woes and unrelenting genocide. But, and this is most important: “even when up is down we will find a way out” – and for all the true cruelty and savagery of the world, when drawn together, the people united can never be defeated. YAKKIE is an ensemble that doesn’t seem as if they’re going from debut into the pages of punk history – because they’ve already been in those hallowed pages; they’re only here to reclaim their throne. The majority of songs here all feel unique and loved, and all are important to listen to: it is telling one of the few criticisms we have is the admittedly subjective desire for more grunge and skate punk Rabbit’s Got The Gun in future releases- but such specificity pales in comparison to the brilliant diversity and creativity on offer with this debut. Score: 8/10 Kill The Cop Inside Your Head will be self released on the 13th of February 2026 Words: Jakub Tomasz Czaicki Photos: YAKKIE

BRATAKUS have built themselves up with a fierce DIY punk ethos that has persisted since their inception. The two sisters, BRÈAGHA and ONNAGH CUINN hail from the highlands of Scotland, just outside the tiny village of Tomintoul; they make up for the peace and quiet out there by being as loud and aggressive as humanly possible. They’re punchy, fiery, and incredibly political - everything you could ask for in a DIY riot grrrl band. Their upcoming debut album Hagridden stuffs their insatiable punk energy into a tight ten-track package that only leaves us wanting more. The duo waste no time with Final Girls, the energetic opening riffs immediately dragging us into their grimy underground world. This track has been with us for almost a year, but it refuses to get old; the guitars alone make this song a shot of adrenaline that simultaneously keeps us on our toes and serves as an excellent introductory statement to the band and this album. They keep that energy through second track Turnstile, the sisters’ dynamic dual vocals a definite standout element on this one. Following is Real Men Eat Meat, a harsh, aggressive takedown of macho-man mentality and their staunch opposition to veganism and the animal rights movement. This is where BRATAKUS shine - they don’t shy away from taking political stances, standing tall on their soapboxes and shouting their causes, underlined with the sheer rawness of their vocals. Following is Hypocritical, a track that can only be described as a hurricane on fire; it’s a whirlwind that spins us around with its breakneck pace, threatening to burn down everything in its vicinity through sheer aggression. It doesn’t just ask for a mosh pit, it demands one. A groovy rhythm leads us from that into Worth It, a track with memorable riffs that we know we’ll be humming all day. As the track nears its end, they reiterate the message: “This cycle of exploitation, it never ends!” This one is by far one of the album’s best, carrying everything from high-octane riffs and rhythms to heavy political messaging and raw, bleeding vocals. Tokened is another track that had its release last year, and its message will definitely stand the test of time. “We won’t be tokened! We won’t be broken!” the sisters sing, crying out against the tokenisation of women today and throughout history - especially in the music industry, where if a band is composed of women, they’re often defined as a ‘girl band’ instead of being allowed to simply be a band. Tonight follows, another fast-paced banger from the duo, though around the midpoint they slow into a grungier, edgier section that helps the track stand out from the others. After that is Behave, another track that shouts about the treatment of women, commanding men to behave, to stop treating them like a piece of meat and to keep their hands to themselves. Drowning comes in as the penultimate track, one that trades out the duo’s signature shouty riot grrrl vocals for a vocal style reminiscent of nineties grunge bands like HOLE - before long however, we’re thrown into another set of raw chant-like verses that give this track an element of variety that marks it as a clear standout in the album. The only criticism this track brings to the album is that it leaves us wanting more in this style. Finally, Hagridden wraps up with Cut Us, a return to the sisters’ defining sound. It combines deliberate barbed-wire riffs and basslines with razor-sharp vocals, and gives listeners a chorus designed for live shows - one the audience are sure to be shouting along with the band, fists raised high in the air. Hagridden is an album that encapsulates everything that’s great about the Proclaimers of punk, dripping with their DIY punk mentality and bursting at the seams with a frenetic energy that keeps us on our toes throughout the ten incendiary tracks. The sisters are a breath of fresh air in today’s music industry; they’re entirely unafraid and outspoken about their political stances, covering ground from animal rights, to feminism and the treatment of women in the industry, to the brainwashing attempts prevalent in mainstream media. BRATAKUS are making their mark, and they’re doing it in their own punk way; loud, aggressive, and unforgettable. Score: 8/10 Hagridden will be released on February 13th 2026 via Venn Records. Words: Naomi Colliar Duff Photos: Lee Lewis

