Scottish punk duo COWBOY HUNTERS returned to London to play another headline show just for the London fans! The duo have been playing many shows all over the UK but rarely visit the city centre of London and the chaos that invaded the venue was calamitous. MEGAN and DESMOND have been releasing music since 2022 and have already had the success of playing numerous headline shows each year, opening for other artists and even getting radio play via BBC introducing. After attending this show it is easy to see why, despite how nonsensical you might find their music, and how freeing and fun their live shows truly are. The first artist on the stage was ORCHID, her music is not particularly alternative but if you have had any new age pop in your playlists she really could be for you. With club beats and incredible energy on stage she filled the venue with just herself and a mic, despite feeling slightly under the weather. Her tracks both released and unreleased turned the venue into a club with everyone bopping their heads and swinging their hips. Her energy was infectious as she joked with the crowd. Even though it might not be the same genre of music that a lot of them came to see, everyone in the crowd quickly grew to love her. If she keeps going the way she is you can be sure to see her name around more! Next to take the stage was a band that clearly already have a cult following, BEEFCAKE have their own Japanese inspired style of fashion that was reflected like a mirror in the front row as fans swerved their way to the front just for their set. Unfortunately BEEFCAKES drummer had to miss the set due to illness that had already spread to lead vocalist DORA, but they put on a show anyway with a "reimagined" set just for the fans that had come to see them. DORA has an incredible delicate yet powerful voice as they mastered the whole set pretty much acapella. Although it is hard to grasp what an artist can really sound like from a stripped back set they performed a cover of ETHEL CAINES - A House in Nebraska which can give you an idea of their sound without having their full set up. Fans all over the room were singing the words to their songs and really seemed to show out with a lot of the crowd having seen them before. It is clear to see the band are set to do big things having already gathered such a big dedicated fanbase. As the BEEFCAKE fans made their way to the back for the rest of the show the COWBOY HUNTERS fans swarmed forwards, packing in tightly and leaving no space on the floor. The band walked on stage to huge cheers before pressing play on a folk music remix backing track and getting in the crowd to have a dance. This incredibly unique technique to get the crowd hyped worked a treat as they started a mosh pit before the set even got started! After their little dance they got onto their spaces on stage and started to play the bangers that the fans were waiting for. If you have not seen COWBOY HUNTERS before you might not know of their instrument switching party tricks but it really is impressive. DESMOND started on the drums and MEGAN on the bass guitar. They both rocked the stage playing their songs Money for Drugs and Mating Calls, joking with each other and the crowd the whole time. Rather than keeping a serious and clean polished set the duo remain completely true to themselves, giving a really rustic performance, it is almost like the crowd are just some mates watching the band rehearse in a garage. As for the music from beginning to end it was raw Scottish Punk, filled with slang, political references and absolutely nonsensical lines like "Gemma, I hope you move to France". The crowd seemed to know a lot of the lyrics themselves and if they did not, it was easy for them to catch on. They moshed for every single track with not a moment of stillness from the floor, beers split and no one giving two shits about personal space, a proper punk gig. Half way through the gig the band played another track from their soundboard and got into the crowd to start a mosh pit. They then did something unexpected and might have even gone unnoticed by some of the crowd for a moment. When they left the crowd to continue moshing they switched instruments, DESMOND taking the bass and MEGAN sitting at the drums. Changing instruments during a show might not be that crazy of a gimmick but switching instruments completely takes a level of skill that you would not really expect from a duo playing a two-hundred cap show underneath Oxford Circus. The transition was seamless and the two jumped right back into playing their own songs with more tracks like Gemma and Perfect (Exceeder). The majority of the songs MEGAN and DESMOND jumped back and forth between eachother with a combination of rapping and screaming.They made it seem like it was easy but keeping their level of performance that high throughout the set must be intense and absolutely exhausting. Sweat dripped from their brows but they did not take a moment's break... apart from their beer break of course "Beer break, sing some lift music in your head or something" MEGAN joked giving the crowd a giggle. As they finished playing their last song the crowd screamed for an encore, the energy in the room still bouncing off the walls and reflecting off the stage. Giving into their fans the band once again played their dance track and got into the crowd to have a dance. They then climbed back onto the stage, giving the fans what they wanted, building the anticipation and riling up the crowd. Before essentially rick rolling them with the Cha Cha Slide sending the venue into hysteric laughter. They duo once again got onto the venue floor to, you guessed it, dance to the Cha Cha Slide with the crowd, which everyone seemed to love. A fantastic joke putting a smile on everyone's faces, the band have clearly cultured a fan base with a sense of humour just as flavoursome as their own. But with that ending the band cut off the fun with the line "how low can you go" and DESMOND shouting "getting off the floor your idiots" before the both of them giving a wave goodnight and walking off the stage for the night. The band left the whole venue laughing and joking with each other, afterwards you could see people exchanging socials having made friends at the gig and finding those with a similar music taste and sense of humour to their own. It is clear to see although perhaps unserious, these guys were made for the stage. We expect them to make even bigger waves throughout the UK punk scene and maybe even further, look out for the name COWBOY HUNTERS at your local venues if you want a fun, punk filled night. Words and photos: Amy Smyth

