Imagine the life of a 13th Century monk, channelling his spirituality in a draughty stone cell, candle flickering in permanent semi-shadow, the unearthly howling of wind through the cloisters. He’s probably been there for decades, living with his oath of silent communion. And then, what if, on returning to his cell one day, he finds an unusual object, it says ‘Korg’ on it, and by the same freakish act of the divine, it's somehow plugged in! Hark, a miracle! With no fear and his faith to guide him, he starts to play. How would this new spiritual connection sound, transmuted via a multi-channel signal, resonating around his stone cell? It's gonna be deep, gotta be something profound. Our guess is, it’ll sound something along the lines of Magnetism. Hallelujah! Magnetism was begat as a quick creative release by KALI MALONE and DREW MCDOWALL. Recorded in DREW’s New York apartment, they left it to mature for a year before they returned to it. Finding it ripening nicely, the textures and timbres cured, they were encouraged to finalise, and release it. In an era of lightning quick content reels and doom scrolling, this record is a careful and purposeful meander. The opening bars of the first track, Nothing Here Is Lost, fills the air with this electronic medieval hymn. The sound easily slips off the headphones and into your ears, a paired back richness and warmth achieved by the gentle meeting of artistry and experience. The electronic dissonance as we drift along into The Secret of Magnetism encapsulates MCDOWALL's mastery over electronics. Pitching a sound that confidently rides the line between harsh and cathartic, it pierces the plodding synth in the background with a velvety burr. Using delay and distortion with Karplus–Strong synthesis (that's the synthesized ‘plucking’ sound to the rest of us), they restricted their fields purposefully and kept the tonal range fairly neat and compact. The record takes KALI's hauntingly ethereal organ compositions, to deftly provide a utilitarianly ambient melody. It’s hard not to get carried away with your imagination listening to this record, in part because it's soaked in heavy atmospheric shifts and in part because there's so much space to do so. As we reach The Sound In My Mind and A Sound That Is Alive, the austerity of the cell starts to transform into a heatwave rippling over a dusty road, less spiritual wondering and more pilgrim wandering. Worthy of a cinematic backdrop, it’s VANGELIS on Ket, scoring a resolute, bitter-sweet ending. The subtlety of the track is reinforced with the reverb, warbles and resonance from the synths. The clarity and depth of the recording is what brings it to life, and you get the impression the devil was definitely in the detail. Researching for this review was as much fun as listening to the record. Both artists CV’s are awash with fascinating sub-cultural touch points and ‘did that really happen’ anecdotes. Both have clearly perfected their sounds and how they want to deliver them. Cutting her teeth on the DIY noise scenes around Denver, KALI MALONE went on to study electroacoustic music in Sweden, studying with exquisite detail the intricacies of a lost art in organ music. Considered a wunderkind of experimental drone, she has gained a solid reputation for producing otherworldly music that connects with the soul. DREW MCDOWALL began life on the outskirts of 1960s Glasgow, contributing personally to its status as one of the most dangerous cities in the world as a member of one of its notorious gangs. He found his exit strategy via the early punk scene and then on, into the burgeoning scene of Industrial music evolving from the post industrial British landscape. Helping establish and push forward this latest vanguard of musical reinterpretation, working with groups like PSYCHIC TV and later becoming part of COIL, he was already cultivating his signature sound. By the time he got to NYC in the late 90s, his musicianship was in full swing and he has since become a stalwart of its experimental music scene. Highly influential, with infamously transcendent live shows, he has simultaneously gained a reputation as being the most genuine and supportive mascot for the entire scene. We recommend, whilst enjoying this thoughtful and reflective album, finding DREW's SKREWDRIVER anecdote to read alongside it. This man truly needs an autobiography out asap. MAGNETISM will be released on the 7th November 2025 on Ideologic Organ. Score: 8/10 Words: Alana Madden Photos: Ryan Foerster

Hallo-weekend in Manchester was underway with the second stop of the European leg of HANABIE.’s 2025 world tour, accompanied by LAKE MALICE for the UK portion. An emerging powerhouse of metalcore, HANABIE., played their first English show to a sold out crowd in the Manchester Academy 2 with all the vigour of a band hitting their stride. Entry into the Manchester Academy 2 proved a little confusing as there was an Emofest taking place next door, resulting in a mixture of the queues. For those that were in the right building, there was one thing on the mind - merchandise. The queue lines for the t-shirts, caps and photocards stretched the length of the venue for almost the whole evening, and for a good reason; not only were the t-shirts beautifully designed, HANABIE. had also introduced a Gacha machine on this date of the tour where for only £5 fans could get stickers, magnets, pins, and some mystery extra prizes written on the back of the leaflets. Inside the Academy 2 the support act LAKE MALICE burst on stage with a scream, starting with a high energy performance they maintained for their whole fourty-minute long set. ALICE GUALA was the first of the remarkable show-women to entertain Manchester on Saturday and warmed up the crowd perfectly from respectful headbanging, to the pit opening for the first time around fifteen minutes into the set; not to say there was no LAKE MALICE fans in the crowd, a look around to the left and there was a pair who had cleared enough space for themselves to dance, and by the time Scatterbrain hit its pre-breakdown, the rest of the room was clapping along on their own. The highlight of LAKE MALICE’s set was saved until the end, when guitarist BLAKE CORNWALL entered the circle-pit and managed to only fall to the ground when he chose to kneel down and play, although he has mastered this trick since the group formed in 2021. Right after they played the song Stop The Party, which saw BLAKE stealing their drummer’s floor tom to help out with the final chorus, and by their last two songs the crowd was electrified. Half an hour later it was time for the main event, where frontwoman YUKINA’s presence was a dominating force. Skipping onto the stage in layered pink and leopard prints, the sweetness left as soon as the first notes rang out, replaced by a fierce stance to fill the time before her gravelly screams spread around the Manchester Academy 2. That is not to say the sweetness was completely dissipated; before latest single Spicy Queen, the bassist HETTSU let Manchester know via A1 papers that she had lost her voice because of an eight hour phone call with YUKINA, that was met with pantomime-style “awhs” and “hays” from the crowd. While performing the song, YUKINA donned a headband with a chilli pepper on and danced with a spicy sauce squishmallow during the chaotic hyper-metal breakdowns, while the first pit of the set opened in the middle of the floor. The setlist was a balanced mix of the old and new songs, with all tracks from latest EP Buccigirl Tokyo spaced out between an even mix of Reborn Superstar and Girls Reform Manifest. As the set hit its stride, YUKINA asked what Manchester loved - sweets, was the answer, as the whole room head-banged, hinting at one of their hit songs. At the midpoint, the jokes set in: from YUKINA downing a Guinness at the beginning of Kotoshi Koso Gal ~Shoka ver.~ and getting the crowd to scream “what the fuck”, to YUKINA reminiscing about the things they loved on their first visit to Manchester - Buckfast and Satan’s Hollow to start, with the fans chanting “down it” at the mention of the first one, to discovering the infamous Jet2 Holiday meme before the end of the set, recited with passion by the fans before launching into LOVE Ranbu. YUKINA did not stop moving and interacting for the entirety of the set, not only whilst leading the crowd with claps and fist pumps, but also while dancing behind MATSURI during her clean vocal segments. The energy calmed down in the second act but came back for the final tracks, with Tosou and Pardon Me I Have to Go Now bringing it round enough to gain an encore from the Academy 2 in the form of Ghost Mania and Sentimental Heroine from Girls Reform Manifest. This section saw the crowdsurfers take their chance and the last two steps of the evening taken, while the grins of the members of HANABIE. were from ear to ear. HANABIE.’s second stop on the UK/EU leg of their world tour was a perfect evening of performers who had all aspects of their craft perfected - YUKINA and ALICE have their vocals and ability to work the crowd down to a science. The joy of being on tour was clear for both bands and it filled the room, giving the crowd the energy they needed to start off their Saturday night. The opportunity to see HANABIE. on their first full UK tour was a dream; lucky are the few to catch them on this run. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: Libby Percival

