All good things take time, and Leeds natives IRK - self described as Leeds' normalest weirdos - know that better than anyone. It took five years for their debut album to see the light of day, crashing onto the scene in 2018 in a sonic boom of djent-style grooves and guttural wails. Now, the trio have summoned another unsettling storm of chaos into being. The Seeing House is unrelenting, bizarre and frantic; a ten-track-long possession of sinister kinetic energy finally being exorcised after seven years of bouncing around in J.S. GORDON’s vocal chords, ED SNELL’s bass guitar and MATTHEW DEAMER’s drum kit. And, like any good possession, it’s impossible to leave this album without feeling changed in some way, for better or worse. IRK’s particular blend of noisy math-rock dominates the sound of the album – which is lucky, as the tracks that lean heavily into this blend come out sounding the most polished and effective. Idiot Plot is a shining example of this, opening the album with crashing cymbals and shape-shifting time signatures throughout. GORDON’s vocals are jarring and whiny in all the right ways, at times reminiscent of LEATHERMOUTH vocalist FRANK IERO, and when his low vocal-fry is deployed, of KORN’s JOHNATHAN DAVIS. Whilst the jarring moments on the album are the most exciting, the groove-laden offerings bring just as much to the table. The Great Wasp Of Reluctance demonstrates this perfectly, balancing staccato riffs in the chorus with a hypnotising bassline peppered elsewhere throughout. It’s an expertly orchestrated nightmare, which sets up the 79-second follow up of Abraxas Casino to detonate the proverbial bomb. These highs only serve to make the lows feel more disappointing, however. In amongst all of the excitement lay some of The Seeing House’s more progressive explorations. Eating All Of The Apple feels much longer than the 4:45 of its runtime, the droning bassline and lack of texture throughout making it trudge along at a snail’s pace. To a lesser extent, Lifetime Achievement Award suffers in a similar way; the track builds into a terrifying collection of siren sounds and screams, but it’s hard not to wish for more of the biting snappiness of the more math-core led tracks. The main exception to this is album closer Wedding, Berlin. Opening with a clanky bass riff and repeating vocal lines about teeth, the creepiness works alongside the progressive nature of the repetitive patterns instead of against it, seemingly in an attempt to convince you that you’re losing your mind. According to an Instagram post by Nefarious Industries, the record label behind The Seeing House, drummer DEAMER explains that they added rhythms played on “giant sheets of metal, stacks of broken cymbals and even a metal beer keg”. It’s strange and unsettling, but that’s where IRK seems to shine the most. The Seeing House is what any experimental artist should aim for their creation to be; shocking, bizarre and endlessly creative. IRK have created something that is unmistakably them, whilst still seeing a progression in the ideas and sounds that could be found on their previous work. Whether you enjoy the work of THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, MESHUGGAH, or the Saw movies, you’ve come to the right place. Press play, and prepare to get spooked. Score: 9/10 The Seeing House will be released on September 26th 2025 via Nefarious Industries. Words: Ellen Lovell Photos: IRK

An album of triumph, pain, and determination for death metal group BEYOND EXTINCTION releases this Friday. After the death of founding member ZACH SCOTT in 2023 at only 20 years old, the Essex band has overcome and adapted with passion and diligence to be where they stand today. Having brought new member DANNY RUSSEL into the fold, armed with his own vision to add to the band - he came up with the track Winter Sun even before officially joining! - his contributions have flowed seamlessly with the band’s visualisation of their sound and future. This album has been three years in the making, starting in 2022 when guitarist JUDE BENNETT and the late SCOTT started working on demos for a future album. Naturally, events have caused the album to warp and evolve along with the members as they navigate this period in their lives. With plenty of change and turmoil, the album's sound was produced by ANDY MALLABY of OSIAH, who allowed them to get the most out of their writing and create the potent sound they've ended up with. ANDY is far from the only big name associated with the album - guest features from ALEX TEYEN of BLACK TONGUE and JOSH DAVIES of INGESTED can be heard on Tyranny and Apache respectively. Both were released as singles in the past year, showcasing a pretty stacked collection of artists involved in the process of bringing this project to fruition. Following in the footsteps of their 2023 concept EP Nothing More Wretched, this album treads a similar path - this time revolving around an urban hellscape as the conceptual locale. A decimated metropolis of decay and suffering acts as the forefront for personal nightmares and traumas. The visuals that the lyrics by JASPER HARPER induce are those of true horror, of plague pits and lungs filled with sewage. “Trust not in your fellow man.” are the words that open this album. Steady going at first, title track Where They Gather bursts into a rumbling breakdown, with gut-wrenching vocals. As the track slows, it’s brought back tenfold, with a low distant computerised voice muttering to you as the track fades into the next. “No faith, no trust, no soil to touch my feet and feel a home. Where they gather feels like hell to me” finishes the track, setting the foundations of the dystopian universe presented before you. RUSSEL’s offering of Winter Sun starts out as a standard of the genre, but ramps up the drama in the middle with a slow break that utilises crisp, raspy vocals