A new spectre looms over the scene of alternative rock, ready to strike and inject its venom with silver-gilded fangs. It’s STARBENDERS’ fourth album offering, The Beast Goes On: haunting in parts, jaunty in others, and an all-around knockout. This is the first project to feature new drummer Qi Wei, and “holds a special place in [the bands’] hearts” for that reason - the opportunity to make brand new mayhem together. The album launches you straight into the mix with anthemic, overlaid choral vocals from Kimi, gruff riffs from Kriss, and a moody overture of organ-playing. We spend no time playing around! The sound matches their carefully crafted aesthetic, inspiring visions of glittery glam set in dark cathedrals. Across the album there are moments you’re really punched with attitude, and others that are twinkly, glitzy, and synth-heavy. It’s this seamless mix of no-nonsense anthems and dreamy soundscapes that really make the band so compelling. “To me, it’s just classic Starbenders,” Kimi tells us. “There were a lot of points on the record that harkened back to our earlier stuff in our past, and nods to all of those elements. We’ve just gotten more adventurous. Matthew Pauling - the producer for the majority of the record - his approach was to be organic and run everything through the tape and just really capture who we are as a band.” It does sound like this album is the band’s most fully-realised form yet - writing with new member Wei in mind, yet honouring the legacy that Starbenders have carved out for themselves thus far. “Legacy is a very strange thing,” muses Kimi, “And identity in and of itself. It’s like a new school year - who do you want to be this year?” STARBENDERS, at this point, is “its own machine”, according to bassist Aaron, and it’s quite exciting to hear that now, they’re being inspired by themselves. So what is it like planning a setlist with a catalogue full of fan-favourites, and making room for new blood? “It’s a nightmare!” Kimi laughs at the thought of it. “We have a whiteboard. The things we pay attention to is trying to make sure that there’s no lulls in the set, that the chill moments, and the spookier and witchier songs have their place, and piecing that all together.” It’s a fun kind of alchemy figuring it all out - “trying to make sure that nobody’s dying because we put too many fast songs next to one another”. This consciousness towards their fans is woven within the ethos of everything Starbenders does. Their recent album release shows in the US have come with a 10% ticket discount for students, making sure anyone struggling financially whilst studying can still take part in their scene. “We don’t want to be that decision point in people’s lives. Students as a demographic are fairly easy to identify in that regard,” says Aaron. It’s a very intentional choice taken to widen access. “Accessibility is important to us in general - we’re never going to be that band that outprices our fan base,” Kimi continues. “I think a lot of people are struggling, and if you have to make a decision between going to see a show or, like, eating, it just makes it a lot harder.” From the sounds of it, STARBENDERS’ community is very tight-knit and welcoming. It’s something they take great pride in, and are thrilled to see it morph into something negotiated by the fans themselves. There is a tradition of people bringing toys and “knick-knacks” - often little ducks - to the merch table after shows, sometimes writing their Instagram handle on the toy for other fans to find and connect with them. Kimi in particular is really happy to have seen this tradition evolve, even if it literally weighs her down - “It’s funny, I have a whole box full of just like, random shit that I’m lugging through all parts of the country! But, you know, it’s fun!” One rabid fan followed them from France to London, stowing away on their tour bus - “We were rolling up to the MOTHICA show, and I’m looking at our sound guy that was sitting across from me. My eyes travel up to the ceiling… and I see a spider that’s the size of my hand. It was a French spider! We had jokes about it, wearing a beret!” Kimi sounds traumatised, Aaron is just glad it wasn’t from Australia. Mr. Sound Guy eventually bested it - though when he smushed it with paper… it “popped”. Yikes! It sounds like it’s only upwards for STARBENDERS - they hope to tackle new ground touring, crossing off every continent. They’re particularly excited to play in China to be on drummer Wei’s turf, marking this brand new era in a fresh lineup. The tracks Nothing Ever Changes and Forever Mine are two they’re particularly excited for people to hear, with “adventurous instrumentals and vocals” stylistically. Whilst we prod for any information about a return to the UK, they later announce their glorious return to the UK in June. We look forward to seeing them again, hopefully sans French spider this time. Starbenders’ fourth record “The Beast Goes On” will release on the 27th February 2026. Words: Erin Strom Photos: Alec Weeks

