For the past 25 years, WHEATUS have been living with the strange blessing and curse of writing a song that never goes away. Rather than shy away from it, they have turned their ‘25th Anniversary’ tour into a celebration of the debut album that started it all, playing it in full each night and filling the rest of the set with whatever the room feels like hearing. The result was a loose, charming night that felt as much like a neighbourhood party as a gig. The evening opened with THOMAS NICHOLAS, best known to most people as Kevin from the American Pie films. Onstage, though, he was far more “local pub hero” than Hollywood alumnus, in the best way possible. It was just him, an acoustic guitar, and a sense of humour sharp enough to keep everyone dialled in. He leaned straight into nostalgia, playing multiple tracks from the American Pie soundtracks, and even pulling out a spirited cover of BLINK-182’s All The Small Things, which instantly lifted the room. He then launched into a parody of BOWLING FOR SOUP’s 1985, changing the lyrics to be a tongue-in-cheek recap of the first American Pie plot. It landed perfectly with the crowd, who were already laughing by the time the chorus rolled around. His whole set had the warmth of watching a mate jump up onstage at an open mic and absolutely run away with it: easy, comfortable, and genuinely fun. With only one support, the night rolled quickly toward the main event. WHEATUS came out to a roar, but instead of diving straight into album material, they opened with something entirely different - a cover of Growing on Me by THE DARKNESS, chosen purely because someone in the crowd had shouted for it. That choice really set the tone for the rest of the show. This was not a tightly scripted anniversary set, but a night of organised chaos with the band constantly polling the audience for the next song. After decades on the road, it is no surprise that they have become masters at this loose style. The back-and-forth felt natural and affectionate, like everyone in the room was in on the same long-running joke. Fan favourites landed hard. Leroy came with a bursting of live harmonica that got some of the loudest cheers of the night. Hump’Em N’ Dump’Em and Lemonade kept the energy high, while American in Amsterdam had a large majority of the crowd up and dancing. The band really leaned into some playful heckling in between songs too: when someone yelled for Truffles, singer BRENDAN called it a “piece of shit song” with the sort of mock-disgust that only comes from real affection, then, of course, proceeded to play it anyway. The whole exchange captured the night’s affectionate, familiar tone. As the show moved deeper into their catalogues, the energy in the room softened slightly. Some of the lesser-known tracks did not get the same full-room lift, but the fans who recognised them were fully committed, dancing and shouting along. This shifting pace never hurt the atmosphere though, and if anything made the night feel more genuine, like the band were just happy to be sharing whatever the crowd wanted, whether it was a hit or a deep cut. It was really refreshing to have the album tracks scattered throughout the set, rather than knocked out front to back as if by obligation, letting them pop up naturally in the middle of all the requests. One of the more unique and delightful surprises came when they decided to play a portion of Christmas Dirtbag, their holiday-themed take on Teenage Dirtbag. BRENDAN joked that hardly anyone in the room even knew it existed, and judging from the laughter he was not wrong, but the crowd embraced it anyway. It is not every day you get to hear a band perform a festive remix of their most famous song in November, but the novelty only added to the atmosphere. When the time finally came for Teenage Dirtbag, the room was ready. Rather than charge straight through the whole song though, the band paused to make the crowd sing the female verse on their own. Every single person in that room did it with full commitment; it was the only possible way to end such a special set like this one. Two and a half decades in, the song still carries an impact that few tracks from its era can match. As people spilled out onto the street afterward, the mood was bright and buzzing. The whole show felt like a reunion where everyone already knew the words, even when they did not recognise the song. For a band celebrating an album that has outlived whole generations of trends, it was a fitting reminder of why those songs stuck around in the first place. Words: Zuzanna Pazola Photos: Joshua Cunningham

“Do you like ICE NINE KILLS?” For many people, this time of the year is all about Christmas. Not so much for the fans of the heavy metal band ICE NINE KILLS, who have brought a touch of Halloween into the last weeks before the New Year. Bringing with them the powerhouses CREEPER and THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, the last night of the tour, concluded in the iconic OVO Arena Wembley in London, was not short of nostalgia, excitement and a great handful of horror. THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA have made a big name for themselves in the last twenty years and it was obvious from the crowd’s excitement, as the lights in the arena dimmed. Although their staging was very simple, the vocalists and guitarists MIKE HRANICA and JEREMY DEPOYSTER managed to grab the attention of everyone since the first notes of Ritual. Primarily promoting their latest album Flowers, that came out in November, with the help of the band members KYLE SIPRESS (lead guitar, backing vocals), JONATHAN GERING (keyboards, synthesisers, backing vocals) and GIUSEPPE CAPOLUPO (drums), the Dayton-natives managed to make the arena cry, shout