that positively shake the ground. As the track draws to a close, it distorts and breaks down, before dissolving into Mansions Burning on Bleak Horizons. The second half of this tenth track is note-worthy, alongside the striking lyrics “Starve. Every gluttonous pig dies hungry.” The Mines delivers a plethora of riffs and growls, and the mid-section breakdown is unbelievably satisfying, with fuzzy chugs that melt into a more complex, addictive drum-led section, and then cutting straight into the final outro of U-235. The imagery is laid on thick throughout, with desperation and suffering feeling like some of the lightest words to describe the world found within the album. Each track seeps into the next, allowing you to become immersed, and rightfully horrified. Despite the harrowing journey this record has taken over the past three years, the power to overcome and drive forward under the circumstances can be found throughout. Likewise, ZACH SCOTT’s riffs and influence can be heard all over the LP, and his legacy is most certainly intact with these thirteen tracks. Score: 8/10 Where They Gather will be released on September 26th 2025. Words: Danielle Henderson Photos: Beyond Extinction

Virginian Alt-Rock stalwarts Turnover took to the stage at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on Saturday 14 September, as part of their Peripheral Vision 10 Year Anniversary tour. This show specifically acted triumphant as the closer for the tour, directly following a sensational concert at the London Roundhouse the night before. Supporting Turnover were GLIXEN and WICCA PHASE SPRINGS ETERNAL to get the crowd sufficiently warmed up for the headliner. Hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, Glixen describe their genre as ‘shoegaze’ with a sound consisting of tender melodies, grungy textures and heavy guitars. Lead vocalist Aislinn Ritchie’s vocals are a sweet pixie-like tone that wash over like a comforting blanket, making for the perfect blend of easy listing vibes with the occasional heavier riff or baseline. They were the perfect opener to get the crowd interested, but still ensuring they reserved energy for the main acts. Adam McIlwee, currently known as Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, is a man known through many genres, from beginning his career in rock band Tigers Jaw, to then pursuing a solo career with a sound emalgamating musical stylings from hip hop, emo and witch house. In this current incantation - that was performing together as a band for the first time this tour - features a heavy country vibe to it with the acoustic guitar and heavy sultry vocals. This Mumford and Sons, Jake Bugg and George Ezra had a baby, that would be the musical stylings of Wicca Phase… and it works incredibly well. That low effortlessly gravelly tone just scratches an itch, and leaning into the southern twang at parts is glorious. Considering this is early days for this specific lineup of Wicca Springs (with a new album coming out soon!) this is the start of something special. Onto the main act, the reason fans were sobbing on the barricade, Turnover. Playing an album in full is always a risky move, as almost all albums have at least one filler track in it, but the audience screamed their lungs out to every single track, proving that Peripheral Vision is just as loved by fans now as it was when it was released, if not more. Whilst they are heavily cemented in the punk and emo scene through their tours with Citizen, Moose Blood and New Found Glory, their music is a unique blend of the deep cutting lyrics and brooding vocals synonymous with soft-grunge mixed with the more indie-rock and dream pop aura of music. Every track felt like this gut wrenching story that the audience were willingly dragging themselves through, though I was unfamiliar with the band, the sheer volume of the fans singing and seeing them all with their arms around each other in sheer comradery, I felt like I was witnessing something special, it felt biblical to be in that room for these fans to hear Peripheral Vision in full 10 years since it’s release. Their easy listening, blasé grunge crooning was all brought to a head at the end, where previously chill fans were encouraged to crowd surf for the last song, letting anyone with pent-up emotion or energy get it all out in that moment. Aside from their incredibly talented vocals and music, their lighting deserves a huge praise as it was one of the most beautifully lit shows for that size of the venue I’ve seen in a long long time, it really helped to drive home the raw emotion of some tracks. Though initially uneducated on the liked of Turnover, consider me converted after this concert. Words and Photos: Ely King

Since 2021 TEN56 have been making waves in the modern metal scene all the way from France, opening for the likes of LANDMVRKS and WHILE SHE SLEEPS, it's likely you've heard their name around. TEN56 refuse to be put in any box with their music bringing in influences from a range of genres like deathcore, nu-metalcore and rap. This tour is their first ever headline tour with shows in Europe and the UK, with support from DALI, VCTMS and CABAL, all three of them being able to storm the stage at The Dome in London. First onto the stage was DALI wowing the crowd with their Modern Metal bangers. These guys are also from France and their tunes were jam packed with half time rock beats, essential for headbanging. The four piece band have been in the scene since 2012 so they're anything but new to warming up a crowd. Their experience showed being the first of 4 bands up they knew what they had to do. As they started mosh pits slowly started to build and long haired figures in their battle jackets caught onto their rhythms. They made the whole crowd get down on the ground including every person in the room, a great way to end a warm up slot. Next was VCTMS, another