As the speakers at Out Of Rage HQ can surely attest, AGRICULTURE’s new album The Spiritual Sound is a glorious record, and one that could come to define a new movement within any or all of black metal, noise, and the weirdest of indie. With such a potent release only a month old, we sat down with Leah Levinson (bass, vocals) and Richard Chowenhill (guitar) to discuss the albums themes, the songwriting process, and the depth of meaning within the swirling vortex of sound they have mustered from the void. Asking first about the structure of the album, Leah went into detail about how the album evolved to become, in essence, two sonically distinct halves: Leah: “It just came from how the music gets written for the band - we tend to come in with material that gets stretched into more and more material, so what we think might be one song, we start to flesh it out, and we realize there's like several songs worth of material in it; that happened twice on this album. Once with what became tracks two through five, which were all one song at one point, but then became four interconnected songs, and it also happened with Bodhidharma into Hallelujah. So we wrote these songs, and they became interconnected and sonically sat in similar spaces because of that, or followed similar concepts and musical ideas. And then once you have that with an album structure - one thing we appreciate about album structures is that they give us a way to think about the larger work - if we just think a traditional record with a Side A and Side B, it gives us some constraint, and that's helpful for a band that can get very wrapped up in bigger ideas and more ambitious ideas. It can be really helpful for us to be like, ‘Okay, if something splits the album and we have a moment that can reset, which is the transition from side A to side B, then we suddenly have a much more contained structure we can work with.’ That helps ground us a lot, I think in all of our releases, whether it's with the EP’s or albums, having a fixed length that a side of vinyl can be helps. I think that's how it ended up being the side A and side B, but all of that would be practical reasons - creatively, or artistically, I think we came to feel that there was a really nice ‘as above, so below’ sort of thing, or this duality thing happening. There are references for albums that work that way, that I know Dan likes to reference. I think of Kid A for doing that. I also know Kate Bush, I think it’s The Dreaming, which is the one with all those great songs on side A? And it spirals out on side B, or there’s Before And After Science, by BRIAN ENO. That's another one for me that is so clearly split, but it still works as a whole statement, and that became interesting to us - ‘what if we put people through the intensity and the firestorm on side A, and then we just crack it open and let those emotional spaces and some of that formal experimentation really sit on side B?’” Leaning further into the album as a whole, and the large volume of lyrical content that dives into facets of the Buddhist faith - more notably on side B, but found throughout - Richard gave us an insight into whether the album was intended as a manifesto, an exploration, a teaching opportunity, or something else entirely: Richard: “Well it's definitely not a manifesto at least. Leah can correct me if I'm wrong, but, at least from my perspective, I want to be clear about that. We're not prescribing anything for anyone, or even really for ourselves - more than anything, my way of understanding it is that it's a reflection of our feelings about how the quotidian can be really spiritual, the daily process. Daily practices of non-conventional or organized spiritual things like friendship, or just the practice of living in the world and going about your day, there's a certain spirituality in the way you connect to your work, to your music, to your friends, the way you can mindfully go through life and appreciate things for what they are. In My Garden, Dan's lyrics are about the Buddhist concept of seeing things for what they are, not what we want them to be, “Mountain is a mountain”. I think all four members will give you a slightly different answer to that, but for me at least, it’s about reflection and encouraging the fact that the quotidian can be spiritual, and that's cool! Spirituality is just however the spirit moves you, and being open to that is a nice way of going through life, especially when I know it's crazy in your country - it's insane in our country right now. Like, you know the political landscape, and as a result the social landscape is the trickle down we get with the cultural war and everything like that. And I think there are a lot of things to do, there's a lot of activism. People talk a lot about outward things we could do, which is extremely important, but I think there's also inward practices that are important in terms of taking care of ourselves and our community, and making sure that we stay on top of that. And as I said, thinking about the quotidian as spiritual and therefore something that is worth practicing, caring for, maintaining, and tending to.” After both graciously dove into the album as a single entity, we then burrowed into individual songs. We started by talking through Flea and the themes found within, as well as the sonic shifts that the track encompasses: Leah: “Yeah, Flea was a confusing song from start to finish, but one that I knew was really important to me and what I wanted to do on this album. Structurally, I think of that song as a bit of a labyrinth. At one point, when it started to make more sense to us while we were writing it, we were talking about a spiral sort of thing, the way it circles around to revisit themes, but when it comes back it's in a different place, you know? So it kind of spirals then, and that's just what it's doing musically. Ideas come back, but they're slightly different, and they've changed a little bit by the idea that preceded them and so on. I think part of that song is the haziness and the getting lost in it, and I think that ties to what it's doing lyrically, which is talking about spirituality and the quotidian, and persevering in daily life, and connecting to others and all of that. But that doesn’t always happen in this confusing murkiness that is daily life. Things come up. You don't know where you are in terms of what you're doing in life, or what life means, and it's about finding a way through that. I guess the more emotive side of that, I think of as a sort of softness that allows a lot of that to happen, bringing things to a more vulnerable and tender, almost heart to heart space - even while we're doing blast beats and heavy distortion and post punk beats, there's something in the harmonies there and the way the music is functioning that has this moving effect where we can take it where it needs to go. I appreciate you asking about that song. A lot of that really sets the themes for what I want to do on the songs that follow it.” After such a poignant discussion, things turned to the end of the album, with the final song The Reply. The song is filled with reference and metaphor, with a powerful final line evoking water that counters the multiple previous references to fire across the album, and Richard deftly explained the meaning within: Richard: “It's a great question, and to answer that question is to reveal two things about the band, both of which I think are important. Those are Dan’s lyrics, and one of these things is Dan's fascination with history. So Dan's a big history guy. The zoomed in reality is that Dan is a guy who will be in Europe, and he'll just be looking out the window, or looking at the water or something, and he will be thinking about World War One or whatever, you know. Isn't it crazy that you know? And it's ‘Oh, yeah, okay’, you know. Like, wake up from a nap, look out, comment about history, go back to sleep, something like that, that's Dan. That's how he views the world right now. And it's awesome because I think everybody's interested in history, but Dan goes for it. He'll go through his phases with what he’s interested in, and what types of things. So on the one hand, it's that, and it's just very real because this is just Dan. He’s going to be talking about history stuff. But also, I remember the initial kernel for that song in particular was Bernstein. Leonard Bernstein was at a lecture or an address following the JFK assassination, and it was about what do you do in the face of an assault on your way of life or your way of being? So it's kind of confusing. It's a reply to the current state of the world going away. Because last year, when we were putting that song together, obviously we were going through an insane election cycle that didn't turn out the way a lot of us wanted it to, and that set off a chain reaction of other things that we're having. So there's that, and then pairing it with the reflection of how the history of Western Europe had this continually building history, and then in 1914 closed on itself - so it’s reflecting on the destructive pattern that humans seem to, or at least society seems to, engage in. So yeah, it's kind of this amalgamation replying to where the world is right now, drawing a comparison to the downfall of the Western European tradition at that particular point in time, and then having the deeply personal, which is Dan's way of viewing the world, often through the perspective of his deep interest in history.” Leah: “I think