It was a weekend-eve party in Club Academy last Thursday as Rain City Drive and Honey Revenge played the Manchester leg of their joint European tour, bringing Belmont along for the ride. Every set was high energy and full of personality To open was hard emo outfit Belmont, who brought the initial energy as their front man Taz Johnson 'white girl danced' his way along the stage to Day by Day. Despite the circle pit opening up he went for the “is that all you can do?” approach to getting the room moving. Musically, they focused on a fusion of Midwest emo and emo rock sounds, complete with pretty guitar runs and an odd foray into trap beats and rap that just about landed with the rest of the set. The main thing to note was the ease of which Johnson took the frontman role, whether that was getting the whole crowd to put their fingers up before Liminal or reminding the crowd this was their last chance to get moving before they closed with Overstepping; Johnson crouched to sing with those at the front there to see them then the long final outro finished their portion of the evening. Rain City Drive opened their set with Frozen, then was met with an enthusiastic response when Matt McAndrew asked Club Academy who in the crowd had heard of them before. McAndrew was an effortlessly comfortable frontman, smiling into the microphone as he walked around the stage and pointing at individuals to ask if they specifically were ready for Concrete Closure, where he got the crowd into a clap along to warm up their interaction muscles. For Rain City Drive this was a return to the quartet’s birthplace and namesake, the latter point referenced by McAndrew before giving a song to the OG fans in the form of Prayers Rain City Drive’s sound is primarily alternative rock with a whisper of pop punk in their emotionally charged and relationship based lyrics. As McAndrew introduced the band's first song Heavier with “let’s see if you know it” was indicative of a grating habit of the frontman where he expected Club Academy to know what they were playing without introducing a song name; this strategy would be satisfying for Rain City Drive fans on a single headline tour, but one that would make it difficult for Honey Revenge fans to find their favourite songs of their co-headliners after the tour. Nevertheless, Rain City Drive were great performers with good energy and control of it, especially as they danced along to a more hip hop influenced new song called Ride or Die, or McAndrew’s coaxing for members of the crowd to admit that they were going through a breakup so he could dedicate Wish You The Best to them. It was not just McAndrew bringing the energy, as the guitarists riffed off each other and bassist Colin Viera mouthed almost every word of the setlist to the crowd. McAndrew took a quiet moment in the middle of the set to perform Neverbloom, a weighted track dedicated to McAndrew’s late father that speaks on the destructive habits Rain City Drive’s frontman picked up in his grief and without a father figure to stop him, as well as the eternal wish for his father to see the successes he has achieved in the last few years. Being able to control the energy refers to McAndrew being able to move the room into the quiet moment needed for Neverbloom then easily bring the energy back for their set’s final section, first asking the back how they were and getting Club Academy to get loud whereafter they played Cutting It Close featuring a solid drum solo from touring drummer Zachary Baker. Rain City Drive closed out with Medicate me, which originally features Dayseeker, but Club Academy filled the gaps by getting the loudest they’d been so far. Rain City Drive oozed confidence throughout their whole set and had the musical quality to back it up, getting Club Academy warmed up for Honey Revenge without tiring them out before the party to come. The first thing to note about Honey Revenge is the commitment to style for the duo, as they both bounced onto the stage in co-ordinated sheer purple tops, with Donny Lloyd donned in sparkly trousers and hair glitter to