modern metal powerhouse all the way from Illinois. Their drummer being the only female to rock the stage that night as MEREDITH HENDERSON showcased ravenous beats and fills she also flaunted vocals in synchrony with lead vocalist JOHN MATALONE The band melding metalcore, hardcore and hip-hop perfectly melded into the line-up which received great reception from the audience. Mosh pits growing bigger with each banger with more bodies for the carnage arriving and joining throughout their set. Some fans along the front sang along with the band, a rare thing to find when opening to an audience at the other side of the planet! Last of the openers was the apocalyptic deathmetal CABAL, from the very first track every member of the crowd was head banging in sync and the mosh pits were brutal including a wall of death to close out their set. The Danish four piece have been in the scene since 2015 and their experience shows. From hairography with the guitarists whipping their locks simultaneously to giving the crowd the mic they knew how to put on a show. They made the stage their own with insane blast beats, pig squeals and fry screams, not one person in the room could stay still. Finally it was time for the main act, TEN56 came out one member at a time building the intensity of the music slowly before dropping directly into the deep end. The most pits were already the largest they'd been all night as they opened with the song's GOOD MORNING, Saiko and Diazepam. The dome venue offers 360 lighting which intensified the show but with a band like this it almost felt too small a stage for them, we can only imagine the kind of show they could put on with more free reign for things like lasers and pyrotechnics. They filled the room with intense rage and raw energy, The band constantly moving around the stage with the bassist and guitarists swapping mics on the stage despite the lack of space. The songs were easy to follow with the next bar always being led into by the last, the intensity being levels high that the ears expect. The band also gave a moment for there to be a female only mosh pit which was almost more brutal than all the rest, getting all the girls in the room involved and letting everyone enjoy the show the way they wanted. As lead vocalist AARON MATTS asked the crowd whoever there were day ones an overwhelming amount of the crowd responded, the fanbase truly are a loyal one. The band all throughout the set were interacting with the crowd and each other with the guitarists swapping the symbols, bassist and guitarists jokingly fighting over the mic. You can tell the band not only enjoy being on the stage, but being on it together, they're clearly a close knit group. A moment was taken to strip the music back with just AARON and a guitarist on stage, AARON taking a moment to flaunt his rap flow before the rest of the band came in for a monumental breakdown at the end of the song. He also took a moment to speak about his struggles with substance abuse and reminded those in the audience that there are always better days on the horizon no matter your struggles, a very heart warming moment. The momentum continued with the band closing out with their tracks IO and Boy, the heaviest of the lot. The crowd erupted and the mosh pits were somehow the most insane of any that night, punches and kicks being thrown left and right the onslaught was tremendous. As the band said their final goodbye the applause didn't slow, the fans truly love this band and no one wanted the night to be over. First headline tours and shape that make it or break it moment for smaller bands but this was clearly an “I made it moment” for this 5 piece from France. Modern metal is a genre that is hard for some to grasp but this band shows what it truly can become if you give it a chance. This is a night we're sure the bands and the fans alike will never forget! Words: Amy Smyth

The Manchester leg of Poison the Well’s The Opposite of December’s anniversary tour was brimming with passion and nostalgia: playing the classic 90s metalcore album in full to a dedicated room of 90s and 00s kids who were screaming it right back to them. To start the evening was Leeds quintet Killingmesoftly, who introduced themselves with a premixed creepy lullaby/scream combo to set the tone for their hardcore-adjaent sound. Their instrumentals sounded fantastic, with the lead’s soloing layered atop the other guitars in harmony backed up by chaotic drumming; the vocalist’s screams were captivating with their passion and their pitch, at some points resembling clucking but overall reminding of Laugh Tracks Bryan Garris. The other issues to note were that of the microphones not being loud enough from the crowd - the clean backing vocals from the rhythm guitarist couldn’t be heard, nor could the clean vocals from the main vocalist, and the two attempts he did make at talking to the crowd were muffled. Nevertheless, Killingmesoftly still went down great in the O2 Ritz, and sans the mic issues sounded phenomenal. Bodyweb Second in support were more Leeds natives Bodyweb, who brought the crowd into their set from jump with the first of regular calls to come closer - not heeded for fear of stepping into the pit where a patron cartwheeled his way around during the set. Bodyweb is an electro-infused metalcore 5-piece, with their lead vocalist and Dj bringing the energy throughout their half an hour. Their sound reminded of a chaotic higher power with more hard vocals, though in terms of the programmed elements it would have been interesting to hear more of the hardstyle loaded into their entry music throughout their tracks. The main event Poison the Well started a timely 5 minutes early to play 1995’s The Opposite of December in full, starting with album opener 12/23/93 with reserved energy to a pleased crowd, who joined in with their songbird clean vocals as A Wish