The Electric in Bristol did not simply open its doors — it exhaled a surge of tension that swept through the venue like a gathering storm. From the moment the first bodies crossed the threshold, the room crackled with anticipation, the air thick with sweat, adrenaline and that unmistakable charge of a crowd preparing to be consumed. This was not a night built for half-measures or passive listening. It was a full plunge into atmosphere, darkness and sonic force, a three-act descent that would drag every person in the room through ambience, ritual and finally, complete obliteration. LOVE IS NOISE stepped into that simmering tension with a confidence that did not rely on volume or theatrics, but on immersion. Their set unfolded like a slow-moving tide, built on shimmering guitars that glowed like reflections on black water, electronic pulses that throbbed beneath the surface, and vocals that drifted like distant signals cutting through fog. Instead of commanding the room outright, they let the atmosphere expand, note by note, until the venue felt suspended inside their sound. Each song rose with deliberate patience, swelling into luminous crescendos before collapsing back into quiet tension. Early sets often struggle to catch the crowd’s attention — not tonight. LOVE IS NOISE held the room with a quiet but undeniable pull, their restraint functioning as its own form of intensity. By the final track, the audience was not just listening; they were submerged. But the calm did not last. From the first flicker of light through the thickening smoke, ZETRA altered the temperature of the room entirely. Where LOVE IS NOISE had bathed the venue in a meditative glow, ZETRA plunged it into shadow. Emerging through a haze of smoke with corpsepaint reflecting the dim lights, they appeared less like musicians and more like occult figures crossing a threshold. Their fairytale mirror glinted behind them, a portal to somewhere deeper and darker than The Electric’s walls could contain. The music hit with the slow-burning weight of doom, blackened shoegaze and synth-laced melancholy intertwining with ritualistic precision. Their sound did not push the crowd into movement — it held them in a state of suspended awe. Each chord lingered like smoke curling through the rafters, each cadence unfolding with the care of a ceremony. Even the most restless bodies in the pit stilled, drawn into the gravity of ZETRA’s world. They transformed the venue into something subterranean, something sacred and slightly haunted. It was a performance that did not rely on aggression to dominate. It dominated through atmosphere — through total, unwavering control of mood. And then LOATHE tore the night wide open. The moment the quartet walked onstage, the crowd erupted with a force that felt physical — as if the entire room had been waiting, braced, coiled for release. Within seconds, LOATHE launched into their set with suffocating intensity, colliding metallic ferocity with massive swells of ambience. Their signature duality — beauty and brutality fused into a single, volatile entity — hit the room like a shockwave. Incense rose from the stage in thick spirals, twisting through the lights and turning the space into a ritual chamber where every note felt incendiary. Frontman KADEEM FRANCE commanded the stage with magnetic authority, shifting between hell-deep gutturals and haunting melodic lines with a fluidity that should not be possible. ERIK BICKERSTAFFE’s vocals glided above the chaos, offering spectral clarity while the rhythm section carved out foundations heavy enough to bend the air. The band’s control of dynamics was absolute. One moment, the room convulsed under the weight of a breakdown; the next, it hovered in eerie stillness as ambient passages stretched outward like the slow drift of smoke. The new material hinted at a band entering a more exploratory phase — pushing boundaries, bending genre, refusing stagnation. Gifted Every Strength especially felt like a glimpse through a doorway into Loathe’s next evolution, a reconciliation of aggression and atmosphere with razor-sharp purpose. Yet it was the familiar tracks that triggered the most explosive reactions. When Two Way Mirror floated into the air, the audience shifted from chaos to reverence. Live, the song’s emotional gravity deepened; its textures expanded, wrapping around the venue in a way that made it feel almost sacred. The set moved like a living being — volatile, shifting, unpredictable — and the audience followed every turn. Bodies collided, surged, stilled, and erupted again as the band sculpted the emotional arc of the night with precision. By the final note, Loathe had not just performed; they had consumed the room, poured themselves into every corner, and left the crowd hollowed out and full all at once. When the doors finally opened to release the audience into the cold Bristol night, people drifted out dazed, incense still clinging to their clothes. LOVE IS NOISE had opened the gates, ZETRA had dragged everyone into the shadows, and LOATHE had delivered the final, obliterating blow. It was not a show — it was a descent, a ritual, a crucible. And everyone who stepped inside left changed. Words: Mia Gailey Photos: Izzy Sheldon

As a band built from a wicked infusion of hardcore, thrash, and the extreme, meeting through shows in the London scene and creating a project that pulls together the best of the genres' abrasive foundations, FALSE REALITY are defined with Faded Intentions. Whilst the record has only been released in November, throughout 2025, they’ve sown the seeds to make this full-length debut a knockout for the UK underground. After a year of making their presence known with the release of their 2024 Path Of Self Destruct EP, they set the movement in motion for a damaging roster of live shows that proved the band to be one of the best emerging new acts. To put it simply, their grit and determination have caught our attention, cementing their place as the first recipients of ‘OOR Artist of the Year’. In conversation with the entire band - Rachel Rigby (Vocals), Dave Connolly (Guitar), Louis Dale (Drums) and Joe Cornwell (Bass) - we reflect on the trajectory of what has been a monumentally transcendental year for both the band and for the wider hardcore scene. Whilst Faded Intentions is a record built from personal experience, it deals with the very real feelings associated with the fluctuating state of change and those who choose to define it. In a roundabout way, it is the foundations of FALSE REALITY. Its namesake bleeds with the need for authenticity, especially as Rachel explains, in the same way that “people drift apart and how sometimes people aren’t always who you think they are.” Particularly, in the context of the first few released singles of this new cycle, these struggles are amplified as they root their sound in the discomfort and challenge of navigating unfamiliarity and exclusion. In Frozen, their dizzying first full track from the album, she continues, “it’s that feeling of someone changing and your own personal struggle with the process of that change. Suddenly, your world is turned upside down.” In some ways, this record feels symbolic of the current state of hardcore. For the UK, there has been so much movement in a positive direction that for those in the scene that for those on a local level, it can be disorientating and dizzying. Whilst bands like TURNSTILE can dominate and dazzle, as a new champion of heavy music on the mainstream, it is uncertain where it leaves regional heavy bands and their venues. “It’s a really interesting time right now with the massive popularity surge that hardcore has received over the past few years.” Rachel begins, unsure of how to define it. With the band citing bands like NINEBAR and COLD HARD TRUTH as some of the best UKHC right now, there is no doubt that the scene is in capable hands. However, amongst it all, there is an emphasis on how much this translates to the entirety of hardcore. Perhaps it’s too early to see the full extent of the recent revitalisation of the genre in the mainstream yet, but the band emphasises the need for more people to attend hardcore shows to start a resurgence. Here, an influx of new blood may seem daunting, but as Dave states, “a good crowd is all you need to make one of the best shows of all time. If the music and the people are bumping, you have all the ingredients.” It seemed only fitting to catch the band at one of their album release shows, including at the newly refurbished Boom, where OOR took the photos for this cover. Regardless, the band are aware that the next step is to take their sound further afield, as Joe says, “I mean, as it stands, the goal