match their pink glittery guitar, while Devin Papadol sported a ruffle skirt that gave the two were headed straight to G-A-Y after the show. Their set opened with Risk, where the two shimmied with each other between Papadol singing to the crowd. They followed with Seeing Negative and executed the first of many synced-up kicks, spurring Lloyd to play so hard their glasses fell off and they spent the last verse and chorus trying to see down them without them hitting the floor. Honey Revenge is best described as bubblegum rock in sound and energy, with their heavy but high tempo rock instrumentals blended into electric elements and topped with Papadol’s pop princess style vocals. Their energy is infectious too - by Sensitive a room that had seemed flat had burst into jumping and dancing; the party was underway. Papadol began her requests at Favourite Song - a conga line, which snaked its way around the middle of Club Academy for about half the runtime, then a request to turn the room into the club for an unreleased track about being a hot commodity that got the hips shaking and the countdown for its release starting. At this point Papadol addresses those who are new to the Honey Revenge show by using the first line of Habitual’s chorus as a call and response, coaxing the crowd to sing it to her preferred volume then hitting the macarena as the first notes played. It’s only now that the pit opened, with Papadol standing in the eye while she sang Worst apology, then asking for the tough guys in the crowd to get it moving with a flirtatious air; they obliged immediately and even hit a small wall of death towards the end of Poison Apple Baby. The final section of Honey Revenge was reserved for the more passionate tracks in their discography, which lent itself to the harder soundscapes and an accompanying circle pit during Distracted. This said, the boogieing between Lloyd and their touring bassist was constant:be it the synced kicks from earlier or small dances and movements indicative of tour-long jokes they threw at each other while grinning from ear to ear the whole time. Papadol for her part was mostly on the barrier, though an attempt to get back onto stage during Are You Impressed? had her and Papadol bumping into each other punctuated with Lloyd’s involuntary scream into the microphone. To finish, Papadol had everyone on the floor for Airhead, closing out the set with a long breakdown and final guitar solo from Lloyd. Having stated earlier they’d be no encore, a chunk of Club Academy filed out of the basement room when they came back on stage to do their current bit: a rendition of half of Knocked Loose’s Counting Worms where Lloyd did a scream so solid they should incorporate it into Honey Revenge songs. Honey Revenge and Rain City Drive’s joint tour was a party that was a joy to attend. Belmont and Rain City Drive were put together and warmed the crowd up perfectly for the headliners, Rain City Drive served a classically quality alternative rock performance, while Honey Revenge’s energy was so infectious it left the crowd electrified as Club Academy disappeared into the sharp Manchester night. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: Anna Goley

On the first evening of February, we stepped into the iconic Brudenell Social Club in Leeds to bear witness to singer songwriter A. A. WILLIAMS. Since her debut album Forever Blue released in 2020, she has developed a dedicated following with her post-classical gloomy dark folk. The tour is still in its early shows as it travels into Europe for the next few weeks, with SPOTLIGHTS joining them in the lineup. Over the years she has toured with the likes of THE SISTERS OF MERCY, CULT OF LUNA, EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY, and even SLEEP TOKEN. Up first on the stage was SPOTLIGHTS, all the way from the US. The band is made up of husband and wife Mario Quintero and Sarah Quintero, with Chris Enriquez on the drums. Their EP Tidals is celebrating its ten year anniversary this year, so to commemorate they played the entire EP in full, plus their newer track Sunset Burial to round off the set. There was a record winning snare drum change just before their last songs, as their drummer Chris had broken it whilst playing. The transition was seamless and earned a few cheers as another snare emerged from behind the scenes and they were ready to go once again. Spotlights’ sound is heavy, a doom-infused hard rock offering, with intense guitar solos scattered throughout. Sarah Quintero’s presence is the coolest in the room with her slick bass riffs accompanying the others. There were a few people at the front of the crowd yelling along to every