that sounds right to me knowing Dan, and he also loves water. Dan loves water - the ocean is on the cover of our first LP, and it’s the theme of a lot of Dan's lyrics on that album. And, yeah, I think that is a spiritual thing for him. I don't know. I don't know if he would think as structurally with those themes as you're suggesting, that hadn't occurred to me, but I think a lot of the fire stuff is also Dan's lyrics on the album. So, yeah, I'm not sure if that's where that was coming from, but it’s a cool, interesting read of that.” From one song weighted heavily with metaphor, interest and passion, to a pair of songs that contrast enormously in tone and content. The Weight deals with the mental toll of assault, stalking, and queerphobia, which is immediately followed up by Serenity - a song with a message of love, but not to a person or place; towards spirituality, and peace within the soul. Leah wrote both tracks about personal experiences, and walked us through the two: Leah: “Something about The Weight is that I wrote it in a way that I wanted to bear witness to the events that are happening on it, but I wanted to do so in a space that - if I say these things to someone in daily life or daily conversation, someone might just not be able to say anything other than, ‘Oh, my God, I'm so sorry that happened’, and then we both just feel bad and confused and sad about everything. Instead, I get to say these things and, before I'm even done saying them, we have a guitar solo and rock out section that is this huge moment of catharsis. I think it's an early moment of catharsis on the album, I think we get a lot more pouring forth on side B of the album, but that is, on side A, one of the moments where things really land. Then you can just rock out of it, and I think that that's important to me about that song, is that I get to talk about these pains and these difficulties, and I get to take myself and the band and a listener somewhere else with that. You know, we build with it. And that's, I think, part of the end of the song is like the character who has had something happen to her, who's been followed as the narrative of the song, she’s been briefly stalked, and then she reaches out. She called the speaker of the song, right? So it's this moment of connection, and coming out of it, stepping away from the trapped feeling of the difficulty of everything. Serenity, for me, I would say your reading is pretty accurate. It's not a romantic love with another person, or something like that, it is a more spiritual thing - not specifically Zen Buddhist, because I just don't have the practice or the knowledge to claim that as part of my spiritual experience. But certainly I do relate to a lot of what I learned about Zen Buddhism, largely through Dan, and Richard's been practicing as well. That said, I think the point of Serenity there is to speak to the power and the effect of finding a higher power, finding some guiding principle and guiding force beyond myself and the more ego-driven sense of self that I can attach to. And for me, a lot of that has to do with community and connection to others around me, the connection to the world around me in my daily life, and connection to a deeper part of myself that doesn't relate to the ego, but is honouring a more spiritual part of myself that comes out through things like art and through things like meditation, daily practice and being of service in a way. So to me, that's what that song is about, and how it functions. It's a continuation of the thought that ends The Weight, of reaching out and calling someone, which can be a moment where you're honoring the spirit.” Our final question went to Richard, and was the most simple and open of the lot - asking him about the two most overtly Buddhist tracks on the record, Bodhidharma and Hallelujah, we simply wanted to know why they were written, and he answered in due course: Richard: Why were they written? That's awesome! Okay, so here's the chronology. Dan brought in that riff, just the initial riff, the one that opens the song, almost two years ago, and we were working on it, and started adding all the parts and blah, blah, blah, kind of how we do, tear things apart, and then everybody adds their part, and we hash things through, etcetera, etcetera. Dan's been practicing for a few years now at Zen Center Los Angeles, where I was practicing last year as well. And during that time - this goes back to Dan's sort of love of history - he was really into the story of Bodhidharma bringing Chen Buddhism to China, and the story of the disciple. Bodhidharma meditates for years and stares at a cave wall, and he cuts off his eyelids so that he doesn't fall asleep while he's meditating. It’s about dedication and devotion and it's a combination of, again, this interest that Dan brings, where there's a story either from history or from spiritual text or something, and he'll just find it fascinating, and we'll talk about it. I was thinking a lot about it at the time, it's that classic thing, when you're sitting meditating, there's a temptation to fall asleep, and then your feet fall asleep, and your body adjusts to this. You're putting yourself through this physical thing - you're not running a marathon or climbing a mountain or anything, but it takes the body, especially the contemporary body that we fill with junk food and these weird chemicals, or we sit in strange chairs and things, so to actually sit and focus on your breath and do nothing else, is this effort that you put yourself through. I think that that story of Bodhidharma is extreme, of course, but relatable in some ways. It's a big story that goes along with a big riff, to simplify it. And then Hallelujah, for a long time, was just ‘Bodhi Part Two’, was what we called it, but that really goes deep and acts as Dan’s reflections, and references the Old Testament, publicly, of course, so continues to reference the biggest sources that Dan is drawing on - but, you know, it's super metal to cut off your eyelids so you don't fall asleep while you're meditating for 10 years or whatever. But also in this sort of self mutilation way, and that type of practice and that type of focus, it's a lot, it's super compelling, and ultimately, I think, quite inspiring." With that, our time delving into this special album was up, and Richard and Leah said their goodbyes. If you’ve not listened to the album, this is as good a time as ever to do so, but perhaps even more so if you already have so you can appreciate it all over again, knowing a little more of how and why this enigmatic and profound band created The Spiritual Sound, and why it ricochets around the most vulnerable parts of your psyche the way that it does. Words: Jasmine Longhurst Photos: Agriculture With thanks to: Rarely Unable PR and Agriculture

With ever darkening nights and dreary rain, a warm welcome is The Psychedelic Furs with their 2025 UK and European Tour. Kickstarting in Wolverhampton at the Wulfrun Hall with post-punk rock to heal your soul and lift your spirits. As a steadily building crowd forms, standing shoulder to shoulder but still with plenty of room to dance, a mix of faces, ages and styles. The setup on stage is simple, nothing fancy but that only allows the audience to enjoy the music without any distractions. Mic stands, guitars, keyboard and a drum set- everything needed for a classic night of rock. Taking to the stage first is our support for the evening, Anja Huwe. Legendary in her own right from the 1980s where she was the lead singer for German post-punk band Xmal Deutschland ze, to her own separate career into visual arts and now rightfully back on stage. Commanding an entire audience with ease, phrases are repeated in German, almost hypnotic in nature. After a decades long hiatus from music and performing you might expect some nerves but Anja stands strong, confident and never missing a beat. Hands outstretched and reaching for the sky while her accompanying band blend and drift us through rhythmic, rock and even tranquil numbers. Confident, comfortable and ready to capture their audience’s attention, The Psychedelic Furs kicked off their set with “Heaven”. Using the stage to its full, our lead singer and 3 guitarists swap and wander around- interacting with each other, other members of the band and most importantly the audience. It’s clear to see that fans are having fun, with a healthy amount of dancing, singing along and for many a reminder of the success the band had from the 1980s onwards. Stretching to the top of the ceiling to crouched down as low as possible, Richard Butler- our lead singer, connects with the crowd on every level. Crouched with legs crossed with ease, dressed in a black suit and sunglasses, a true visualiser of post-punk. The Psychedelic Furs were formed by Richard Butler and his brother, fellow bandmate on bass Tim Butler in 1977. Kicked out of their family’s front room makeshift rehearsal space due to the noise, to performing on a variety of stages around the world. Completing the band lineup is Rich Good on lead guitar, Zack Alford on drums and Amanda Kramer on keyboard. “Love My Way” is met with an excited hum as the familiar tune reaches our ears. For many this is a fan favourite and easily one of their most recognisable hits, featuring the distinctive xylophone and lyrics about sexuality. A golden wash lights the stage, a fog of haze that creeps towards the roof steadily. The song was written for gay people by Richard Butler, a simple statement of not wanting people to worry about their sexuality and that it was and isn’t to this day a problem. It shouts from the rooftops that you should be uniquely you with no shame despite what others might think, it’s not a life worth living if you aren’t being 100% yourself. Famously one of their biggest hits to date in the US and UK, “Pretty in Pink” which was used in the 1986 film by John Hughes aptly titled ‘Pretty In Pink’. With pink lights framing the stage, slowly flashing in and out, and fans at the bottom of stage which blast the haze upwards and provide added movement to the bands clothes and hair, it’s easy to get lost in the fun of this number. For their Encore “It Goes On” and “India” bring a conclusion to the post-punk alternative rock evening. A shorter set but one filled with hits and a steady flow from The Psychedelic Furs catalogue. Delivered with ease and with the same quality performance the Furs are known for, a perfect night out from new wave alternative to post-punk and even some heavy, whatever you like: The Psychedelic Furs has something for everyone. Words & Photos: Tyler Whiting