London’s O2 Academy Islington played host to a night of power and symphony as the “Pirates & Kings” co-headline tour between VISIONS OF ATLANTIS and WARKINGS (also with INDUCTION in tow) stopped by for the second and final night of the tour’s UK leg. Sadly, a delay to doors opening and bottle-necked nature of the entrance meant that when Italian/German/Finnish Symphonic metal outfit, INDUCTION, took to the stage at their advertised time (just thirty minutes after the doors should have been opened), the room was still quite sparsely populated. Bringing an ‘old-school’ hair metal twist to the melodic/symphonic metal genre, the band, decked out in a futuristic combination of silver boots and harnesses, took the audience on a fantastical mad-max-esque ride for the thirty or so minutes they had with them. Having only just last week released their latest album Love Kills! to the world, it was understandable that the night’s set list was primarily built from there. The dueling guitars of Tim Hansen and Justus Salman were both fierce and proficient, with Gabriele Gozzi vocals cutting seamlessly over the top. INDUCTION’s performance was crisp, it was engaging, but above all it was unapologetically fun, which by the end of the set, was exactly what the rapidly swelling crowd needed. MANOWAR’s Warriors Of The Word played through the venue PA (queue synchronised fist raises from the crowd) as the crew made the final preparations for the next act. The stage, now set with imperial aquila, spartan shields and banners regaling “Senatus Populusque Romanus”, was bathed in fog and red lights awaiting the entrance of some mighty warriors. Initially, the Londimium crowd was greeted by a figure, emerging from the mist bearing a lantern and large warhammer, getting the audience up ready for the arrival of the German/Austrian force that is WARKINGS. One by one the legendary warriors enter the stage, The Spartan sat high atop his drumkit behind a phalanx of spartan shields, The Crusader with his holy relic guitar kneeled in prayer as The Viking rushed the stage with his bass. Last to emerge was The Tribune, great warrior of Rome, commanding the centre stage. Kicking off with Genghis Khan from the newest album, 2025’s Armageddon, this was going to be a real show, power metal at its theatrical finest. The set was filled with fast paced bangers that you cannot help but to pump your fists, stomp your feet, clap and chant along to. The four legendary warriors were frequently joined onstage by, permanent member at this point, The Witch Morgana le Fay, adding a level of grit and harshness, elevating each song that she would feature in. The Tribune was a powerful force, not only did he mountain over the stage, his voice was truly something else, his ability to command the crowd had everyone mesmerized. But the highlight may have been The Crusader on guitar, as he was having the most fun on the stage. The theatrics continued throughout the entire performance, Morgana le Fay had a number of costume changes; the warhammer wielding chap from the start of the set ended up in the middle of the jam-packed crowd orchestrating an ‘eye of the storm’ circle pit around him; at one point a girl crowd-surfed back to the bar to fetch a beer for The Tribune atop the “largest dragon cock-ring in existence” (an inflatable rubber ring). Closing out the set, with The Tribune duel wielding a pair of Gladius swords, to the tune of a certain ‘mighty morphin’ show from the nineties, smash hit Gladiator brought the curtain down. With all remnants of Sparta and Rome stripped away, the stage now resembled a ship's galley, skulls and cannon and tiers of wooden deck in an anticipation of the main event, Austrian pirate themed symphonic power metallers VISIONS OF ATLANTIS. The vocal performance was split between The Pirate Queen, Clémentine Delauney and Michele Guaitoli who play off of each other wonderfully. When not actively singing, Michele was moving menacingly across the stage, brandishing a cutlass, whereas Clémentine was often swooshing a gorgeous red ‘can-can-esque’ dress. The remainder of “the crew” looked like they would equally not be out of place down in Davy Jones’ locker as they do on stage. Watching all of the interplay between the members of the band on stage, the audience sometimes had to remind themselves that they were watching a show and not a piece of theatre, this is why power metal as a genre is so appealing and so enduring, even if you took the music out of it, it’s still great fun. Mid-way through the set, the band was rejoined on-stage by The Crusader, The Tribune and Morgana Le Fay for a spin of their recent collaboration single with WARKINGS, and title for the tour, Pirates and Kings. The night was not only the final night of the UK part of the Pirates and Kings tour, it was also Clémentine’s birthday, straight after Pirates Will Return - which featured a customary row pit from the crowd, to great cheers from the audience, Michele brought on a birthday cake to surprise the Pirate Queen. Then to close out the main part of the set, instead of the audience singing back “Hail Jolly Roger” during Armada, the lyrics were changed to “Happy Birthday Cléme”. An encore of Master the Hurricane and crowd favourite Melancholy Angel signalled that the set had reached the final destination and it was time to disembark from the good ship that was VISIONS OF ATLANTIS. A night jam-packed - literally, come the end of the evening there was absolutely no space left to move in the venue, with symphonic choruses and power metal revelry. Words and photos: Simon Arinze