word amongst the otherwise mellow crowd. A.A. WILLIAMS appeared on the stage with an emboldened A. behind her, and smoke gathering at her feet. Golden began the twelve song set, easing us into things. Just A Shadow came in straight after which transcended into a mesmerising gothic instrumental, followed by Splinter. Love and Pain is an alluring track that is full of drama. Her sound is even more powerful in person than the studio recordings. You can feel every reverberation, and the aura emanating from the stage is magical. The soft hand movements contrast with the boom of the distortion as the tracks play out. As true to the genre many of the songs follow a similar format, starting a lot quieter and building up to something that is eardrum bursting and all encompassing. Between each track WILLIAMS is reaching for a different guitar. There is a series of “pointy” guitars but amongst them is one with an incredibly beautiful sound. This is particularly prominent on tracks like Dirt. At one point she spoke to reflect on her time in Leeds in the past, noting her performance at the Brudenell in 2019 as part of StrangeForms Festival. Adding to the atmosphere is the crowd that is deadly silent throughout as they take it all in. The setlist proves that these are songs that begged to be witnessed live. Personal highlights were Melt from the iconic Forever Blue album where WILLIAMS’ vocals soar and the tune creates a unique cascading of melodies that captivated everyone. As well as the interlude in Pristine, which is almost cinematic and when the guitars burst in, you are drawn into an other-worldly space that keeps its grip on the crowd. The set finished with Evaporate, one that resonated with the room as one of her more popular and catchy tunes. The performance as a whole is carefully and beautifully crafted, from the lights and the smoke to the compositions of the music. A.A. WILLIAMS offers an alternative perspective on the singer songwriter, where things are just a little bit darker. Words: Danielle Henderson Photos: Oz Davies

Rescue Rooms played host to a relentless night of hardcore, as GIDEON played Nottingham with support acts GROVE STREET, XILE, and STILL IN LOVE. Opening the night were the STILL IN LOVE and they came out swinging, fusing raw emotion with a no-nonsense modern hardcore punch. Sober and Pillar Of Strength landed like gut shots, all vulnerability wrapped in heavyweight riffs, and it did not take long for the room to wake up. STILL IN LOVE demanded attention, locking the room in early and even kicking off a pit while most people were still finding their spot. A statement set, and a warning of what was to come. XILE hit the stage, and the room shifted gear immediately. Same lights, different energy — darker, heavier, more volatile. One riff in and the floor transformed into chaos. Originally from Grafton, New Zealand, but now firmly rooted in the UK hardcore circuit, they blend European beatdown and death metal into their own brutal brand of “Kiwi Hardstyle”. Stone Cold and Diamond Eyes hit like blunt force trauma live — all precision, no mercy. XILE knew exactly how much damage they were doing, and they leaned into it hard. The pit reacted instantly: windmills flying, karate kicks swinging, two-step chaos breaking out. From that moment on, the room stayed locked in and refused to calm down. The main supports GROVE STREET were on next, and the atmosphere shifted once more — away from sheer, pulverising heaviness and into something far more dangerous: pure, infectious fun. Their thrashy hardcore roar erupted instantly, packed with groove, grit and that unmistakable bounce that had even those standing at the back nodding along before being dragged into the pit. Tracks like Grove Street Family and Lessons Of The Past sparked some of the biggest reactions of the night, their crossover bite blurred the lines between hardcore urgency and thrash metal speed. Fast, volatile and unapologetic, this was the evening’s true turning point — where restraint finally collapsed and the room fully surrendered to chaos and fun. Seeing these guys if you are a fan of thrashy hardcore is a must. When GIDEON emerged, the crowd was warmed up and ready to face the chaos of the pit that was yet to come. Launching into crowd-pleasers like Wrong One and ‘Till The Wheels Fall Off, they asserted control of the room from the outset. Their set leaned heavily into material that thrives in live environments, with tracks such as Bite Down and Cursed triggering full-room chants and relentless pit activity. The band’s connection with the crowd was the beating heart of the set. GIDEON have always thrived on balancing crushing heaviness