Amy Walpole is not a witch. However, the people she knows who study witchcraft say that she’s attuned to it - some even surprised by the fact that she doesn’t practice it. It’s easy to draw conclusions, as she does like to collect things, like bones and branches, or keep special objects that hold power. She tells OOR that sometimes, she does tarot. In her art, she's inspired by natural forms and horror imagery, knotted tightly with paganism and the rural north. Above all, she likes to read about it. Diagnosed with autism at twenty-nine, she realised that maybe her neurodivergence was the root of her love of the macabre. Misunderstood for a lot of her youth and most of her early twenties, she now understands why she feels an affinity with headstrong and challenging women that shape her own narrative, just as much as those on the page: “A lot of the time they're seen as being the bad guys, when actually they're just like being themselves. They rebel.” In archetypes like Eve, who is centralised in Amy’s religious upbringing and her views on the church's subtle micro-aggressions towards women and minorities, the influence on WITCH FEVER is spellbinding. At the core of 2022’s Congregation was a narrative cut deep with Amy’s lived experience and trauma, made rotten with cathartic retorts against piety and ordnance. As angry as the record is autobiographical, there is a power in speaking your truth out loud. Biting the apple with the band’s latest album, FEVEREATEN - out tomorrow - they align the pain and the horror tropes to create one of their most conceptual works yet. Three years on, and Amy’s relationship with the divine is still complex and all-consuming, but the narrative has changed again. The Garden, their slow-burning sear on the Genesis story, is also written about Eve. Not just about sin, but the conscious conversation of navigating an archaic text in the modern world. “I think that this is just a reflection of misogyny anyway, absolutely. The song is also sort of about me, coming to terms with internalised misogyny and learning more about feminism, that just because I'm a woman doesn't immediately make me not misogynistic.” Here, WITCH FEVER’s power is in its potency. Always with a conscious angling to make their worlds engraved with symbolism and purpose - intertextually excellent and loaded with conflicting reasons. “You don't reach an end goal of feminism. It's a constant, always moving.” With her master's degree in Gothic Literature, Amy has found inspiration in haunted spaces. “More often than not, in possession fiction or film, the space around the woman that's been possessed sort of starts degrading in the same way that their body degrades. So it starts reflecting in her body.” In conversation with Helen Oyeyemi’s 'White Is For Witching', Jac Jem’s 'The Grip Of It' and even Ari Aster’s cinematic spectacle Hereditary, she explores a trauma that haunts you and the location it manifests itself in, even after the event has taken place. Striking comparisons to Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Victorian short story 'The Yellow Wallpaper' also manifest in this space. Radical in its feminist depiction of mental illness, the narrative follows a young woman on bed rest after the birth of her baby. Confined to the upstairs nursery, the degradation of her mental condition is spurred on by the room’s yellow wallpaper, and she eventually believes herself to be trapped behind it. “I've loved The Yellow Wallpaper for so long. That's like a formative text for me. Anyway, it's so creepy and just horrible, but it's like so perfect.” “[About The Yellow Wallpaper] I was like, looking at this feeling of like being watched, being haunted, and not knowing whether it was like God, because I've had a really religious upbringing. Throughout my childhood, the church would always tell us that God was always watching. It was very based in sin and shame.” “Is this thing on my back that's always above me, watching me? Is it God? Is it like something more supernatural? Is it just like my trauma?” Whilst Amy says her influences are “blurry” and piled with horror tropes, FEVEREATEN pulls together the foundations of a truly human place to process real emotions. Carmen Maria Machado’s ‘In The Dream House’ - which Amy has also read and “loved” - uses the building, or rebuilding, of a house or ‘archive’ to understand a dark period of the narrator's life. Aside from each chapter being written in a different genre (that is, both extremely raw and gripping), it makes whatever occurs in the house a place of power and is created by its maker. The architecture is there to both comfort and reflect its owner. As Mercado writes: ‘What is placed in or left out is a political act, dictated by the archivist and the political context in which she lives.’ In this way, FEVEREATEN is the haunted house of the band's own design. As wicked and provoking as something out of a Shirley Jackson short story, with the same attention to push for progression that Mary Shelley drew from 'Frankenstein'. Discourse in gender conventions, microaggressions and managing mental health continues the narrative into the present with radical thought in mind. As much as Amy likes to read fiction, indulging in new perspectives is something that she uses to make sense of the world. In our conversation, she mentions Nada Ella’s ‘Greater Than The Sum Of Its Parts’, a deconstruction of Palestine through a feminist perspective, and Reni Eddo-Lodge’s ‘Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race’. In the fleshy pulp of FEVEREATEN, the record also dazzles sonically with abrasive influences. Punchy openers Dead To Me! and Final Girl are kinetic and frantic, with moments of intense reflection. The sternum-cracking kapow of See Ya Next Tuesday throws Outbreak-infested hardcore into their murky, unrelenting sound. Tracks like Northstar and Drank The Sap delve into doom, leaving us asking if WITCH FEVER is truly folk horror (Amy seems to think so!) The record is seamless and striking, melting into itself so effortlessly, whilst also giving each track its moment to make progressive moves. More importantly, it gorgeously soundtracks the witching hour just in time for Halloween. On the surface, applying horror to her story may be seen as a point of escapism. But this could not be further from the truth. “Horror is a really good tool to reflect culture back at itself, and to hold up a mirror to what's going on in society and make people like really think, because it's such an intense genre, it's really great at making people think about what's going on in the world.” Amy Walpole is not a witch, but because of her religious upbringing, a lot of the concepts surrounding witchcraft feel so far away from reality that she’s very keen on keeping both feet on the ground and staying grounded. “I feel like there are a lot of parts of witchcraft that make me feel like I could just not be grounded at all. I’m on my own journey with it.” When it comes to horror, Amy has the final words: “There's not really that much thought that goes into it. It's just the fact that I love it so much that it ends up being there.” As WITCH FEVER take on the UK and Europe with Danish metallers Volbeat, Amy will be reading. Having the amazing capability to read on transport, she takes a stack of books with her on tour to pass the time. Included in this is Mitchell Luthi’s ‘His Black Tongue’ and Azfar Shafi and Ilyas Nagdee’s ‘Race To The Bottom: Reclaiming Antiracism’. Words: Amber Brooks Cover image and promo shot: Frank Fieber Cover Design: Robert Halls With thanks to: Stay Golden PR