CONVEY are leading the charge in the hardcore scene and their latest album delivers a new dynamic to the genre. A Place in Hell For Us Both isn’t just loud; it’s emotionally engaging with compositions that fuse genres to create a high energy package that leaves your blood pumping and head rocking. It’s a fierce EP with crushing breakdowns, rapid-fire riffs and a blend of screamed and melodic vocals giving the intensity and emotional depth. It’s chaotic, it’s energetic, it’s fierce. It's everything you look for in a hardcore album. The four piece from Worcester; whom have already preformed at Bloodstock festival and gained a strong reputation due to their energetic live shows have not held back with A Place In Hell For Us Both. It sets itself up as this chaotic cluster but yet you can hear the rhythmic guitar that almost fits poetically beautiful along side the battle like drums. JACK GANNON as the lead singer creates a tone that drives the music through a brick wall as a hardcore band should. OLLIE MILES hits some addictive riffs during the frequent breakdowns throughout whilst also shredding to keep up with the blistering pace set by ALEX CROSS on drums. Rounding off the four piece on bass is MATT CHURCH, in a genre where bass can sometimes be buried he cuts through with crushing tone and razor tight precision. If it’s the first time listening to CONVEY then strap in because from the very off Eternal punches you square in the face with the aggressive tones and fast pace the band have built themselves on. Masquerade follows and it’s arguably the bands most melodic track on the album where the Nu-metal influences shine through most clearly. Adrenaline fuelled guitar riffs drive the track and guarantee to have your head nodding. The dark elements of the sinister vocals by and the switch up in tempo gives Death Rattle an unleash of anger that shows off their dynamic ability. Say it Again oozes Nu-metal, with its KORN-esque vibe whilst standing firmly in the hardcore territory. You can envisage the way this will go off in the pits. The standout track in the album is Lie to me which hints at the direction the band is heading. There is a breakdown that just hits something - you can’t help but move to it. The war-cry-like chants toward the end feel destined to echo across future festivals. Severed their heaviest song on the album giving it the hard hitting finale the EP deserves, combining deep screams, heavy drums, and crushing guitars. The fade-out leaves you both rocked to your core and amped to level 10. A Place In Hell For Us Both isn’t just an hardcore metal album, it’s a nod to influences in the Nu-metal scene but equally creating a different direction. Gut-punching guitars, deafening drums, and banshee-like screams that will give their already hyped live performances and excel them new heights. If you’re looking for a rage album with the occasional groove metal then lock in to this. Score: 7/10 A Place In Hell For Us Both will be self released on 18th February 2026. Words: David Waites Photos: CONVEY