with razor-sharp melodic hardcore hooks, but here it felt supercharged. MORE POWER. MORE PAIN. in particular became a full-blown communal moment, less a performance and more a shared release, with voices drowning out the PA. In the claustrophobic confines of Rescue Rooms, this particular breakdown hit harder, every chorus roared louder, and the barrier between band and audience all but disappeared. The energy never dipped for a second — just a relentless feedback loop of sweat, shouting and total, all-in commitment. Sweaty, feral and chaotic, this was hardcore in its purest form. Each band escalated the chaos, from raw emotion to bone-crushing brutality and riotous fun, before GIDEON brought it home with a headline set that blurred the line between band and crowd. Rescue Rooms barely survived! Words: Sita Gee Photos: Libby Percival

After a six year wait, Ukrainian metal giants JINJER finally returned to the UK for a full scale headline tour. It was clear to see on a rainy Friday evening in Birmingham what this band means to people. Cowering beneath limited cover from the elements, the queue stood strong as it weaved around the Digbeth streets. We last saw JINJER grace the holy grounds of Castle Donington at DOWNLOAD Festival 2025, a gripping show, but nothing in comparison to the showcase of European musical talent that was about to go down in the O2 Institute. Hot off the heels of the release of their first album in a decade, Dutch prog metal pioneers TEXTURES opened with the dreamy Closer To The Unknown. Transporting you into their synth infused modern metal soundscape, lead singer Daniel de Jongh made the transition from raspy melodics to wrenching uncleans look easy. With six members in total, every single one looked to be having the time of their lives. Inside jokes unfolded with fist bumps between themselves during beat drops and constant smiles across their faces for the duration of their set. Alongside their infectious joy, their musical catalogue enticed the audience to join their headbanging, doing as a support act should, warming the crowd up. Saving the heaviest song of the set until last, Laments of an Icarus left a lasting impact that would make sure new fans left the venue that night. As the crew commenced their gear switch, a loud and ringing electronic melody took over the sound systems to set the scene before the next band took to the stage. Bringing their mix of technical riffs, fast paced rhythms, ‘angelic’ cleans and contrasting intense vocals, German quartet UNPROCESSED did not come to mess around. This tour brought the band the opportunity to play tracks off their new album Angel, kicking things off with 111, followed by Sleeping With Ghosts and Beyond Heaven’s Gate, energy radiated from the band and audience alike. Manuel Gardner Fernandes hypnotised with his incredible vocal abilities, whilst prog bass and riffs had the crowd going mental. It didn’t take much convincing from the band for the pits to open up, the crowd spoilt for choice of mind bending breakdowns. It was particularly impressive to see bassist David John Levy picking up vocal sections such as PALEFACE SWISS’ feature in Solara, spitting the lyrics out at rapid fire, before knuckling down into even more intricate riffs. The general consensus from audience members seemed to be amazement, with people questioning how they hadn’t listed to this band sooner and adding songs to their playlists whilst the band were still on stage. Well, it’s good news for new and old fans alike, as Manuel ended the set with a simple statement - ‘We will be back very soon, I promise’. With little room to move in the building, it was easy to see the excitement radiating as the final band prepared to grace the stage. Leading the charge were guitarists Eugene Kostyuk and Roman Ibramkhalilov, and drummer Vladislav Ulasevish, unleashing the opening of new album title track Duél. A rolling mix of low tuned chords and fast paced symbols took over the venue, creating the perfect entrance for front woman Tatiana Shmayluk. A vision in pink frills and a striking red corset, the atmosphere in the venue instantly switched to awe as this iconic vocalist took centre stage. Known as a powerhouse in the metal scene for her ability to switch from ethereal cleans straight into battering growls, every note throughout the evening was hit to perfection. Green Serpent weaved its soulful melody through the room, followed by the punchy Fast Draw. JINJER manage to create heavy hitting and fast paced tracks that just make you want to dance. Audience members bounced around and boogied to their hearts content, feeling every pace change and embracing every note. Onslaughts