and transcend with their riffs, synths and undying gratitude. Even after twenty years on the scene, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA shows the metalcore scene that they always have something new to bring to the table. In the true horror sense, it is only natural that CREEPER were the main support band of the tour. Bringing their gothic image to the big stage, the members WILL GOULD (lead vocals), IAN MILES (guitar, backing vocals), SEAN SCOTT (bass, backing vocals), HANNAH GREENWOOD (keyboards, backing and lead vocals), JAKE FOGARTY (drums, percussion) and LAWRIE PATTISON (guitar) brought songs from their latest album Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death, as well as few older ones. The English vampires from Southampton held onto their gory image as they gracefully sang with the entirety of OVO Wembley, and rightfully so, as they were the only British band of the evening. Many songs had sections entirely sung by HANNAH, such as Lovers Led Astray, which was a unique feature not very common in the recorded versions. Celebrating eleven years on the rock scene and an upcoming UK tour, CREEPER did not disappoint with the amount of energy they brought into the already ecstatic arena. Once the change-over began, big changes started happening on the stage. From putting a curtain in front of it to an inflatable killer, ICE NINE KILLS did not hold back with the staging at all. ‘Tis was just the beginning though, as the real treat was the horrific performance. Opening the set with their single Meat & Greet, SPENCER CHARNAS (vocals), MILES DIMITRI BAKER (guitars, backing vocals) and their touring musicians already brought out a performance that was not short on gore, powerful vocals and an intricate pyro, that made the place heat up very quickly. Continuing with songs such as Hip To Be Scared, Wurst Vacation and Farewell II Flesh, one of their most popular releases, the atmosphere in the OVO Arena only grew more intense as the moshpits were not stopping and the crowdsurfers kept coming to the barricade quickly and in big numbers, making the security guards work really hard. Thirty minutes into the set, CHARNAS finally spoke to the crowd, hyping them up and expressing gratitude, as he kept moving around the whole stage, interacting with fans not only at the barrier, but in the seats as well. Although the band is mostly popular for their horror-themed work, they also performed covers of two lighter songs; Walking On Sunshine by KATRINA AND THE WAVES and The Impression That I Get by THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES, which were a good grounding time from all the gore, especially since the second mentioned was a journey to ICE NINE KILLS’ roots as a ska band. From there, the setlist contained only few more, but very exciting songs, as the recent The Laugh Track and their classic The Shower Scene, staged with the iconic shower scene from Psycho, were there. After that, the band left the stage for a brief moment, only for the fans to start chanting and cheering for more. And more they got, as the band not only played their hits The American Nightmare and A Work Of Art, with Art the Clown dressed as a Royal Guard casually killing the horror legend ROSE MCGOWAN and swinging a fetus set ablaze around the set, but also a big announcement that the band is collaborating on the new Scream 7 movie, only cementing their position as one of the most influential bands in the genre. The concert finished with the whole arena cheering and tearing up, taking in the atmosphere of what was probably one of the best performances the OVO Arena Wembley has seen this year. ICE NINE KILLS, CREEPER and THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA all brought a unique experience to the capital and many fans will talk about it even months after it happened with sentiment, nostalgia and a core memory about that time, when the heavy metalers from Boston brought a real Halloween treat to them in December. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: Salma Bustos

Emerging from Germany’s vibrant alternative scene, SEVEN BLOOD have carved out a sound that is as cathartic as it is commanding. Their new album, Life Is Just A Phase which was released November 21st, captures the band at a pivotal moment, transforming personal crisis into collective strength. With raw emotion woven into every riff and lyric, SEVEN BLOOD offer listeners a sonic refuge for navigating their own emotional wreckage. As they prepare to embark on a coheadline tour with Lastelle early next year, the momentum feels unstoppable. We sat down with guitarist OLI ARNOLD, vocalist AZARIA NASIRI, and bassist JOSI HILLE to explore the stories behind the record, the energy of their live shows, and the purpose that drives their music forward. Despite the visceral weight of their band name, guitarist OLI ARNOLD insists there’s no hidden mythology: “It’s really not a deeper meaning behind it. We just thought the combination of these words comprises everything that on the emotional, verbal side of life makes most sense for us.” It’s blunt, raw, and fitting for a band whose music thrives on honesty. The band’s creative process began not in a rehearsal room but over drinks. Vocalist AZARIA NASIRI recalls: “We first met to have a drink and just talked. We noticed, okay, we get along somehow. Let’s try to make music together.” That casual meeting led to their first writing session and their first single. Since then, their routine has been deceptively simple: coffee, conversation, and collaboration. ARNOLD laughs, “We drink a lot of coffee.” But beneath the humor lies something deeper. Writing sessions often resemble therapy, with hours of conversation before a single lyric is penned. “We