for Wings that Work played out. Frontman Jeffery Moreira addresses the crowd for the first time afterwards, revealing a crowd full of returning fans before telling the O2 Ritz that their newest album has wrapped recording of their most recent album before playing newest release Trembling Level then getting back to the album of celebration for this run. The years have been kind to poison the well with their sound still as resonant 30 years on: Moreira’s rough hardcore screams are complimented well with his songbird clean vocals, while punchy crowd favourites such as Slice Paper Wrists lend themselves to the crowd getting more rowdy as the set wore on. Poison The Well The second half of Poison the well saw the energy set in as the next crowd favourite Meeting Again for the First Time rang out, followed by a more punk influenced Artist’s Rendering of Me, the more melody-driven Letter Thing and an emotional reprieve in For a Bandaged Iris. The joy of an anniversary tour is that it gives fans old and new the chance to enjoy the seminal works of bands they love or grew up with, shown most by a guy at the front of the O2 Ritz who spent the full hour jumping, spinning, and grabbing his friends as if his inner child was out to play, or the fella who throughout the evening moved his child between each area of the venue to introduce him to the music he grew up with. Both band and crowd were engaged and passionate about the songs they were playing and happy to share it with one another; by the end they had wished Josh a happy birthday and Moreira jumped off stage to lean into his crowd for closing song Nerdy, grabbing onto hands and shouting with the fans to finish a Saturday night in Manchester with a strong sense of community built with love and consolidated over time. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: Isaac Laing

Listening to GANS's new album Good For The Soul, it’s hard to believe this is their debut record. For many artists, this time in their life-cycle can be a chance to explore and refine their sound, however for GANS it’s apparent they are already ahead of themselves. Good For The Soul has a bold, confident energy that is sure of itself from the very first beat. A wall of sound impressively built by THOMAS RHODES and EUAN WOODMAN, two mates with roots in the Black Country, who came together to create the powerhouse of a project that is GANS. Evidently, the stream of singles they’ve released since their inception have won the well-deserved attention of some figureheads on the scene, gaining 6 Music airtime and already having toured with THE LIBERTINES and BIG SPECIAL. Upon first listen, it’s a record to move your body to. It’s an intense layering of elements that exist in harmony; static-y vocals, synthy beats, skuzzy guitars, and trancey tones. Beneath the energetic noise, whilst not immediately noticeable, but there are intricately personal themes that run deep through the lyrical journey GANS are taking you on. And this isn’t a surprise, with the duo noting "how the race to fulfil ourselves can become futile if we don’t confront the issues within us first". The front end of Good For The Soul hits you with immediate energy that you can’t help but move to. The first track A Fool leads you in with anticipatory thrumming vibrations, with the album's first statement: "GANS is Good For The Soul". Before long, we’re introduced to the droning guitars and distorted vocals vital to the album's intrinsic make-up, becoming a fitting soundtrack for a cinematic fight scene. This temperament is upheld, with It’s Just Life delivering a timeless anthem deserving of dancefloors big and small, lyrics worthy of stadium echoes. Halfway through the album, a sharp tonal shift stops you in your tracks with Everything In Extreme, an atmospheric and comforting track with ambient trance undercurrents - a solid reminder that GANS are a band with range. This moment is sonically short-lived, with I Think I Like You kicking us back into gear whilst holding onto the emotion, shouting "I find you special in such ways that you have lost but not forgot". As we near the end of the record, the energy remains relentless. Oh George is a gritty and raw commentary on loving those struggling with their mental health, cascading into an outpour of everything GANS have put into the record start to finish in one final moment. The final track Well Done plays us out with a stunningly cerebral piano track that feels like a memory, a final reminder that this is a record that contains more than initially meets the eye (or ear). For an album recorded in the idyllic tranquil of the Welsh countryside, the image it conjures throughout is largely contradictory - a vivid scene of a steamy pub basement full of jostling music fans, beers spilt, lit by the flash of a strobe. Both scenes sitting at opposite ends of a spectrum, are equally sentiments deserving of the albums namesake. And even more so, it’s apparent that it’s been Good For The Soul for GANS to work through the trials and tribulations of life through the most beautifully cathartic medium of music. They’ve come out the other side of that process with such a solid record, a sure sign of a definitive and unique sound that will carry the band far. Score: 8/10 Good For The Soul will be released on September 19th 2025 via Strap Originals. Words: Georgia Grant Photos: GANS