of crowd surfers took to the air, whilst moshing raged rampant. Backed up by large LED screens, the band were surrounded by a colourful spectrum of graphics and animations. This added to an already captivating stage show, purely generated from the performers themselves. Whilst event member of the band was putting their all into the show, it was hard not to be completely mesmerised by Tatiana’s sassy and strong stage presence. Throwing moves and skipping across the stage, she is confidence embodied. Whilst continuing to do justice for and representing women in the current metal scene, she took the time to dedicate Someone’s Daughter to the ladies at the gig, earning a cheer from her counterparts in the crowd. The track list of the evening included classics like Teacher, Teacher!, Judgement (& Punishment) and of course Pisces, earning many a loud cheer from the crowd. Concluding with Sit Stay Roll Over, the quartet delivered a pure master class in metal, and proved just why they have become such a powerful name in the alternative genres. Words and Photos: Izzy Sheldon

When a tour lineup has four bands on it, you are always wondering if you are going to love each band or be waiting around impatiently for the headline act. RESOLVE made sure everyone left thinking the first option. The French metalcore band were joined by ASHEN, also from France, UK-based TROPIC GOLD and Australia's WINDWAKER. This being one of the first tours to happen in 2026 set the standards high for the rest of the year. Kicking off the stacked night was ASHEN. They made their way onto stage and in the first five seconds had confirmed they are probably the most stylish band we have ever seen live. Although they were on just ten minutes after doors, once people had heard them, the room started to fill up. The challenge of being on so early after doors did not stop them, or the crowd, as pits and walls of death were still happening. Newest ASHEN member, NATHAN HAKOUNE, was an obvious standout moment with his low screams. Vocalist CLEM RICHARDS is someone we need to be speaking about more with the range of his voice and the energy he brought for every song. Next to hit this stacked lineup was TROPIC GOLD. Their atmospheric introduction set the tone for the rest of their set that was packed with songs from their 2025 EP, Sick To Death Of Everything. Vocalist JACOB PARRIS effortlessly switched between clean vocals and screams while drummer AMY opened Pokémon cards at the back of the stage, a new staple part of the TROPIC GOLD set. They played an unreleased track, Witch House, and from the range of JACOB’s vocals alone here, it will definitely be a fan favourite once released. Last band to get everyone warmed up for RESOLVE was WINDWAKER. Coming from Australia for their first shows over here, they made sure they brought the energy all the way over to the UK. They performed all their hits, including opening with SIRENS, which is the perfect opening track with its high energy. Their overall stage setup, presence and aesthetic is something so different and fun, it felt like a breath of fresh air. If you are a fan of HEADWRECK or ELECTRIC CALLBOY, you need to check out WINDWAKER. After this, the crowd was fully warmed up for RESOLVE. This was a special set for RESOLVE. They performed tracks they have not played in a while, along with others that may never be played again. When the tour announced they gave fans the opportunity to message them with tracks they would like to be played, which made the connection between the band and the fans on this tour even stronger. They undeniably also have this connection with fans in person. Vocalist ANTHONY DILIBERTO’s stage presence was so slick and his live vocal range was one of the most impressive, he made it seem easy to use. It is certain all members wanted to put everything into this performance with it being the last time some of the tracks were going to be played. With hints of similarities to MAKE THEM SUFFER shining through on tracks such as Molotov and DON BROCO on Human, there was something for everyone. They used up every bit of the stage. The Cathouse was not a big enough venue for this performance; The band would thrive on stages like the Barrowlands or O2 Academy so they could fully unleash themselves. There were fans there who had travelled all the way from America for this tour, who must have been happy with their decisions after the night. Hopefully RESOLVE will be back at some of the major UK festivals soon, they have the stage presence, the sound and the fan interaction completely and would make a perfect act for the Download Festival main stage. Words: Isabella Jacklin Photos: Isaac Laing