is still just to play as many shows as we can and get new ears on our stuff.” In France and Germany this summer, alongside MPF, No Play and Burn It Down in the UK, FALSE REALITY came into its own during festival season. No doubt this paved the way for their debut slot at HellFest next summer. However, the biggest wildcard booking came from the call from Pennsylvania rockers CKY, who were on the lookout for the best heavy live bands to tour with them across the country. Dave mentions the influence of the band growing up, “Like through the culture of skateboarding and Jackass, it’s a really exciting opportunity.” Again, the conversation turned to the influence of punk and hardcore on modern culture, with bands like DRAIN, END IT, and SCOWL finding their place on the soundtracks of the new Tony Hawk Pro Skater and Skate games. What is evident here is that both hardcore and FALSE REALITY are measured in mentality rather than sound. Whilst some conventions shape the genre, opening up to experimentation is a key part of its tenacity and malleability. So much of Faded Intentions is disordered by confrontational lyrics, divebombs and thrashing, the ferocity of the record is tamed by the impressive Sonder. Dead-set in the middle of the record, it unexpectedly throws elements of a shoegaze sound into a calming lull. Rachel says, “Sonder is a kind of love letter to the other adjacent genres of hardcore. Post hardcore, shoegaze, alt rock kinda vibe. We don’t necessarily wanna be pigeon-holed as one kind of sound, and it could definitely be a place that we visit again in future”. Working with Stephen Sears Jr., producer for the sound behind GALLOWS and TRC, the band entrenched their identity in the raw energy of the UK underground. Louis comments, “He’s one of those people who just gets what we’re about and the kind of sound we’re trying to go for. There were a couple of times through recording where he’ll bring an idea for us, and it made the final cut.” As hardcore lifers, with members of the band attributing parts of their trajectory from their time in hardcore staples, including IRONED OUT, 50 CALIBER and BUN DEM OUT, they know their sound and their scene from the inside out. Amongst it all, there is a real tapping into the vein of technique and taking no prisoners with their gnarly and uncompromisingly dirty sound. It takes real guts to make a statement of this magnitude; the overwhelming feeling of this record is to leave no holds barred. By harnessing, they are shining ambassadors for the future of the genre. In short, 2025 is the year of FALSE REALITY. You've heard it from us first: this is one of the artists you need to watch. Words: Amber Brooks and Spencer Cunningham Photos: Kieran Atkinson Cover Design: Robert Halls With Thanks To: Revenant Earth

With the release of their excellent album Pitchfork Libra now over two months gone, the Bristol-based five piece EROTIC SECRETS OF POMPEI made the very wise decision to take it around the country on tour. Having recently been announced for Arctangent festival next August, it was the perfect time for them to take some other weird, heavy, eccentric bands on the road with them - so of course, as everybody expected, they took singer/songwriter BEN BROWN, a man self-described as 'The Temu Ed Sheeran', along for the journey. We made it to London's Waiting Room to discover just what this strange double act was up to. BEN BROWN opened proceedings, and whilst he was most certainly not a standard opening act for a band who fall somewhere into the murky regions of noise rock, post punk, art rock and camp theatre energy, he was a joy to watch. His voice was astounding, and his simple, catchy lyrics and melodies were a perfect way to set a false sense of security for those unaware of the headliners, and the track Coffee And Oranges was a real highlight - with delightful musicality paired with lyrics that absolutely didn't suit it, in a brilliant exercise of duality and discord. His music wasn't all to him though, as BROWN's comedic sensibilities made each moment between songs into a little stand-up set that ran through the evening, discussing outdoor bench paint and corduroy trousers aplenty. As there were just two acts, the night was a relatively short one, and this made the difference between the two acts all the more stark. Once our headliners walked out and jumped straight into Utterly Rudderless, the essence of their live show became apparent - that being to keep things high energy, invest the crowd into everything, and most importantly, to have an absolute blast. Safe to say, they had everyone in the collective palms of their hands, as tracks like Osiris at the Large Hadron Collider showed off some of their zaniest lyrics, before Ten Ton Delirium boomed out and whipped up a singalong over its electric riffs, and Venus Ascending displayed the doomier side of the band that's not seen quite so often. Mixing plenty of songs from their latest release into the set, as well as a choice selection of the best of debut album Mondo Maleficum, it was a set that covered their very strongest work. Winding down the set with Bring Me Back from the Black Beyond, it can surely be said that not only EROTIC SECRETS OF POMPEI are excellent at writing fascinating and deeply enjoyable music; they're phenomenal in the flesh. With a brief encore of Nemesis Please off of their debut EP Trash Jugular, and the true finale of The Hand That Did the Deed, they capped the night off with pomp and aplomb. The venue may only have had room for a small few, but they performed like there were thousands watching on - and who knows, soon enough there just might be. For those really aching to catch them, not only can you find them at Arctangent next year, it might be worth keeping an eye on their social media tomorrow. Words: Jasmine Longhurst Photos: Anthony Turner

Why spend your Sunday night in when you could spend it at a gig? For this particularly cold night in Manchester, the best way to close out the week on a high is with Swedish prog metal band KATATONIA, with support from Italian-American metal band KLOGR and fellow Swedes, EVERGREY. KLOGR (pronounced Kay-log-are) make their way to the front of the stage, including drummer JONATAN BATISTA, as behind them are screens, and a separate drum kit reserved for our headliners of the night. While cramped in space, they were certainly not held back from delivering on performance, with plenty of crowd interaction between songs from frontman RUSTY, including getting people to cheer for the bands to follow. Venturing between industrial and prog metal, it is clear KLOGR does not like to set boundaries on their sound. The third song of the night was White Eyes, a newly released song from their latest album Reborn, which consists of reimagined versions of some of their previous releases; as such, this accounted for most of the rest of their setlist aside from Face The Unknown and Hysterical Blindness from their previous 2024 album. EVERGREY’s last visit to Manchester was for their own headliner at Rebellion a year ago, with support from KLOGR, and to see them in a supporting position this time round felt no different, as they still brought as much energy as they gave during a show of their own. A powerful performance of melodic prog metal, well and truly got the audience engaged and excited for our headliners. Despite having more members on stage than the previous band, everything about the band’s presence felt more fluid and seamless, giving each member enough space to immerse themselves in the performance, including Manchester’s own STEPHEN PLATT, nailing the guitar solos, filling in for guitarist HENRIK DANHAGE. KATATONIA