Hailing from the land of metal and cold winters, VITTRA embodies the spirit of Swedish metal, while being open to a multitude of forms of music. With a name inspired by their national folk tales, the band is not only writing about those very tales, but also explores the emotional side of humans, oftentimes connecting the two together. Following the band’s debut album, Intense Indifference is centred around one’s own emotional journey. Ranging from clear song structures to more experimental approaches, the ten songs are not exactly following a specific set of rules. With each of them being shorter than four minutes, the songs are energetic and full of interesting riffs, making the listen-through feel dynamic, as the songs do not feel too long or overwhelming. Right off the bat, the first two songs MOFO and Reign Supreme are set to catch the listener’s attention. Both offer up exciting melodic thrashing, highlighting MEANOS’ guitar abilities, GUSTAV SVENSSON’s bass and ALEX SMITH’s drumming skills. The songs are an amazing showcase of the band’s more traditional approach to music, and although the elements are not that innovative, VITTRA still uses its own approach to things even when staying true to the roots. Apart from these two songs, most of them are leaning more towards the melodic and thrash metal side of things, and although the songs always offer something new, the core of the melodies oftentimes stays very similar. On the other hand, Transylvanian Buffet goes all in with its unique vocals and funky riffs. Vocally, DAVID DÖRAGRIP’s technique is similar to the style of COREY TAYLOR from SLIPKNOT, but wrapped into VITTRA's big drums and energetic melody. Right in the middle of the song, the band brings in a keyboard and surf-rock elements, which are still supported by the raspy vocals to create an exciting blend of sounds. Another fascinating song is Soul Searcher, which immediately succeeds the previous track. Coming in with metal riffs and fry vocals, the song does not seem to be so different from the rest at first, only to bring in two elaborate solos - one funky, and one sounding exactly like elevator music, that then transitions straight into the heaviest part of the album. The two songs are very different from each other, but are both exciting to listen to as they showcase the band’s ability to experiment with different sounds and incorporate them into their established music, especially when it comes to melodies that are less heavy than their signature sound. Intense Indifference is a solid album that mostly focuses on thrash metal, although the few songs that experiment with this are very exciting and showcase the band’s ability to incorporate different music styles together to create unusual soundscapes. As VITTRA’s second full-length release, the album’s quality is a great marker for them, and is bound to excite old and new fans alike for any upcoming releases. Score: 7/10 Intense Indifference will be released on September 19th 2025. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: Vittra

The world seems an almost happy place in the years between PARADISE LOST releasing albums. Every time this group puts an album out, the world is experiencing some great rough patch that renders the population inert and glum. Nothing to do with the music of course, just an observation. When they released Obsidian in 2020 the world had just been plunged into a new plague. Now it’s 5 years hence, and the world has exited post-lockdown elation and gone back into proverbial shit. Just the right set of circumstances for a new LP from the grim boys of Halifax, West Yorkshire. May we be the first to formally say, welcome back PARADISE LOST! It feels like Obsidian was released both a week and a lifetime ago. And Obsidian was solid. It was a great release, one that built upon the momentum they’d cultivated since The Plague Within a decade ago (yes, a decade ago). As it stands, PARADISE LOST are a band truly existing within the now and, a bit like your dad, they have come to terms with their experimental past. God only knows what was happening from 1997’s One Second to 2002’s Symbol of Life when they thought they were called Depeche Lost. The band themselves may look back upon their softer past with slight reluctance, but that remains some of their best material. Ever since The Plague Within, the band has been reviving the sounds of their first three albums with a learned acquiescence. They seem to have reconciled their sound into a final mix of death growls and Hetfield-ian barks. As for their more synth-centric catalogue, it seems they’ve found an outlet; with side project HOST acting as a pseudo-continuation of the album of the same name. A very beautiful thing. And while they’re not remixing or remastering their very full and bodacious back-catalogue, they’re recording the next in their current run of goth dad goodness. That leads us to 2025’s Ascension, with a lot of hype riding behind it. Time to see how much fuel these guys have left in their tank. Will they lead us into a new era? Or will they retread the ground travelled many a time before? You would be forgiven for thinking that you’d accidentally put on METALLICA’s The Unforgiven when starting this thing up, as the intros are uncannily similar. Serpent On The Cross is a pretty strong opening, more similar to the pounding No Hope in Sight than the melancholy of Darker Thoughts. But to be completely honest, it doesn’t match the bombast of either, instead serving up a decent but not spectacular overture. Yeah, it’s still as strong as a concrete elephant, but for a band that has some of the best opening tracks in metal it falls a little short of their own incredibly high standard. Meanwhile, follow-up Tyrant’s Serenade offers up more classic Paradise Lost fare. Clearly, the band has spent much time relistening to their recent Icon and Draconian Times remixes, as this one has a wonderfully realised sense of purpose. It lumbers forward at the pace of someone walking dejectedly down a dark road, and feels right on the money. Now we’re cooking. With the cawing of the crow, Salvation arises with its thunderous riff, slow as treacle. NICK HOLMES growls like an angry tiger. But instead of ascending, the song stalls. The architecture is impressive; structurally immaculate, technically hermetic, but the essence just feels… absent. What should ache with