For anyone still reeling from the aftermath of CODE ORANGE's now-legendary Download Festival set and their shocking subsequent announcement of an indefinite hiatus, the emergence of NOWHERE2RUN feels less like a footnote or epitaph for that band and more like a natural mutation of the sonic evolution first present in 2020's Underneath. Born as CODE ORANGE’s in-house visual collective - the team responsible for the band’s dystopian livestreams, warped media experiments, and razor-edged aesthetic - NOWHERE2RUN always operated on the sideline, shaping the world that surrounded the music. With their new EP, What Did You Do?, that creative energy has found a new vessel. It’s a project that doesn’t just pick up the pieces but reconfigures them, fusing the digital paranoia and industrial abrasion that defined late-era CODE ORANGE with a new sense of direction and autonomy. It's something solely unique, yet instantly recognisable to fans of the band. At its core, NOWHERE2RUN is the brainchild of JAMI MORGAN and ERIC "SHADE" BALDEROSE the creative pairing that drove CODE ORANGE's evolution from hardcore insurgents to industrial shapeshifters. What Did You Do? takes the experimental instincts that pulsed through Underneath and The Above and locks in on them completely. Every idea that once lurked in the margins of those records - the metallic crunch and the feverish digital noise - is now front and centre, pushed to grotesque, exhilarating extremes. The result is something drenched in sweat and static, pulsating like a club set in a collapsing server room. It feels ripped straight from Blade’s blood-soaked dance floor - fitting, given their recent BLOODRAVE events that have turned their live shows into something between performance art and ritual, and attracting masses of newly devoted fans. The guest list on What Did You Do? is as stacked as you might expect. New Jersey punk-rap duo HO99O9, Zambian-Canadian Polaris Prize winner BACKXWASH, and avant-pop producer LECX STACY all make appearances, each adding their own strain of volatility and experimentation to the already vibrant mix. These collaborators don’t just decorate the record - they amplify its intent. Each addition brings a different language of abrasion and intensity, aligning perfectly with JAMI and SHADE's clear new vision of hybrid extremity. Together, they push NOWHERE2RUN beyond the confines of any single genre, turning the EP into a melting pot point where hardcore, industrial, rap, and electronic fury all fold into one feverish bloodstream. Making this release so incredibly hard to pin down, yet ever more intriguing and a joy to listen to. Unsurprisingly, it’s the guest features that hit the hardest on this record. HO99O9 and BACKXWASH feel completely at home in NOWHERE2RUN’s world of serrated electronics and body-moving chaos. Their contributions to What Did You Do? don’t just complement the sound; they sharpen it. Somehow they elevate the duo's sound to untold new heights. Both artists have carved out distinct paths in the heavy music underground with their genre-blending releases, and these collaborations feel less like crossover moments and more like natural convergences. The standout, Little Prince (ft. Ho99o9, Kamiyada+), injects a surge of energy whilst slowing the tempo down ever so slightly, creating a tense, swaggering moment of release on an otherwise relentless record. It’s a perfect balance of control and chaos. What Did You Do? ultimately feels like both a rupture and a rebirth for JAMI and SHADE's musical creativity. It's a statement of intent across 6 tracks from two artists refusing to stagnate or remain quiet in the aftermath of their past work. Where CODE ORANGE once blurred the boundaries between hardcore, industrial, and performance art, NOWHERE2RUN tears those boundaries down completely. It’s visceral, deliberate, and unapologetically confident. A project born from the same creative restlessness that made CODE ORANGE so compelling, but now free from the weight of expectation and the confines of any one genre. If this EP is any indication, JAMI and SHADE haven’t just moved on; they’ve built the next stage of the machine. As much as we will miss CODE ORANGE, NOWHERE2RUN is a welcome new project from two of heavy music's most boundary-pushing artists. Score: 7/10 What Did You Do? was released on 31st October 2025 via Nowhere Recordings. Words: Andrew Nile Photos: NOWHERE2RUN

Even though the German band UNPROCESSED have made many laps around the sun, this might only be the beginning. From selling out headline dates across Europe and North America to supporting world-class acts such as POLYPHIA, IN FLAMES, and SPIRITBOX, the four-piece seem to have gathered up even more energy and fresh driving force. Their new album Angel continues to expand the already diverse array of styles and musical techniques, taking the mastery and excellence to a completely different level. UNPROCESSED is truly for everyone: metalcore first and foremost, they bring in influences from progressive rock, math rock, hip-hop, electronic dance - and what else their hearts desire - blending it all in a way that makes perfect sense once you hear it. The theme of Angel aims to explore all the various meanings of the word. For one, this concept is typically used to portray a real person as divine and heavenly by idealising them. On the other hand, it could also tell a story of an angel expelled and cast out from Heaven, with devilish and demonic images from songs like Solara playing into the contrast. The musical composition of the album reflects this as well, where many angelic serenades are constantly interrupted by heavy breakdowns - turning into such polyphony of sounds that could only be described by the image of a multi-eyed ‘biblically accurate angel’ if you ever see one. Just going into the album, we already get blown away with 10-metre high tsunami waves of guitars that perfectly set the tone for the next 50 minutes. MANUEL GARDNER FERNANDES has been playing the instrument since the age of three, and his advancements in songwriting have definitely not gone in vain. But what might be even more striking is his vocal range - the instant switch between the demonic and angelic voices and back again would leave the listener wondering whether it is only one person behind it all. Sacrifice Me and Snowlover are both prime examples of the above with some of the catchiest melodies, because UNPROCESSED did not forget that even a metalcore listener needs something to sing along to. One of the biggest hits on Angel would certainly be Solara, featuring a strong appearance from ZELLI of PALEFACE SWISS. For the singer, this track was an exploration outside of his usual deathcore comfort zone, and it turned out to be a successful one. It is what you would subconsciously expect every time you see or hear any collaborative work - not only for the initial composition to be outstanding, but more so for the invited artist to elevate it even further by bringing their own unique perspective and talent. UNPROCESSED have also experimented on Solara musically by introducing drum and bass instrumentals into the mix for the first time, blending it perfectly in their original style. Another remarkable addition to the album is Beyond Heaven’s Gate, which the band released as the final single earlier this month. Here, the signature guitar virtuosity slightly diverges from its tech-infused sound and almost goes into midwest emo territory. This lets the song develop a melancholic but dreamy atmosphere - a perfect soundtrack if you struggle finding music to accompany a rare occurrence of sunny weather. The lyrics follow in a similar vein, exploring the theme of afterlife and eternity, with bittersweet undertones of both worry and solace those reflections may bring. Away from the singles, the deep cuts on Angel might be worth even more precise attention. Where I Left My Soul would cater to any BAD OMENS fan who likes to soak up raw, gut-wrenching lyrics paired with the most intricate vocal performance. It is certainly one of the highs of the album, although you might accidentally come out the other side feeling the lowest. Other songs like Your Dress and Perfume share a similar lingering feeling, invoking a multitude of emotions that add a lot of depth to the album. One thing is clear, all of these tracks simply beg to be featured in a post-apocalyptic movie finale. Last to mention, but absolutely not the least remarkable track would be Head in the Clouds, featuring JASON AALON BUTLER of FEVER 333. Rest assured, it is one of the musicians whose involvement in anything would almost always be transformative to the project. The instrumental of the song reflects both worlds; the more hip-hop side of FEVER 333 layered on top of the signature UNPROCESSED sound. Although this makes the energy of Head in the Clouds feel slightly out of place as regards to the continuity of Angel, it is nevertheless a wonderful standalone work to be put on repeat. The word ‘unprocessed’ could very well describe the raw and fresh quality of music that the band release, that they write it from the heart, without letting the outside world interfere. ‘Unprocessed’ could also be the feelings and emotions expressed in their work, which is arguably the best place to create art from. Overall, Angel falls in line with both of these points, its extraterrestrial nature ready to captivate more and more listeners. It also brings UNPROCESSED even closer to being the next generation of metalcore legends, on the cusp of a breakthrough. Score: 9/10 Angel was released on 31st October 2025. Words: Mariia Bulkina Photos: Unprocessed