frontman JONAS RENKSE thanks the crowd for coming out, even with it being a Sunday night and comments that they do this every night, in response to a crowd member who makes a point to shout out the day of the week. RENKSE brings a haunting aura to the stage, mimicking the melancholy of the band's offerings, which transcend genre from melodic to prog to death/doom and everything in between. The band has reinvented itself but still stays true to its origins, even thirty years on. In saying this, their setlist of the night primarily focuses on their 2006 album The Great Cold Distance to their latest album Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State. They certainly made optimal use of the staging, with platforms to add varying levels, in a literal sense, to the performance, and screens displaying visuals for each song, which silhouetted the members, adding to the dark aesthetic the band portrays both musically and visually. While creating a very atmospheric feel, the band still managed to have on-stage banter, the chemistry between the members poking through their serious image. Even having banter with the audience, with RENKSE announcing that “corduroy pants in Swedish are called Manchester pants” and someone from the crowd responding with “I’ll give you my pants”. For a handful of audience members, you could tell it had been a long week, and they were relieved to not only be at the end of it, whereas the rest of the crowd were bounding with energy, jumping, shouting the lyrics back and fully immersing themselves in the ethereal vibe. Despite this, they were all united by one key detail: that being graced by KATATONIA’s presence was the highlight of their week. This was further demonstrated through chants for an encore, before the band closed out with Forsaker. Words and photos: Libby Percival

Nottingham's Bodega hosted a deeply uncompromising bill last week as WORN OUT, PUPIL SLICER and LLNN delivered a night that explored multiple corners of contemporary heavy music. Across the evening, each band brought a distinct approach to intensity. WORN OUT began the evening's performance. The group's sound is immediately abrasive and hard, with an undeniable punk attitude and urgency. No effort was made toward polishing the group's performance. Rather, there was a clear focus toward generating momentum and delivering a strong impact. Although they were in the first position in terms of the evening's schedule, they generated quick movement among the audience and sharpened the atmosphere within the room. The set was very brief, yet successful in preparing the audience for what would follow. Next up was PUPIL SLICER. An immediate and significant difference in the energy within the room was evident upon their arrival. Their performance moved with an unyielding sense of purpose from the start. Highly jagged, irregular guitar lines tore throughout the room. The tight, locked drumming provided enough space for chaos to occur without ever devolving into complete disarray. What added to the complexity of watching the performance was the balance between volatility and control. Frontwoman KATE DAVIES-COOK dominated the space she occupied with a commanding presence. At times her vocals screamed and cut through the air, at others she delivered emotionally raw, vulnerable moments. This range of emotions expanded well beyond the pure aggression of the performance. Unlike some other performances, the band avoided engaging with the crowd, instead allowing the music to speak for itself. A constant forward motion existed within the performance, and each track flowed into the next in a manner that made time appear to compress. The material from Blossom seemed to land particularly heavy in the room, generating the largest amount of physical reaction from the audience. Given the intimate size of the room, each shift in tempo and each sudden dynamic change felt instantaneously and startlingly apparent. The front row continued to move as if they were unable to remain stationary, while those farther back watched with an intense, still silence, completely immersed in the technical precision occurring on stage. Most notable, however, was the intent evident in every action taken during the performance. None of the actions felt like an afterthought. Regardless of how chaotic the performance may have appeared at times, the performance retained a sharp composition due to the self-assured confidence visible in every transition and breakdown. PUPIL SLICER did not require spectacle to captivate their audience; solely the intensity of their performance was sufficient to draw in the crowd. As LLNN arrived to take the stage, the energy of the room once again underwent a transformation. Where PUPIL SLICER thrived on speed and chaos, LLNN succeeded via the use of weight and restraint. The performance of LLNN was dense and engulfing in nature, comprised of slow, crushing rhythms and a low end that felt as though it physically weighed down the confines of Bodega's small performance space. The energy of the crowd changed significantly; less outward movement occurred as the crowd became much quieter, with eyes intently focused on the stage. Their performance felt oppressive and deliberate in terms of structure, building an enormous amount of lingering tension throughout the room as the evening came to a close. The performance represented a stark contrast to the previous chaotic display of intensity, and effectively served as the closing act to an evening that explored multiple aspects of extreme music. Words and photos: Lizzie Jones

We're officially in December, and it's well and truly time to crack out the Christmas decorations. As the great Mariah Carey would say, "it's tiiiiiiiiiime!" - not just for the holiday however, but also for the last few weeks of music that 2025 has to offer. We're looking forward to seeing what the new year brings, but for now, here are the tracks we've been enjoying lately: Artio - Seven Suns (ft. kahal) ARTIO are gearing up for the release of their 3rd full length album Soul Rot in early 2026 and have released another single to get everyone prepared for the carnage. Seven Suns is a fusion of modern metal and techno, featuring KAHAL another alternative artist hailing from Leeds. The breakdowns are jam packed with electronic elements attacking from all sides and beats that ARTIO haven't really ventured into before. Lead vocalist RAE explodes in the track with their vocals strong and emotive, layering and emphasising the lyrics perfectly. This track shows just a small part of their range and we have the new album will display their full spectrum and unleash their potential as the new young alternative wave. Words: Amy Smyth BILMURI - HARD2TELL 2025 has been a huge year for BILMURI with supporting artists like BAD OMENS, doing their own Summer Slammer tour in the US and joining massive festival line ups like Reading and Leeds and Lollapalooza. HARD2TELL is the second single they've released this year along with MORETHANHATE and it brings their classic, unique mash up of styles. It experiments bringing metal and country together using a range of instruments to do so. The verses are on the lighter side before dropping into a heavy chorus that will be stuck in your head for days. The track slips into a double time breakdown with all the classic metal elements and more for the bridge section. This single is another example of BILMURI’S unique blend and how well they can pull it off. Words: Amy Smyth Charlotte Sands - one eye open Alt-pop singer CHARLOTTE SANDS is back with the announcement of new album Satellite on the horizon, and that’s accompanied by the haunting single one eye