melancholy instead drifts toward inertia, and the emotional calculus doesn’t quite resolve itself. In fact that seems to be a pervading problem with a lot of the first half, that je ne sais quoi is not as omnipresent as it should be. It just doesn’t strike that melancholic and bittersweet tone this band has honed to near perfection, and all you’re left feeling is languor - not the greatest trade-off. Somebody once said that writing about music is like dancing about architecture, and when you can’t quite describe what makes a song a firecracker, you start to wonder about the architecture instead. It frazzles your mind. Questions start creeping in like; Why does the intro to Silence Like The Grave sound so much like Embers Fire? Why do the structures feel like references to the band’s classic era? The callbacks are deliberate, and once heard, they shadow every corner of the album. It helps in some instances - Silence Like The Grave was the first single for a good reason. It’s got that attitude that so saturated their benchmark records and feels like an effortless addition to their stellar roster – and it’s a really great song. The bulldozer rhythms that GREGOR MACKINTOSH pulls off are absolutely incredible, in fact it might be the best riff they’ve done since No Hope in Sight. It’ll be a setlist staple too. Just watch. Lay A Wreath Upon The World is a nice little reprieve from the furious hell-marching thus far. A more controlled number fitted with an acoustic framework. at least until the Wonder Woman wailing and guitar breakdown ensues. It’s not a bad song at all, just a bit repetitive. The predominant phrase of this song is quite literally just “lay a wreath upon the world”. But it does the job of segueing thematically. There’s not a whole lot to be said about Side A closer Diluvium aside from it has some great lyrics and great drumming from GUIDO 'ZIMA' MONTANARINI who replaces WALTERRI VÄYRYNEN, now sticking for OPETH. “NATURE COMES FOR ME” screams HOLMES, whilst MONTANARINI blasts the double bass like it owes him money. It’s a decent piece, but once again forgettable as a track as it melts away into the album itself. Side A is good, but not great. The songs are meticulous and clearly made by masters, but there is no reason given to be emotionally hooked into some of these songs yet, aside from the stand-out singles, it’s all looking a bit pedestrian. That is, until Side B. In fact, Side B is like a completely different album. It’s like the band needed a warmup before really getting into their meat and potatoes. Savage Days begins with a fantastic clean intro that has Medusa-esque sinister undertones. Then it less explodes rather than implodes into a restrained, but still clearly pissed-off crescendo, “savage days, suppress my inner rage”, the song transforms into a bottled-up belter. Side A wasn’t bad by any means, but this? Oh yeah, this is the good stuff. Sirens continues that momentum with a dirge-y buzzsaw riff that’s as brutal and crushing as one of those giant excavating machines they have at mining sites. You know, the giant ones with the big saw on the end? Right? Ah, forget it. Anyway, bottom line is Sirens feels colossal, with a stand-out performance from rhythm guitarist AARON AEDY whose deliberate movements give the song its compelling gravitas. The album isn’t even out yet, but this one is already underrated. Deceivers starts up and you wonder; “where the hell was this energy during the first half?” This one almost sounds like something JUDAS PRIEST would put out in the mid-nineties, but gloomier – of course. It’s still pretty damn fast for PARADISE LOST, and it only ever lets up to insert some bittersweet guitar lick into your earholes. By the time The Precipice begins, you’ve probably already ascended out of your body and begun astrally projecting. This one is our favourite. Subdued, vicious, and purposeful, it sounds like a Wolverine caught in a bear trap. With a piano accompaniment to the hulking requiem, it successfully calls back to that early 2000s period that was so desperately missing from this album so far. It doesn’t try to merely replicate the sound of that era, instead to evoke the feeling, and it does it with near effortless precision. It’s really, really good. This Stark Town is yet another fillip, injecting more noticeable synth into the mix. It bounces along for the first half, but then when the music tones down a notch, HOLMES’ low-register croons are plaintively gentle and something that would sound at home on One Second. It then peters out, and just gives up. And for PARADISE LOST, this is a good thing. There are high hopes for the closer, A Life Unknown, and it is another excellent track. With a striking riff from MACKINTOSH and a solid performance from the rest of the band, it’s not gonna be anyone’s favourite track, but it’s still solid as a rock and a damn good way of ending the whole affair. ASCENSION is a bit like a game of basketball, sometimes you get a mega slam-dunk but other times you shoot for the hoop and it just bounces off. If you’re a die-hard PARADISE LOST lifer and are riding that train they set off with in 2015, you’re probably gonna love this. It’ll be your 9/10 album – maybe even your album of the year (if the new KATATONIA hasn’t already taken that spot). If you’re one of those golden oldies still pining for the Lost Paradise days, it’s still worth sticking around for the back half. As for the fans of their DEPECHE MODE era, just go listen to IX by HOST for pity’s sake. After all, they made it for you. The bottom line is if you’re already liking where they are musically, you’re gonna like this one. Therein lies the issue. PARADISE LOST have ‘returned to form’ for a good while now, and it feels odd that they’ve gone this long without another reinvention. It seems like they’ve grown comfortable in this niche, and more power to them. Their two decade long identity crisis is now well and truly over, but is this good in the long run? Where do they go from here? It’s probably far too early to be thinking about their next album, but if they continue to move solely in this direction then things might turn a little… dull, to say the least. While this album is a great addition to their catalogue, there is a worry for the future. People clearly like this direction and are ready to ride with them wherever they go, yet for an ever-changing chameleon of a band it feels like it might be high time for another reinvention. Yes, it’s finally time for Symbol Of Life 2: Depression Boogaloo! That was a half-joke. Score: 7/10 Ascension will be released on September 19th 2025. Words: Kiarash Golshani Photos: Paradise Lost