just realised that sharing these topics from different angles makes a song lyric ready to connect for other people,” ARNOLD says. That connection is tangible. Fans approach the band after shows to say songs like House ≠ Home mirror their own lives. Themes of vulnerability and transformation run through the record. Asked whether they write about their past pains for themselves or for listeners, ARNOLD reflects: “It’s important for us and also for other people. This connection makes me happy.” NASIRI adds that the band’s lyrics are like a diary they collectively agree to release into the world. “When we write songs, it has to be something everyone can relate to. As soon as that’s settled, we just let it out.” For SEVEN BLOOD, vulnerability isn’t weakness, it's literally the foundation of their bond. NASIRI remembers deciding to be “100% vulnerable” during their first session. “Luckily everyone got along and had an understanding. That gave me strength and trust for this group.” ARNOLD echoes the sentiment: “If you want to do it in an honest way you have to be brutally honest. That’s why we call it group therapy. As soon as you unveil this, it’s really a strength.” When pressed to choose favorites from Life Is Just A Phase, the band members hesitate, each tied to different moments in their journey. Bassist Josi Hille cites Monsters, though admits she can’t explain why. ARNOLD gravitates toward House ≠ Home and No Breakout, praising their balance of anthem and vulnerability. NASIRI chooses Killing From the Inside, the band’s first song and Not Your Misery, for its explosive anger. ARNOLD also recalls the exhausting but cathartic creation of Fall From the Sky, written in a twelve-hour session that ended with NASIRI’s final scream late at night. “It was the last song we wrote, like writing the summary of your record,” he says. Musically, SEVEN BLOOD’s influences are as diverse as their stories. ARNOLD cites NIRVANA’s Nevermind as a lifelong touchstone, while NASIRI recalls seeing PARAMORE live at 13 as her spark. HILLE points to AVRIL LAVIGNE’s Let Go as the record that made her pick up a guitar. Collectively, the band embraces everything from KENDRICK LAMAR to DUA LIPA, ARCHITECTS to SLEEP TOKEN. “It’s a great playground to love different kinds of music,” ARNOLD says. With Life Is Just a Phase released, SEVEN BLOOD are preparing for their first coheadline tour with Lastelle, including a show at the Fighting Cocks in Kingston. “It’s a very special time for us,” NASIRI says. “Now it’s our name sitting on those tickets.” HILLE, ever practical, adds with a grin: For SEVEN BLOOD, because of their close proximity to their fans, the merch they create isn’t an afterthought. They insist on Fairtrade, high quality shirts they’d wear themselves, which is more than just a promise, it’s a reality as NASIRI laughs “It’s not planned, but actually I’m wearing our shirt today so don’t forget the merch table at the show.” It’s clear from the ripples created across the scene from the release of Life Is Just A Phase that SEVEN BLOOD are a band to watch. ARNOLD leaves readers with a reminder: “Always keep in mind that life’s just a phase, in the good and in the bad times. Words: Lou Viner-Flood Photos: Anthony Molina With thanks to: Seven Blood and The Noise Cartel

EQUILIBRIUM returns from hiatus with a bang on 7th album Equinox, armed with a new lead vocalist and some electro infusion to launch the trio into the new age. Filled with technical excellence and exhilarating soundscapes, Equinox is power metal you could run a marathon to. Album opener is Earth Tongue - a massive track with tribal drums and monastic harmonies. The electronic elements come into their own in follow up awakening, as does the breadth of the soundscape present in Equinox: EQUILIBRIUM manage to transition from impassioned screams to a flute breakdown with ease, speaking to the technical skills of EQUILIBRIUM in this self-produced project. The element that felt unnecessary was the produced outro at the end, which felt like an interlude tacked onto the end of an otherwise intentional and well paced track. This decision feels particularly odd as two of the fourteen tracks on Equinox are interludes already, as well as a separate outro track. Perhaps an attempt at a 3 act structure, but any of these could be traded with the extended outro of Awakening or removed completely with little impact on Equinox overall. After first interlude Archivist there is the singles section of Equinox, starting with Gnosis then Bloodwood. Bloodwood is the track of note of these singles, with an intro that reminds of shanty metal then infusing some more of the electronic production that elevates the tracks it appears on. Bloodwood pulls no punches in its tempo, as well as incorporating an ektar solo which was a welcome surprise. The midsection of Equinox is the strongest, with Bloodwood followed by I’ll be thunder, whose synths feel 80s in its build then remind of ELECTRIC CALLBOY as it hits the meat and potatoes. Anderswelt feels like a storybook, with lyrics of rising and rebirth connecting these concepts to the emergence of spring and the freedom the night can offer. One Hundred Hands focuses more on melody before hitting a static infused breakdown as well as allowing some time for the drumming to come to the fore. Borrowed Waters is the first track where the female guest vocal comes into play, as well as slows down an otherwise sonically huge project into something more pensive; a break in the fast pace giving room to breathe and absorb Equinox. The end of Equinox is oddly structured, with another interlude (Rituals of the Sun and Moon) before final full track Nexus is followed by outro Ties of Time. The elements of Rituals of the Sun and Moon add to