Often compared to HOLDING ABSENCE, CASKETS and UNDEROATH, with their atmospheric melodies, heavy breakdowns, and experimental sounds, the UK’s most emotionally resonant post-hardcore band LASTELLE are heading upwards fast. Best known for their cinematic soundscapes and raw lyrical depth, the band has been captivating audiences across the country on their Exist UK Tour, which took them to Exeter, Glasgow Sheffield and more. We’re diving into the heart of their live performances, creative process, and what lies ahead in our chat with guitarist, JONJO WILLIAMS. As the band prepared for the tour, crafting the perfect setlist became both a creative challenge and a strategic decision. With the recent release of Exist Vol. II, it was clear that the new material needed to take centre stage. “We knew we had to lean into the Exist stuff,” JONJO explained. “Especially with the track Exist just dropping, it made sense to open the set with that. It felt like the right way to introduce the show.” But this wasn’t just about showcasing the latest songs. As a headline tour, it was also a chance to honour the band’s journey and long time fans. “We wanted to keep in some of the older deep cuts,” he said. “It was about building a set that spanned everything we’ve done so far.” Pacing was just as important as song selection; “You don’t want to blow through all the fast stuff at the start and be left with only slow songs at the end, or the other way around. It’s about weaving a bit of a narrative into the set, making it feel like a journey.” This tour marked their first headline run of this scale, and while it came with its own set of challenges, it was a challenge they embraced wholeheartedly. Opening each night with Exist was a bold move and a bit of a gamble. “It’s a slow build song, so you really want the end to hit like it’s meant to,” JONJO admitted. “I was nervous. You never really know how a song’s going to land live until you’re up there playing it. But it worked and the end kicked off the energy just like we hoped.” As the tour unfolded, the band was struck by the transformation in their audience; “It was our first headline run in about four years,” he reflected, “Back then, we felt like this tiny band just trying to get people to notice us. This time, it felt like people were actually coming to see us. That shift was massive.” The difference was noticeable in every city, JONJO told us, “It felt like we’d crossed the threshold from trying to get people to find out who we are, to playing for people who already knew and cared. That was a first for us, and it was honestly amazing.” Among the standout moments, the London show naturally took the spotlight. “That show was wild as it was our biggest headline show ever. The crowd was just electric.” But it wasn’t just the big venues that left an impression. “Glasgow was this tiny room, maybe a third the size of London, but the energy was just as intense. People were singing along, loud as ever. It felt just as special.” Reflecting on the tour, there was a sense of gratitude and awe. “This year’s been a real turning point. We’re aware of the new platform we’re on now. It’s something we hadn’t reached before and we’re so grateful for it.” One of the most unexpected highlights of the Exist UK Tour came from a track the band hadn’t anticipated would resonate so powerfully: Bitter Seeds. Known for their emotionally introspective sound, this heavier, more aggressive song stood out as a crowd igniter. “It’s definitely one of our angrier tracks,” JONJO shared. “We’ve always leaned into sorrowful or reflective tones, so we weren’t sure how Bitter Seeds would land live.” The song’s ambient middle section sparked an overwhelming response and it soared. “We had way more people singing along than we expected,” he said, still sounding surprised. “It’s one of our favourite songs to play live because it’s so energetic, and seeing the crowd react like that, just singing out loud, moving with the music, it was incredible. It felt like the room really came alive.” The tour itself was a milestone with it being the band’s first proper headline run. “We’ve spent the last three years opening for other acts, trying to get our name out there,” he explained. “This tour felt like we were finally collecting the fruits of that labour.” Stepping into the headliner role came with its own lessons. “You get to the venue earlier, you leave later, and there’s a lot more to juggle in between,” he said. “We made a conscious effort to support the other bands on the bill, many of them are friends or people we’ve met in the scene - but you’re also trying to find time to eat, rest, and stay on top of everything.” Despite the packed schedule, the band carved out moments of fun. “Before the Sheffield gig, we went on a cave tour with BLIGHT TOWN, who were touring with us. It was great fun and a nice break from the routine.” With the release of Exist Volume II, the band feels they’ve reached a new level of visibility. “We’ve definitely got more eyes on us now,” he said. “It’s been a slow, consistent journey - not an overnight explosion - but I think that’s made us appreciate every step.” Looking ahead to 2026, the band is focused on continuing to build that momentum. “We’ve got some exciting plans that haven’t been announced yet, but they’ll hopefully push us to that next level,” he teased. “The Exist cycle has helped us connect with new listeners, and now we want to bring the music to places where those people can see us live.” One of those places is London, where they’ll perform Exist Volume I and Volume II in full at the Fighting Cocks, an intimate venue with a capacity of 150. “It’s going to be a beautiful way to round off these two releases,” he said. “A celebration of everything we’ve built so far.” When asked who’s been dominating his playlists lately, JONJO lights up with enthusiasm. “BLIGHT TOWN have been in constant rotation for me,” he says. “We toured with them recently, and they were just fantastic every night. I discovered them earlier this year when we were announced on the same bill for a show. I checked them out, and was immediately hooked. They’re brilliant live, and it’s been great having their music around during the tour.” He’s also been spinning the debut album from LONESOME, another band rooted in the UK scene. “They’re friends of ours, and I’d say they’ve got a sound that’s kind of like ours but expansive and mellowed out. It’s a wicked album.” Another standout is ALL EARS AVOW, a Swindon-based band whose lead singer CLAIRE runs a studio the band has rehearsed in. “We actually filmed our live performance video for Silence at her studio,” he recalls. “They’ve just released their debut album Horrors too, and it’s really good.” As for bigger names, one recent experience stands out above the rest. “I saw SIGUR RÓS at the Royal Albert Hall in London,” he says, still in awe. “They’re one of my all-time favourite bands. That show was a bucket list moment; full orchestra, the organ, the atmosphere, it was the most immense sound I’ve ever heard. A lot of our ambient, atmospheric influences come from them.” LASTELLE have spent the years since their inception building a dedicated fan base and with the plans ahead for the next year, they show no sign of slowing down. With the recent release of Exist Vol. II and the end of their headline tour, they are sure to be inspired and ready to see what comes next, and we're very excited to follow that journey. Words: Lou Viner-Flood Photos: Lastelle, Ashlea Bea

Since bursting into the UK alt-rock scene in 2021 with their debut EP ‘These Days Mixtape’, Leicester based trio Mouth Culture have made an immediate and unforgettable impact, blending the raw catharsis of angsty rock with the restless energy of pop punk. Since then they’ve kept themselves firmly planted in the scene, having even joined You Me At Six on their farewell tour. With no shortage of top-tier explosive material, the high voltage new kids on the block have made it known loud and clear that they are the ones to watch, showcasing knockout performances at 2000trees, Download, and Truck Festival last year. Now, armed with three acclaimed EPs under their belt, and a trio of hot off the press singles (‘Ratbag’, ‘Regret 101’, and ‘Picking Wings Off A Butterfly’), Leicester’s latest and loudest exports are about to kick off the opening night of their first UK headline tour. Joined by Heart Sauce, another one of Leicester’s up and comers, and Leeds’ answer to contemporary midwest emo Beauty School, this new chapter begins at Bristol’s very own show boat Thekla. Heart Sauce, the self described “piss-pop” band, opened the night seamlessly. With fans arriving out of the cold by the bucketload, vocalist Ellis soothed chilly bodies to the tune of velvety smooth vocals, accompanied by dreamy disco inspired guitars, groovy basslines, and bouncy rhythms. Wasting no time getting the crowd warmed up both metaphorically and literally with their spirited and witty stage presence, they dived headfirst into their setlist for the evening. Featuring songs from their 2024 EP ‘Fools of Life’, their smash single ‘It’ll Probably Be Fine’, and an all new untitled song informally dubbed on the setlist as “Song in G”, they provided nothing short of a stellar start to the night. Beauty School were the next act to grace the stage of the boat. In their first live appearance since July, the Leeds rock six-piece launched into their set with the adrenaline-fuelled tune ‘Day of Iva’ from their recently released heartfelt sophomore album ‘From Now On’. It didn’t take long for the Beauty School fans in attendance to make themselves heard, their voices infused with passion and excitement as they chanted along word for word. Declaring the attendees as their “guinea pigs”, the band mercilessly ripped their way through a setlist filled with all new material from their latest album, evoking the fans to up the ante on the energy levels. After wrapping up a standout performance of the cathartic ‘Old Rotten Teeth’, during which one fan in particular made his way through the crowd to the front of the stage on a mission to hand vocalist Joe Cabrera his phone to take a video from his stage perspective, the lads took a humbled and emotional moment to express their gratitude to the audience. Standing on the edge of the stage, Cabrera spoke directly to the crowd saying “this is your night, and we wouldn’t be able to do this without any of you, so enjoy it and get what you want out of it”. Pits began to swarm as they ended their set on a high with fan favourite ‘Pawn Shop Jewels’. We absolutely cannot wait to see what Beauty School do next, with hopes for a headline tour of their own on the horizon. The air was electric as the lights dimmed, with anticipation pulsing through the veins of the crowd as Mouth Culture were just moments away from kicking off their first UK headline tour set. The band crashed onto the stage to the sound of the Jaws theme and iconic quote from the film “we’re gonna need a bigger boat” which served not only as a clever nod to the venue, but also as a signal of meteoric set opener ‘Sharkbait’ from their sophomore EP ‘Mishaps Of My Mid Twenties’. Intensity levels stayed high as they danced through ‘Dead In Love’ and ‘Little Wednesday’, finishing the three-song showcase of anthems from 2024 EP ‘Whatever the Weather’ with ‘Happier’. Showing no signs of slowing down, they catapulted into the live debut of ‘Picking Wings Off A Butterfly’, sending fans into a frenzy of excitement being the first to hear it performed live. Murmurs and whispers of speculation flowed through the crowd as the band teased the intro of a song they “haven’t been able to play live for a very long time”, and as they launched into ‘Paradise’ the fans' speculations were confirmed with screams and cheers. If the energy levels weren’t already enough to rock the boat, they certainly were during fan favourite ‘Don’t Pull Up’. Fans appeared up on the shoulders of one another, as the crowd opened up and the pits charged through the room. After gracing the lucky fans with the second live debut of the night in the form of unreleased track ‘On and On’, the band exited the stage to the sound of explosive angst anthem ‘Cherry Red Rage’. Naturally returning for an encore, they ended the night on an electrifying note with all star performances of ‘No Shame’ and ‘Ratbag’. Words and Photos: Sarah Henry

CREEPER have done it all; they’ve taken us through stories of shady disappearances and immortal gangs, of fallen angels and prophecies, and hungry, horny vampires in the night. But one thing they’ve never done is a sequel - on Halloween night, that changes. Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death may not be a direct follow-up as the name suggests, but as a spiritual sequel, the themes that permeated Sanguivore course rapidly through the dead veins of this record’s body. Here, the band set out not to reimagine themselves again, but to dive further into the extravagant theatrics that the first record established - and they do so remarkably. A darkwave-infused synth beat brings us into the beginnings of this story, with haunting strings courtesy of the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra to follow. CREEPER have always worn their influences on their sleeves, from their early AFI-esque sound to Sanguivore's epic rock ballads in the manner of JIM STEINMAN - here, the roots of the latter stand strong as opening track A Shadow Stirs leads with a spoken-word intro from goth legend PATRICIA MORRISON. It’s a thin tightrope, paying homage to your musical inspirations without sounding derivative, but the band walk it with finesse. Following the grand, cinematic intro is title track Mistress of Death. It's easy to picture Sanguivore II through the lens of film - it’s absolutely dripping with eighties horror nostalgia. If this record was a movie, this would be the backing to the classic training montage scene. We can picture it already: the titular huntress arming up a crossbow, sharpening her axe, pumping iron and staring daggers at mugshots of our vampiric band. This fully sets the scene for what we can expect from this record - it may be a cheesy, direct-to-video sequel, but sometimes that’s the perfect way to spend your night. The next three-track selection takes us through prior-released singles. Blood Magick (It’s a Ritual) asks the question: what if BELINDA CARLISLE had discovered that in fact, it was hell that was a place on earth? It’s a ridiculously catchy, goth-rock tune that we’ve been humming to ourselves since its release months ago. Headstones follows, the single that kickstarted this all - for good reason. It’s a huge standout on this record, with electric axe riffs taking the forefront - IAN MILES and LAWRIE PATTISON are locked in a fiery duel, and JAKE FOGARTY’s relentless drumbeat is an ever-present antagonist. This is the band’s essence dialled up to eleven. Prey for the Night capitalises on that, with its soaring, glam-rock chorus and WILLIAM VON GHOULD’s Dracula-incarnate vocals. A killer saxophone section soon kicks in, sounding like it’s been ripped from the Lost Boys. Daydreaming in the Dark, despite the album’s dark subject matter, opts for a glittery approach, with a softer, lighter overall sound that doesn’t do much to stand out. Parasite is its opposite, a classic rock anthem that’s built on a chanting chorus designed for arena-level crowds. Grimy riffage introduces a BON JOVI, It’s My Life-type sound, and VON GHOULD turns up the camp with his refrain of “suck, suck, suck!” It’s incredibly on-the-nose, entirely unsubtle - it’s incredibly fitting for an album like this. Razor Wire follows with another cinematic approach; a crowd cheers as our eponymous antagonist makes a grand appearance - HANNAH GREENWOOD is given a chance to shine in her role of vocals as she steps into the role of the Mistress of Death. Prey for the Night experimented with saxophone, but here CREEPER go all the way into a jazzy serenade lead by GREENWOOD’s powerhouse vocals. If there was one critique to be had about Sanguivore II, it would be that she isn’t given nearly enough focus outside of this track. There’s an interesting element introduced with a brief interlude, From the Depths Below - a televised preacher warns about the perils of rock’n’roll, and how satanic powers are at work with the band’s music. These interludes are a common theme in CREEPER’s discography, and usually inform the stories their albums tell - here, the interlude plants the record firmly in the satanic panic era of the eighties, where bands like BLACK SABBATH and IRON MAIDEN had accusations hurled at them and protests in the name of banning their music. Our vampire band take the heat in this instance, though they may be closer to the devil than the real-world examples given. It would’ve been interesting to see the band delve deeper into these themes instead of using them as a backdrop - but perhaps we may still see that explored in a future release. Eagle-eyed CREEPER fans may have noticed another recurring trend in their discography; in every album or EP, one track begins with the word ‘Black.’ We've had Black Heaven, Black Moon, Black Mass, the list goes on; here, it’s The Black House. There’s shades of THE CURE to its instrumental, while the vocals hail back to the original Sanguivore in all their gothy glory. The televangelist soon appears once more, backed by soaring guitars and a rolling drumbeat - it’s as if the band is actively mocking his words, interrupting his vicious sermon with their instruments. The Crimson Bride gives us another standout track, a groovy bassline from SEAN SCOTT carrying the track’s immense weight. The chorus is massive, as it’s been for nearly every other track in this record, but when it fades out, we’re brought into the slow, gentle strums of Pavor Nocturnus. A slow ballad, ruminating on death and mortality, this feels like Sanguivore II’s answer to its predecessor’s More than Death. We’ve seen the words "it's only rock and roll, but tonight it could take your life" plastered all over the band’s marketing and merch, and suddenly as the chorus echoes that line, it all makes sense. GREENWOOD’s work on the keys shines here as the album reaches its crescendo, and distorted guitar riffs soon become the central focus. The track’s title forms the chant of a gospel choir, and PATRICIA MORRISON returns to bookend the album with a not-so-subtle reference to Sanguivore’s opener Further Than Forever. This was a bold venture for CREEPER; Sanguivore found them harnessing an energy unlike anything they had done before, but instead of changing up their sound, opting for a different approach on their following musical endeavour, they doubled down on the theatrical, satanic blood-soaked rock’n’roll. This record doesn’t set out to establish new ground, but to capitalise on what’s come before. Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death holds some of CREEPER’s best work yet, dashing between frenetic axe riffs and towering orchestration, to harmonic vocals and anthemic chants; all elements the band have toyed with before, except here they’re pushed to their limits. Vampires may not age, but CREEPER certainly do, and they do it like a fine, blood-infused wine. Score: 9/10 Words: Naomi Colliar Duff Photos: Harry Steel Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death will be released on 31st October 2025 via Spinefarm Records.