open. It’s intense, both musically and emotionally, and the singer’s melodic vocals draw us into a track that’s almost ballad-like in the ways it soars and falls. At its heart, the track is about how love shouldn’t feel like survival - that you shouldn’t have to sleep with one eye open; it’s a call to reclaim control over your own autonomy. This open, heart-on-her-sleeve honesty is what we’ve come to expect from the singer and when her sophomore album drops in March, we hope it’s as heart-wrenching as this offering is. Words: Naomi Colliar Duff Cowboy Hunters - Money For Drugs A minute and a half of psychedelic punk rock might not be what you're looking for but maybe it's what you need. COWBOY HUNTERS' brand new track Money For Drugs is exactly that. It's quirky, and with no two bars being the same, it takes you through a chaotic and fun filled journey. The Scottish duo are known for their unserious and almost nonsensical lyricism and this song channels just that. The track is short and repetitive yet easy to get lost in. As with a lot of their music it's a moshing starting, headbanging escape. Words: Amy Smyth The Dunts - Waste of Space Glasgow’s THE DUNTS have been away for a long time. A few months ago, they made their grand comeback at multi-band fundraiser event No A Mean City III, and they’ve been on a roll since, making up for all the lost time with back-to-back gig appearances and now, much-anticipated new music. They waste no time at all getting into the tune of Waste of Space with an initial rolling drumbeat before groovy guitars kick into gear and stir up a mosh-worthy, catchy as hell chorus. The drumwork in this track is a standout element, relentless and punchy, refusing to let up until the song’s brought to an end. We’ve all been waiting to see just what the band’s comeback will bring, and this release is a great indicator for their future. Words: Naomi Colliar Duff Fever 333 - Just Play (ft. Last Hounds) FEVER 333 has just dropped another powerful song. They’ve teamed up with the Birmingham hardcore punk band LAST HOUNDS. The song directly criticises the state of the world’s governments; lines like “Now you’re crushing like we’re all to blame” reference the pressure governments place on the lower classes after failing to meet their expectations. The heavy verses and powerful breakdown section convey this anger and readiness to fight back. The rhythmic chorus emphasises this, with lines like “You always think it’s fun, now we’re fighting from the backseat.” The song’s heavy and upbeat melody keeps you moving, while the heavy breakdowns, especially towards the end, remind you that FEVER 333’s fire is still burning as brightly as ever. Words: James Darnell THE HARA - Kings For the first time in 3 years THE HARA are ready to release another full album. Kings is the 6th track to prerelease before the album drops next year and shows another side to the band. The track runs more melancholic, giving us more of an emotional rock atmosphere with JOSH really displaying the range of his vocals. The chorus is catchy with large industrial drums beats that are great to bang your head along with. The breakdowns builds and throws you into a final chorus heavier than the rest, one you can really picture in live shows. We will all have to sit patiently and wait to see if the rest of the album will deliver even more bangers! Words: Amy Smyth Karnivool - Opal Australia's KARNIVOOL have just released a beautifully tragic single, Opal. While still being a progressive core band, this track couldn't be any more of a hauntingly open ballad, carrying the immense pang of hurting and the grief of losing someone to a passing, or watching someone desperately try to get back something they lost. This single definitely stands apart from the other singles on the band's upcoming album IN VERSES in February next year, as well as compared to the rest of the bands discography. The track matches the feeling the album art gives, devoid of joy and colour, withering trees in a cold depressing winter. Of course while the differences still are there, it has progressive guitar rhythms from the bridge leading the song to the end, along with subtle strings and a piano outro similar to how the single opens. This single and the other two bring a welcome return for the bands long awaited album after having not released an album in over a decade since 2013. Words: Lucas Grayson SOAPBOX - Boiling A Frog SOAPBOX have a reputation for their loud, aggressive punk tunes, and their latest track Boiling A Frog is no different. There’s no easing into this one; we’re hit right in the face with a grimy, rapid strum of strings mere microseconds before TOM ROWAN’s shouty vocals forcibly take the stage. "I can’t tell, are you lot daft?" he asks, sounding more like a statement than a question. His rapid-fire vocals are strung together like a dynamite fuse, culminating in an fiery, instrumental explosion that is sure to have venues caught alight with movement and moshing. Words: Naomi Colliar Duff Thermality - Lost Inside The Swedish melodeath five piece THERMALITY released their third full album Concept 42 at the end of last month, with single Lost Inside being at the forefront. Lost Inside is a track reminiscent of the 2000s with comforting melodies and scattered drums, accompanied by vocalist Ludvig Sommar’s raspy tone and flair. The track's title hints at the song's themes, which include compelling and relatable lyrics that make you wonder about your purpose in this world. THERMALITY’s sound hits hard as a band hoping to bring back one of the greatest eras for melodic death metal. Words: Danielle Henderson VUKOVI - Bladed VUKOVI’s latest release Bladed marks a magnificent closing chapter to MY GOD HAS GOT A GUN, bringing new life and recognition to the album’s final track with a stunning music video. Against a backdrop of the album’s signature red and black landscape, frontwoman JANINE SHILSTONE appears in a wedding dress bejewelled with bloodstains whilst fighting to escape from a prison of red ropes, accompanied by bandmate HAMISH REILLY shredding on guitar and MARTIN JOHNSTON filling in on drums. At once enticing and dangerous, Bladed cuts through the noise with dynamic breakdowns, insatiable riffs and guttural lyricism - a powerful epilogue to their best album yet. Words: Heather Swift Editor: Naomi Colliar Duff Photos: Various artists

Metalcore is one of those metal subgenres that whether you like it or not, is always prevalent and right in the mainstream within alternative music. That is why fans of this music subgenre tend to be extremely loyal to their favourite artists. That is exactly why when ADEPT announced their return album after a near decade long hiatus, we knew that this would be a massive deal. There is however, a bigger deal than the new record Blood Covenant, a brand new tour for the first time in eleven years. On this reunion tour, the legendary Swedish band brought INTOHIMO, OCEAN SLEEPER and THOUSAND BELOW to support them, creating what the band would hope became a reunion tour for the ages. Kicking things off was easily the heaviest band of the evening. INTOHIMO have a sound that intertwines metalcore with the more chaotic assets that you would assosciate with hardcore and slam. This was instantly noticeable by the stage presence the band had. The vocals were heavy, yet felt off rhythm, and the guitars focused on brutal riffs and breakdowns, all of which is expected from a slam band. What felt overwhelming in this set to a bunch of people towards the front of the stage was the vocalist kept on leaning over the barrier separating the general admission area and the photo pit whilst delivering