NIGHT RITUALZ’s second album arrives with a title that sounds almost cliché, until you sit inside it. Time does steal; it steals hours, momentum, youth, clarity. On Time Is A Thief, NIGHT RITUALZ leans into that quiet erosion and turns it into something you can dance to in the dark. Based in San Antonio and releasing his sophomore effort through Metropolis Records, NIGHT RITUALZ continues refining the sound he’s half-jokingly labelled “fuck wave” - a collision of darkwave, EBM, synth-punk, and post-punk that feels more cohesive here than it did on his self-titled debut. The edges are sharper. The mood is thicker. The emotional centre is clearer. The title track, Time Is A Thief, sets the atmosphere with patience rather than grandiosity. The drums land strong and deliberate, but the track never rushes. Dreamy darkwave textures bloom around the percussion, and the vocals drift through the mix like they’re emerging from a fog. There’s a lot of confidence in that restraint, and as both opener and namesake this track establishes the album’ thesis: we are not sprinting through these songs, we are inhabiting them. That sense of suspended time becomes more intimate on Living In This Bed. The line “this is the best I’ve ever felt” lands with a thud rather than a triumph. In a time where “bed rotting” has become comedic shorthand for quiet burnout, the lyric cuts depressingly close to home. It’s both comforting and unsettling to hear someone articulate the paradox of relief in stillness, where the underlying suggestion is that life outside the duvet may be too overwhelming to cope with. The bass carries the emotional weight of the track, tying together hazy synths and giving everything a quiet gravity. The album’s political undercurrent rises most obviously on Brown Skin. Here, NIGHT RITUALZ asks “why’s it feel like people want us to disappear?”. It’s a stark line, and feels uncomfortably precise in the current political climate. The question hangs in the air rather than resolving into anger or defiance. That restraint gives it more power, capturing the quiet, insidious feeling of erasure. The production mirrors that tension, balancing warmth and unease so the track never tips into didacticism. In the latter half of the album, Cluster shifts the atmosphere. At just over ninety seconds in length, it’s a purely instrumental pulse of industrial texture, metallic but measured. There’s no vocals, no narrative handrail, acting as a pivot point and tightening the tension before guiding the listener into Whoreish. The track’s EBM drive and confrontational edge land harder because of that stripped-back build-up; nothing here feels accidental. Threaded throughout all of this is NIGHT RITUALZ’s bilingual lyricism, weaving English and Spanish in a way that feels organic rather than ornamental. It isn’t deployed for aesthetic flair, instead reflecting his lived experience. This duality gives the album a fascinating texture, especially on tracks Ya No Está and Un Tiro, where the language shift mirrors an emotional shift. DEPECHE MODE’s influence can be traced in the melancholic electronics of both tracks, but the cultural layering pushes their sound somewhere much more personal and regionally grounded. The bilingual thread feels especially fitting on the closing track, My Baby, My Love. After an album preoccupied with stagnation, erasure, and the slow theft of time, the blend of language here softens the edges without dissolving the darkness completely. It feels intimate, almost disarming. Love, in this context, isn’t naïve or escapist. It’s another way of marking time, a stark reminder that connections persist even as everything else erodes. What makes Time Is A Thief really resonate is its refusal to treat gloom as mere aesthetic. The beats are club-ready, the synths immersive, yet there is always a human pulse beneath the machinery. NIGHT RITUALZ isn’t simply crafting an atmosphere, he’s mapping survival and identity. The album moves, but never hurries. It invites you to dance while quietly asking what you’re trying to outrun. Score: 8/10 Time Is A Thief will be released on February 20th 2026, via Metropolis Records. Words: Zuzanna Pazola Photos: Night Ritualz

Manchester’s BRUISE CONTROL are quickly carving out a name for themselves on the punk scene, and this new EP makes it easy to see why. They mix the raw punch of late hardcore with jagged, restless indie guitars, and it hits like they’re playing right in your living room. The vocals cut through every track with sharp, no-nonsense energy, driving the songs forward while never letting the chaos run wild. By the end, it’s clear. BRUISE CONTROL are a band with confidence, bite, and a sound that’s only going to get bigger. BRUISE CONTROL gets straight to it. It's a six track EP. No breathing space. No attempt to clean things up for the sake of it. This is DIY punk in its natural state. Tense, rough around the edges, and fuelled by the kind of pressure that doesn’t politely wait its turn. Be Like You comes flying out first, all noise and nervous energy. It’s scrappy, loud, and charged with that end of the week head’s gone feeling. The kind of release you need before everything tips over. There’s no gentle intro, no build-up. You’re dropped right in the middle of it. Left Behind bites harder. Written after the loss of Manchester’s Brunswick Mill rehearsal space, there’s real frustration running through it. The guitars feel tighter, more pointed, and the drums push everything forward with purpose. It sounds like a band watching their city change for the worse and refusing to shrug it off. There’s anger here, but it’s controlled. It's not just volume for the sake of volume. It's speaking to be heard. Spinners Mill and Gone To Ground keep the pressure up. The riffs groove and twist, the rhythm section barely lets the songs settle, and there’s this constant feeling that things might fall apart at any second. It’s the sound of burnout and carrying on anyway, of being stretched thin but still moving. If You’re Not Mine hits the deepest. It’s got a hook that stays with you, but it doesn’t smooth out the rough parts to get there. There’s a push and pull to it. Desperate, urgent, and completely believable. You can already see how this one goes off live. Bodies crammed together, sweat dripping from the ceiling, every word coming back at the stage twice as loud. Jumping Ship closes things out without any big dramatic finish. Instead, it feels drained, not defeated, just worn down. It’s the sound of someone stepping back for a second because they’ve got nothing left to give. A low-burn ending that suits the record perfectly. This self titled EP doesn’t aim for perfection. It aims to be heard, and that’s exactly why it works. It captures a band in the moment, still wired, still frustrated, still loud. BRUISE CONTROL aren’t pretending to have solutions. They’re just letting it out and sometimes that’s the most honest thing you can do. Score: 9/10 Bruise Control will be released on 20th February via Republic of Music Words: Jack Norris Photos: Lauren Quarmby

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

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

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

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

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

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

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