After releasing their EP Eternal Reign earlier this year, DEF/LIGHT have returned with their fifth full-length album Stygian Conclave. The duo from Ukraine has brought even more black and death metal to the scene, and aren't holding back one jot of potent power. Offering up ten songs to their willing listeners, Stygian Conclave brings chaos, dread and gnarly vocals, whilst following the musical thread started by Eternal Reign. Starting with an intro titled The Silence Crowned, the track serves as a divider between the previous release and the new one, seamlessly connecting the two together with quiet synths and atmosphere. As DEF/LIGHT continues, the album's songs transition right into each other, creating one long narrative told by instrumentalist HELL, who plays all the instruments heard across the album, and vocalist AVEL, whose guttural tones can be heard throughout. The songs offer the distinctive double-pedal drumming of black and death metal, and whilst this is heard all the way through, the drums stand out furthest in Book V. The Crown of Guilt and Book VIII. Horned In Their Image. Apart from the drumming, these songs also offer intricate riffs and guitar solos, playing around with previous sounds and creating soundscapes that often repeat, but always have a new twist to them. Focusing often on anti-religious, anti-totalitarianist and self-developmental themes, the songs are political and expressive. As the band comes from Ukraine, the current situation is projected into the lyrics and emotions, oftentimes as a form of opposing the Russian government, the war, and everything happening to the citizens. Some of the songs, such as Book X. Scorched Sky, Open Void are longer, more melodic in its sound and bring slower, but more melancholic atmosphere with them, while other songs like Book IX. Infernal Conclave are shorter, with more aggressive riffs and the iconic double-pedals piercing through the melody. It is, however, hard to take every element in, as the songs transition right into the next one and might become overwhelming after a while if the listeners decide to listen to the whole of Stygian Conclave in one go. The closing song, Book XIII. The Resurrection of Self, is one of the shorter songs, although it still manages over four minutes of runtime. HELL’s mastery with instruments can be clearly heard here as the riffs intertwine with the drums, creating a beautifully melancholy melody. Creating a soundscape that implies one’s dedication to come back after failing, the song can serve as a powerful metaphor to not stop fighting for yourself and others, and to keep standing up and be proud of who you are and what you believe in. It's a fitting end to an album that's been full of heavy songs, and a conclusion that implies that there is always a way to fight for what is important. Although the melodies sound very similar across the majority of the release, Stygian Conclave brought a powerful message with it about never giving in. DEF/LIGHT’s continuation of their earlier EP is a successful one. and serves as a reminder about everything that is happening in the world in the present time. Death and black metal have served as a platform to talk about political issues for a long time, and it is good to see it has not changed since then. Score: 7/10 Stygian Conclave will be released on September 19th 2025. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: DEF/LIGHT

In the midst of a tour around Ireland and a London show, PROBLEM PATTERNS’ newest release, Boring Songs for Boring People, has just arrived in our ears. The band from Belfast are a noisy, punky, queer band, very forward with their feminist and political views displayed frequently within their lyrics. This being their second studio album, it's sure to excite and entice, bringing in new and old fans to support their already award winning career. The album presents many issues faced by many in and out of the industry with punchy sounds and even punchier lyrics, and would work just as well for an afternoon soundtrack for angry baking as it would in a car with the roof down. The opening track Song For Fi is a short, shouty, upfront introduction to the album. Opening up with their classic fuzzy guitar riffs and quickly evolving into a full bombardment of chaos, it's the perfect warmup to get ready for the rest of the album. Next up comes Sad Old Women, which features MATT KORVETTE adding compliments and contrast to the vocals of PROBLEM PATTERNS. Starting off strong with fast paced drums, Sad Old Women doesn’t mess around before bringing in the guitar and vocals. With punchy lyrics and a catchy chorus, it's a song that revolves around the difficulties of being a single woman dealing with the drags of society's perception. Despite the name, this song is relatable for those of all ages as demonstrated with the end of the track slowing, emphasising the lyrics “the sad old woman is the woman in me”. Classic Rock Has Become My Prison follows up, and is a slower paced track - with the first half written from the point of view of a misogynistic man, a commentary on many of the men