his powerhouse gutturals. For a band such as INTOHIMO, having them on first was a bold move, as the intention was clearly to get the attendees who showed up early to move around and cause as much chaos as possible. The following band, just like the first one of the night, was brand new to a ton of attendees. Hailing from Australia, OCEAN SLEEPER are a band that is yet to make a proper statement within the global metalcore community. Right from the get-go, frontman KARL SPIESSL jumped all over the stage and spun around, commanding the public to follow suit. His vocals matched his stage presence, his harsh vocals were ferocious whilst his cleans were delicate yet totally unique. The choruses were catchy and gripping, as the breakdowns were expertly executed. Overall, this Australian four-piece delivered a statement making set proving that they are here to stay, and not only are they young, but they are also packed with potential, showing Manchester that they are fully prepared for a headline tour within the next few years. After the second short wait between bands, the main support for this gig, THOUSAND BELOW took to the stage. Vocally, this band sounded very similar to ADEPT, however in terms of stage presence, they were drastically different. Most of the performance shined due to vocalist JAMES DEBERG running and jumping around the stage, as guitarist JOSH THOMAS danced and joined in with jumping as he delivered some extra vocals too. This was the perfect warm-up set as the balance between talking and songs throughout the short performance was spot on, and kept the crowd engaged throughout. By the time the band finished, we felt more than ready for our headliners to come on for the first time in eleven years. Once THOUSAND BELOW came offstage, there was a slightly longer wait as the final changeover took place. As expected though at a metal show, making friends was extremely easy which helped the waits throughout the night fly by, and in no time at all, the lights dimmed one final time as the intro to the opening track of the ADEPT set, Blood Covenant, the title track of their reunion album, played full volume through the speakers in the venue. What followed was nothing short of chaos onstage. The headliners came on all guns blazing and ripped through song after song. The speeches throughout the set were nostalgia fueled, mostly reminiscing of how the band missed each other, and missed being onstage together, whilst also including the usual “we love you guys” sprinkled throughout too. Tracks such as Shark! Shark! Shark! and The Ivory Tower are true standouts, and the band played these with as much passion as they can give these songs. At the end of the day, passion was what this show was truly all about. Each opening act was passionate in their own way, and they all celebrated ADEPT throughout each of their sets showing everyone in attendance that they are just as grateful to be part of something so special. As for the returning Swedes, their return to the north of the country was epic, chaotic and triumphant, and it is this victorious, celebratory return which will surely be remembered by each and every person who was a part of this night, whether they were a performer or attendee, this evening proved that ADEPT are here to stay, and have returned stronger than how they left us, an extremely long time ago. Words: Itay Gilad Photos: Cate Neves

Quite literally overnight, SUNFLOWER BEAN went from performing for a sold-out O2 arena back underground to headline London’s Downstairs at the Dome. This switch does not signify their drastic failure, but in fact the opposite: the Brooklyn trio has gone international, with none other than WOLF ALICE taking them under their wing for their European tour. Tonight, SUNFLOWER BEAN are joined by another rising talent AIN’T, together perfecting a sweet blend of energetic alt-rock and eerie slow ballads. Floating around the venue just seconds ago, AIN’T are unbothered, as if they are mere viewers and not about to perform the most hypnotic ritual. Landing onstage, this flock of birds is just starting to spread their wings — and that is not a metaphor, as the vocalist HANNAH is drawing all sorts of arm movements in the air to accompany her performance. The energy is raw and gripping from the first note, with all focus being grabbed by the singer while she is alternating between soft vocals and howls in Jude. Although the crowd is still standing scarcely, it allows space for the flowy instrumentals to neatly fill those gaps in. Penultimate Church Song goes into a slower and more fragile but mesmerising territory, standing out from the rest and making us wish it was not yet unreleased. The lighting throughout the whole set deserves its own separate praise, it fits seamlessly into the atmosphere and truly refines the performance. Keeping up the Swan Lake ballet dance rendition, AIN’T lead into Pirouette, a song perfectly named for the occasion. “My sister is in the audience, she knows exactly who this last song is about and we both hate that person” — announces HANNAH with a smile, before coming back into character with a completely empty stare into the void and a cathartic spoken monologue to end it on. WOLF ALICE obviously knows how to choose a support act; but more importantly, the act itself knows how to light up any stage, no matter how small or gigantic. Right away, SUNFLOWER BEAN go all in with the hits from their recent releases Mortal Primetime and Shake. JULIA CUMMING offers quite a polar opposite to the previous performance, as she simply cannot stop smiling and headbanging. The sky-high energy is pouring out non-stop, which begs the question, how do they even still contain it after so much touring? An answer follows suit: “I drank a lot of redbull, and I just want to keep going”. JULIA is not lying, moving straight onto Easier Said — possibly the crowd-favourite, accompanied by a hundred arms outstretched and a loud singalong. And still, SUNFLOWER BEAN got more tricks up their sleeve, as the next song invites the singer to be the star on the dancefloor herself, lying down on her back to play the bass outro of Somebody Call a Doctor. After seven songs, the band finally decides to give everyone a breather with the tender ballad I Knew Love, gearing up for another half hour of cheers and screams. Towards the end of the night, SUNFLOWER BEAN put out another reminder that for those who made it to their one-off headline date there is a bag of special treats prepared. As such, the band play live debuts of a couple of tracks from their newly released deluxe album, and those are received with no less excitement than usual. Long-awaited Nothing Romantic comes on with the iconic bassline vibrating through the veins, before the band abruptly heads offstage. The audience does not let them go, with some of the loudest ovations and chants begging to play “one more song” — there is no choice but to obey, and Shake seems to be the elected favourite. Both in their support and headline sets, SUNFLOWER BEAN continue to prove their worth to the whole world, first in their homeland and now here, across the pond, and it is no doubt the only way from here is up. Words and photos: Mariia Bulkina