the uniqueness of Equinox with the integration of throat singing, then Nexus pulls no punches in its beginning and incorporates spoken word into its swelling second half that add to the power of this project. This said, isolating Nexus from the rest of the album feels an odd choice: the track itself would hold its own as the album closer, no extra outro separate to needed, while cutting it off with two short separate movements works to bloat the project rather than add to it meaningfully. One longer track incorporating the elements of Rituals of Sun and Moon and Ties of Time may have worked better to offer a big conclusion to this massive soundscape. All in all, Equinox feels like a comeback; a theatrical largeness with the passion to sell it alongside varied yet intentional elements that offered uniqueness to a sub genre that can blend into itself. Though there was some odd choices in the album structure, once EQUILIBRIUM have settled back into writing these will sure fade away. Score: 7/10 Equinox was released on 28th November via Nuclear Blast Records. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: Equilibrium

Embarking on their only UK stop of their headline tour for their newest album The Darkest Place I’ve Ever Been; metalcore giants LANDMVRKS take on Camden’s famous Roundhouse for a special and emotional show for the band and fans alike. Opening up the night were SPLIT CHAIN, with a lot of buzz around this band in such a short time, it is absolutely clear to see why. This band have masterfully taken the edgy skater culture of the early 2000s alongside the music of the likes of DEFTONES and LINKIN PARK and given it all a fresh coat of paint in the best way possible with the London crowd eating it up. The band attracted an amazing reaction from the crowd with their hits, bored. tired. torn. and I’m Not Dying To Be Here sending the crowd into a frenzy of walls of death and two stepping; SPLIT CHAIN made sure to represent their home country being the only UK natives on the line-up, their energy, the crowd made for a pretty killer set, that gave the following bands a standard to live up to. Next up were Long Island Hardcore outfit PAIN OF TRUTH, who ripped the crowd to shreds with their massively intense riffs and impressive vocal work; they threw themselves in at the deep end for this set, making sure that this predominately metalcore crowd were given a taste at the harsh reality of a hardcore show. The pit filled with wind millers, two-steppers and even some crowd killers who did not let up for the thirty minutes that PAIN OF TRUTH graced the stage, growing only ever more intense by the song, they closed off their set with Actin’ Up creating an unstoppable whirlpool of moshers that probably sold a lot of the crowd on the wild intensity of a hardcore show, just a shame there was no stage diving to be the cherry on top. After that came along emo veterans UNDEROATH, whose energy was simply something to be marvelled at, from the moment they walked on stage, they utilized every part of the lighting, stage and sound to blast the audience with their perfect blend of screamo, metalcore and even post-hardcore elements. Opening with Loss, UNDEROATH flashbanged their audience with a simply impressive light show, that empowered their already powerful and epic songs; every fan in that crowd gave it their all with the audience being the loudest during this set, maybe the infectiously catchy hooks of the songs had something to do with that. UNDEROATH proved themselves to be a class act and definitely worth their own headline of this venue; playing a wide range of songs across their previous albums to create a set that would sell any LANDMVRKS fan on their status and talent. Finally the headliner, LANDMVRKS, took to the stage, veiled behind a white curtain, revealing only singer FLORENT SALFATI’s shadow as he passionately sung the title track from the newest record. With a thunderous scream, alongside thunderous playing from the rest of the band, the veil dropped to reveal them all in all of their grandeur; the crowd erupted into a frenzy as the band gave them something to blow off their steam to. The first section of songs flew by as the band utilised an intense light show and some insane amounts of pyrotechnics that only elevated the feeling of grandiose the band were giving themselves; the band did not hold back from using confetti either as the crowd were bathed in blue as they jumped and moshed away. The band showcased all their might and power within only a few songs, creating an atmosphere like none other, the show felt like a new age of metalcore, with a performance for the ages. The talent this band has is astonishing with many comparing SALFATI to the late CHESTER BENNINGTON of LINKIN PARK, and it is honestly the perfect comparison, he has the same insane vocal range and the passionate screamo is so impressive to hear live. LANDMVRKS took this headline slot in a chokehold, pulling out all the stops for London, bringing out MATT WELSH of WHILE SHE SLEEPS fame to sing on his feature for A Line In The Dust, this duo owned that moment, arm in arm they put their hearts on their sleeve and shared a special moment with audience. As the band came closer to their finale, they pulled out some older tracks from their previous record Lost In The Waves to send it home, after some cool moments like SALFATI creating a piece of graffiti art on stage as a little interlude, an acoustic section and a killer drum solo from KÉVIN D’AGOSTINO; the band closed with Self-Made Black Hole, giving one last taste of this bands aggression and passion, ending with a massive bang for a brilliant evening of heavy music. Words and photos: Ben Blisset

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