If you haven’t heard of TRIVIUM by now you must be living under a rock - they are an American heavy metal band from Orlando, Florida who are known for blending elements of metalcore, thrash metal, and melodic death metal. TRIVIUM gained major attention with their 2005 album Ascendancy, which featured hits like Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr. Since then, they’ve released several critically acclaimed albums, including Shogun, In Waves, and What the Dead Men Say, earning a reputation for their mix of melody, intensity, and strong musicianship. They remain one of the leading modern metal bands, respected for their energetic live shows and consistent evolution in sound. Even though they have been going for over 20 years, they continue to pull out fresh music which consists of banger after banger. Bury Me with My Screams showcases TRIVIUM's immense talent and willingness to tackle personal struggles, with MATT HEAFY channelling recent hardships into a powerful performance. The track blends the band’s signature thrash energy with a haunting, melodic chorus, while ALEX BENT's precise drumming and dynamic riffs keep the song intense and evolving. Struck Dead (Pain Is Easier to Remember) may carry an emotional title, but the song itself is anything but subdued. It bursts to life with a sudden, powerful impact a dense wall of sound driven by PAOLO GREGOLETTO’s deep, resonant bass and ALEX BENT's relentless, precision drumming. BENT’s double-kick technique adds an earth shaking intensity that defines the track’s energy. It’s a commanding, tightly executed piece and a clear highlight of the EP. The EP concludes with Six Walls Surround Me where TRIVIUM delve deep into their darker sensibilities. It begins delicately, almost classical in tone, providing a moment of calm after the intensity of the earlier tracks. But at over seven minutes long, that calm soon dissolves into a powerful storm of emotion and weight. The result is a track that feels claustrophobic, crushing, yet undeniably cathartic. It reinforces that TRIVIUM aren’t trend-chasers - they face their inner turmoil directly, transforming it into something both brutal and beautiful. This EP captures TRIVIUM at their most powerful and introspective. Each track showcases a different facet of their artistry. Together, they form a cohesive and compelling statement that highlights TRIVIUM's technical mastery, emotional honesty, and unwavering commitment to evolving their sound. It's fantastic to have new music from them; it’s been a long wait since 2021, but it was worth it. Score: 8/10 Struck Dead will be released on 31st October 2025 via Roadrunner Records. Words: Ciara Hicks-Evans Photos: Trivium

There are quite the vast variety of bands who combine alternative music with more EDM-like elements. Most of these bands are metalcore acts who use these electronic sounds to enhance their breakdowns so that they sound more epic or give the songs a general party atmosphere. This is where Swedish band SOLENCE stand out, and on their latest album, ANGELS CALLING, this is more evident than ever before. There are party songs here, a ton of breakdowns and guitar solos proving why on these ten tracks this band is one of the most innovative in the scene right now. ANGELS CALLING kicks off with the title track. A sub three-minute-long song packed with massive melodies and an especially catchy main riff and chorus, which is elevated by the synths courtesy of JOHAN SWÄRD who adds an extra layer of vocal melodies over the guitar riff. The breakdown here is a mix of brutality and melody once again as the synths continue to take over the song with a simple yet memorable melody which will ease your ears before the final chorus returns to wrap the track up. The following track Where Were You..? is just as catchy or perhaps even more so than the opener. The chorus here is introduced at the beginning of the song with just an acoustic guitar accompanying it, before the song builds up towards the monstrous guitar solo, which despite it only being mere seconds long, is fantastic and truly showcases just how good DAVID STRÄÄF is on this record. MESS is where the album takes on a different approach. This track is less electronic and has much more of a bombastic pop-punk attitude. The drums here truly carry everything and almost feel as if they are duelling with the vocals, which is very noticeable in the verses. The synths here get another chance to shine in the spotlight as the instrumental section on MESS is a keys solo which, interestingly, is one of the more extended solo sections on this album. With that being said, the synth solo on this track makes it one of the biggest highlights on ANGELS CALLING. Wish You The Worst is an absolute banger in every aspect. The musicality in the first verse and choruses are all very basic chord progressions and familiar drumbeats. This not only helps the song flow better but adds to the satisfaction of the chorus, which is sung to perfection by frontman MARKUS VIDESÄTER. This time, a guitar solo takes over for most solo section on this track, and it is melodic yet extremely technical without taking away from the simplicity of this track. Where this track does slightly lack however, is the breakdown. The breakdown here still sounds like an incomplete demo as upon listening to it, you can clearly hear breaks of silence between the sections in it. Despite this hiccup, Wish You The Worst is one of the catchiest songs on this record and because of its hook, this song is a must listen. All of the Pain Must Go is the undisputed party song on ANGELS CALLING. Right from the get-go, the synths deliver a punchy yet contagious melody. The chorus will make you jump out of your seat and dance… however you want to of course! The drums are once again simplistic but deliver some fast-paced drum fills. Once again, the keys get a solo which adds to the overall vibe and energy of this song which is the perfect segue into the last chorus which is somehow even more energetic than the previous couple of times the hook made itself known. ANGELS CALLING is an album which solidifies SOLENCE as a true force to be reckoned with when compared to other electronic metalcore bands. This album exudes confidence, passion and is a consistently fun listen. Some of the songs are not as consistently energetic, and there is an interlude which may take away from the overall listening experience, but without the interlude and the following track, this album truly is phenomenal. SOLENCE were introduced to many through their cover of IMAGINE DRAGONS' Warriors. It has been a few years since then, and upon listening to ANGELS CALLING, the vast improvement is completely noticeable. The band sound more focused and passionate as ever before here. You can clearly hear every element on this record, and every member of the band gets a standout moment in what'll be one of the most enjoyable listens you will have this year. Score: 8/10 ANGELS CALLING will be released on 31st October via Better Noise Music. Words: Itay Gilad Photos: Solence