On December 7th, The Electric in Bristol became a forge of sound and fury. The moment the doors opened, the air buzzed with anticipation, thick with sweat, adrenaline, and the electric tension of a crowd ready to surrender to chaos. This was not a night for casual listening — it was a full immersion into deathcore at its most punishing. From start to finish, four bands unleashed a relentless barrage of sound, each carving its own brutal path through the night, leaving the audience battered, breathless, and exhilarated. CROWN MAGNETAR set the tone, hitting the stage with predatory precision. From the first snarling chords of Barbed Wire Noose the room was plunged into a storm of sound. Blistering riffs and hammering blast beats collided with the crowd’s energy, igniting circle pits and walls of death that seemed to shake the venue’s foundations. Tracks like The Level Beneath and the newer Desecrate Infinite flowed seamlessly, each a testament to the band’s ability to manipulate tempo and tension. By the time Black Lotus closed their set, the audience was not just warmed up — they were ignited, buzzing with the thrill of a night that had begun in full force. Following them, MUGSHOT stormed onto the stage, bringing raw, unbridled energy that turned The Electric into a riotous pit of motion. Their hybrid of death metal and hardcore was an unrelenting assault, each song a summons to the floor. From the opening salvo of Die In Fear, bodies flew, collided, and tumbled, responding to every breakdown with instinctive violence. The band’s chemistry was palpable — every riff landed like a hammer blow, every rhythm a call to chaos. When Next To Your Idols closed their set, the pit was a whirlwind of bruised exhilaration, primed for the next level of devastation. SIGNS OF TH SWARM elevated the intensity to near-apocalyptic levels. From the thunderous opening of HELLMUSTFEARME to the punishing drive of IWONTLETYOUDIE, the Pittsburgh quartet transformed the venue into a battlefield. Drummer BOBBY CROW’s kit became a relentless engine of destruction, while CARL SCHULZ’s eight-string guitar cut through the air with chugging brutality and piercing solos. Frontman DAVID SIMONICH prowled the stage like a predator, baiting the pit into frenzy. Mid-set, Sarkazein struck like a controlled storm, dragging the audience deeper into chaos before the set culminated in the devastating finale of Amongst the Low & Empty. By the end, The Electric was a sea of sweat and adrenaline, every audience member fully immersed in the maelstrom the band had orchestrated. CHELSEA GRIN closed the night with the confidence of a band that has long claimed deathcore royalty. Following the devastation of the previous acts, they took the stage with dominance and composure. Recreant and Cheyne Stokes tore through the room instantly, Stokes commanding the pit with guttural roars while trading banter with the crowd. Guitarists weaved intricate patterns of destruction, and the rhythm section grounded each breakdown in punishing force. Mid-set tracks like Suffer and Bleeding Sun showcased the band’s ability to traverse their discography while keeping the audience on a knife-edge of adrenaline-fueled excitement. Bodies collided, leapt, and soared in every direction, the pit tightening with each passing track. The apex arrived with Hostage, a finale so monumental that it left the venue trembling, hearts racing, and ears ringing long after the last note. The night as a whole was a masterclass in extreme live performance. CROWN MAGNETAR ignited the stage with raw aggression, MUGSHOT escalated the chaos with wild energy, SIGNS OF THE SWARM demonstrated technical precision and ferocity, and CHELSEA GRIN delivered a polished, devastating conclusion. Each breakdown threatened to collapse the floor, every riff seemed poised to rip through walls, and every guttural roar reminded the audience why they were there: to be consumed. The Electric became more than a venue — it was a crucible where sound and fury fused into an unforgettable shared experience. By the end, limbs were bruised, voices shredded, and adrenaline spent, yet the audience carried with them the indelible memory of a night where deathcore’s fiercest acts coalesced in violent harmony. It was a night of calculated chaos, relentless intensity, and pure, uncompromising power — a reminder that some shows do not just entertain; they consume, leaving both band and audience transformed in the crucible of music. Words: Mia Gailey Photos: Nick Howells

With the newest release from San Francisco's CHOKECHERRY, Ripe Fruit Rots and Falls is out for the world to hear - it’s a brilliant debut album that is sure to ensnare any lover of shoegaze and alt-rock. As they gear up to hit the road for their major US Tour, the band took the time to talk influences, nerves and nostalgia. We spoke to both vocalists, Izzie Clark and E. Scarlett Levinson and wasted no time diving into the band's origins. The two met through the incredibly bustling Bay Area music scene, though they really connected after matching on the dating app Hinge, which took them from acquaintances to strong friends as they met and began jamming together to create the band. Originally they were named Amber Machine, but after it was pointed out to the pair that the name sounded like an IPA, they landed on the more fitting CHOKECHERRY. Seemingly born out of the pair's desire to explore new avenues of music, blending their two previous styles of bands, CHOKECHERRY seems to genuinely be a band that's a perfect cocktail of music lovers coming together to make something special, something a few have called, very aptly, bubble-grunge. This talk on their origins led to how the idea of two front-people came around, with them wanting to bounce off each other, disregarding a notion of making a specific song and letting it write itself. On using Izzie’s belting and screams to couple with Scarlett’s softer vocals; Scarlett reflects "We never really went in thinking, let’s make this kind of music - or let's be a Cocteau Twins like band – CHOKECHERRY just kind of happened the way it happened by getting in a room." They reflected on the creation of their hit Glass Jaw and how it came about in this exact way; Izzie stated that the completion of the song made them feel like they’d ‘scratched an itch’ as it originated from just a demo on her GarageBand. Since the song was quite different from their other bands' sounds and didn't fit either vibe, this felt like a direction they could have only taken through CHOKECHERRY. The two said they found a real escape from life when making that song and developing it as much as possible, with Scarlett going from teaching elementary school and Izzie going from working at a Marriott hotel, to jumping into the studio; Scarlett elaborates "If we were free, we were there, because it was just so exciting." They talked further about how it was common among the San Francisco music scene to take a similar route as them, with Scarlett telling us "The SF music scene is like 10 bands cosplaying as 30 bands - oh that band has that bassist, who's the singer of that band, who has that drummer, who's in three other projects." This brings us to talking about their involvement with the scene and their love for it, stating "home is home" and how the songwriting of the other bands in the area helped them cultivate CHOKECHERRY’s style into how it is now. It’s clear to us that CHOKECHERRY is a band of pure emotive writing, as when asked about the album title Ripe Fruit Rots and Falls, the band opened up about some of the core themes of a changing world and people coupled with childhood on the album; stating that the title is a reflection of the feeling of ideas and futures disappearing with age. Scarlett says "Every corner of San Francisco has a memory attached to it. Because I’ve been here my whole life, they layer up on each other and the idea of walking home down somewhere I walked as a kid, I would get so excited about how things looked and felt but now I am in the exact same place, because things are similar but never the same - the idea I can walk the same way and not feel how I used to." This made for a title with quite a powerful theme of nostalgia and the melancholy that can come with that. This definitely fuelled how the songs were made and what made it onto the album on a very subconscious level as Scarlett stated "We never went into the studio thinking, the album is going to sound like this and it's going to be about this - we just showed up and wrote it front to back and it naturally came out of our minds. The meaning revealed itself to us a little bit later as we just wrote about what we were thinking and feeling." From consoling each other through break ups, to missing family, to rising tension within politics, these two used this debut album opportunity for a beautiful kind of catharsis; some songs were more laborious to make than others, trying to connect the dots, but most came out of their hearts and onto paper. Expanding on this, they continued to mention certain elements of the album just happening out of sheer coincidence, when it came to Porcelain Warrior, Izzie and Scarlett walked in on a Friday and left with the song; a moment occurred when the pair sung a segment at the same time making for a the beautiful harmony that echoes on a lot of the track - Scarlett reflected on this by saying "It's like a download from the universe, you're not always in control - if we liked something, we kept it." There's quite a range of genre and style within CHOKECHERRY. They explained that because of this, they had a very intentional release order and schedule for the fans; showing their softer and more emotive side with the first few singles then diving into their heavier work to show off a little what fans experience at their live shows, which we are sure have some fun mosh pit action to get thrown into. They explained they wanted to do this to not only show their range but to give a taster of the genre diversity in their album, to showcase the high and lows of it, which we have to say is a brilliant way to do it. Off the back of that, the pair listed some influences for us - if you like any of the following bands, we implore you to get involved with CHOKECHERRY as they perfectly encapsulate their vibes in their work. The two listed off a wide range for us: MANNEQUIN PUSSY, PAVEMENT, MITSKI, WITCH ELM, JULIE, TURNSTILE, AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS, MY BLOODY VALENTINE, and COCTEAU TWINS - and even some classical influence from WAGNER which you can tell is blended well into their composition. Scarlett and Izzie also explained their strong visual influence that the music created for them, stating that they were very hands on with everything that surrounded the music, from Izzie drawing the merch designs and co-directing some of the music videos, to Scarlett designing the videos and styling the outfits for all the visuals. They elaborated "The visuals definitely influence the music and vice-versa because we want to make music that's based on how we feel and that compels that in both mediums." CHOKECHERRY are currently spending December touring around North America to celebrate the release of their debut album Ripe Fruit Rots and Falls which is out now - an album we wholeheartedly recommend diving headfirst into. Words: Ben Blissett Photos: Whitney Otte With thanks to: Good as Gold Group and chokecherry

A decade is a long time in music, but for Parisian stoner/power rock quartet COMPUTERS KILL PEOPLE, it has been a period of growth, experimentation, and consolidation. Ten years and two EPs after their debut Silence Means Security, the band returns with their sophomore LP, The Storyteller, a record that both honors their roots and explores uncharted territory. With the refined mixing of ÉTIENNE SARTHOU (KARRAS, FREITOT, EX-AQME) and the mastering expertise of MAGNUS LINDBERG (CULT OF LUNA), The Storyteller emerges as a polished, dynamic statement, proof that CKP has fully mastered their craft while embracing evolution. From the first note of Sunset Kiss it is clear that CKP have expanded their sonic palette. The album flows effortlessly between the blues-infused heavy rock of Last Man Standing, the indie-grunge elegance of She Said, and the raw, punk-fueled energy of Good Guy With a Gun. Even their daring reinterpretation of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS’ Give It Away integrates seamlessly into the record, demonstrating a band comfortable in dialogue with their influences while fully asserting their own voice. Tracks like Intermission provide necessary breathing space, while riff-driven statements such as A.N.G.R.Y showcase the quartet’s technical precision and punk spirit, all culminating in the cinematic desert blaze of TV Monsters, a grand finale that feels both epic and intimate. The Storyteller reflects not only musical growth but also personal evolution. The band’s lineup has been half-renewed since their last album, and the experiences of the members over the past decade—parenthood, life’s joys and hardships—have imbued the music with a depth and urgency absent from earlier work. Rather than dampening the album’s energy, this maturity sharpens it, allowing the band to craft songs that are as emotionally resonant as they are musically potent. Guitarists LOÏC WIELS and YOME VENICE demonstrate a heightened interplay, weaving riffs in perfect symbiosis with KARIN GOUSSET’S taut basslines and ERWAN COLIN’S commanding drum work. The result is a rhythm section that is both solid and adventurous, capable of anchoring heavy grooves while supporting expansive melodic passages. Vocally, the album embraces collaboration more than ever. LOÏC’S performance is technically refined, his assertive voice capable of navigating the album’s heavier moments with power and precision. Yome contributes low, saturated tones and ethereal passages, particularly on Sunset Kiss and A.N.G.R.Y, while KARIN brings a striking new dimension with her emotive performances on The End and Lockdown Blues, evoking shades of PJ HARVEY. The three voices converge in harmonized choruses that feel natural and cohesive, adding richness and variety that enhances each track. Lyrically, CKP engage with themes that are both personal and political. The band views storytelling as a powerful tool for reflecting and shaping reality, a concept embedded in the album’s title. The lyrics tackle contemporary social issues, exploring global instability, inequality, and the erosion of rights, all while maintaining a sense of hope and musical uplift. LOÏC emphasizes that The Storyteller is about observation and reflection, a commentary on the systems we inhabit and the stories that shape them.The album also revisits two tracks from their 2018 EP Healing Bruises - Only The Dead and Sunset Kiss - giving them a refreshed treatment that demonstrates the band’s commitment to evolution without losing authenticity. This willingness to reimagine past work alongside new material reinforces the album’s narrative of growth, reflection, and creative ambition. Ultimately, The Storyteller is a triumph of confidence, collaboration, and vision. CKP’s riffs are heavier, their melodies richer, and their songwriting more deliberate and conscious than ever. The album captures the moods and experiences of an entire band, blending technical skill, emotional depth, and lyrical intelligence into a coherent and compelling whole. With its bold experimentation, melodic richness, and refined musicianship, The Storyteller cements COMPUTERS KILL PEOPLE as a vital force in contemporary rock—one whose evolution is as exciting as its present achievement. Score: 8/10 The Storyteller was released on 17th October via Kernel Panic Records. Words: Mia Gailey Photos: Pascal Cosse