within the classic rock scene. The pace of the first three verses emphasise the lyrics with the latter verses being a fast and loud hit back at the former male perspective, demonstrating the views and standpoint of the band in a powerful and effective way. Track four, I’m Fine and I’m Doing Great, picks up with riffs and beats reminiscent of the opening track whilst it explores the pressures of being an artist, with juxtaposing lyrics like “I miss my friends” and “I’m living the dream” demonstrating the difficulties of balancing life whilst maintaining a presence as a band. It’s a theme that a lot of people can relate to, especially those within music, making this song a certified hit to shout along to. The penultimate track Bone Idle takes on a very different tone to the rest of the album, with deeper riffs and heavier hitting bass making it a standout track. The lyrics are a commentary on the presence of nepotism within the industry and how hard it is to become a prominent and successful artist, compared to those with “dad’s worth a fortune" who've "got connections”. Midway through the song, after they've set the stage and theme of the song, it breaks down into a repetitive finish that picks back up on the louder, more aggressive tone of the rest of the album, making the song cohesive despite the overall audible shift of the track itself. The title track and finale is slower, with grungier riffs giving a nice flow off the back of the latter half of the previous track that closes the album out nicely. With the simpler, more repetitive lyrics, it reads like the final chapter of a book to give the album a linear feel; they’ve said what they’ve wanted to say and now reached the end of this story. Boring Songs for Boring People is very cohesive, curating a complete experience. Whilst tapering off towards the end, it’s heavy hitting and wonderfully put together. Starting off as an assault to the senses and chilling out towards the end. it perfectly encapsulates the band's views and explores the many issues within society and music - all whilst being enjoyable to sit back and listen to, study to, or yell along with. Score: 8/10 Boring Songs for Boring People was released on September 12th 2025. Words: Chloe Horton Photos: Problem Patterns

Finnish fave THE RASMUS has been breaking music charts for years now, and it's no secret that they keep a tight grip on first place in the charts in their homeland. With eleven albums now under their belt, the rock powerhouse is once again set to go on a tour around the US, the UK and Europe, celebrating the release of Weirdo. Returning with ten songs that are filled with riffs, Weirdo accumulates everything that is so special about THE RASMUS and gives it a new look. With LAURI YLÖNEN’s signature vocals, EERO HEINONEN’s bass, AKI HAKALA’s drums and EMILIA “EMPPU” SUHONEN’s guitar, the band achieved a soundscape of sonics that work together to create an incredible experience. With the first three songs of the album, Creature Of Chaos, Break These Chains (feat. NIKO VILHELM of BLIND CHANNEL) and Rest In Pieces, the band's already brought a variety of different sounds with them, such as the intricate riffs in Creature Of Chaos or the electronic synthesis in Break These Chains, which is melodically reminiscent of original LINKIN PARK songs. Thanks to this feature, plus the appearance of NIKO VILHELM, this track is one of the stand-outs on Weirdo. The third of those mentioned, Rest In Pieces, comes back to the band’s roots and serves their iconic rock riffs, pounding drums and raspy vocals. Dead Ringer, Weirdo (feat. LEE JENKINS of THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT) and Banksy, the three following songs, are no less generous with their portion of excitement. While Dead Ringer is pretty much a typical THE RASMUS song, it does contain a surprising rap bridge, that fits into the song flawlessly and gives it a new dimension. On the other hand, Weirdo, the title track, is very emotional, with big riffs and an intricate yet short guitar solo. The chorus “I’m just a weirdo, I’ll never be a hero” is easy to remember, catchy, and fits in perfectly with the band’s narrative, making it another of the most memorable songs across the record. Banksy is distinct from the rest - not only due to its swift and energetic melody, but primarily due to the vocals, as the primary vocalist on the song is not YLÖNEN but EMPPU. As she takes over, it elevates the song and the overall listening experience with that freshness of something unheard so far. The last four songs of the album, Love Is A Bitch, You Want It All, Bad Things and I’m Coming For You can be split up into two songs that fit regular THE RASMUS melodies, Love Is A Bitch and Bad Things, and the sad songs that no one really saw coming in You Want It All and I’m Coming For You. The aforementioned songs do not really come with any new or mind-bending melodies or lyrics, and although they are lovely to listen to, they're a pair on the album that could be easily missed. The latter pair, however, bring in a lot of melancholy and emotional riffs - You Want It All is a particular stand-out that gets stuck in the head very easily, with YLÖNEN’s iconic vocals that were made for this kind of music. Apart from the traditional use of instruments, the band resorted to synths once again, and it was a spectacular choice that really complements the overall sound. The last song on the album, I’m Coming For You, gives the listener a farewell as it closes the packed release, and it's no coincidence that the melody is slower in comparison with other tracks on Weirdo. With EMPPU’s simple guitar work, HAKALA’s drumming and HEINONEN’s bass, followed by the sound of church organ, the song’s soundscape drifts from the crowd, yet fits in with the overall tone of the release immaculately. Weirdo is the sound of realising your weirdness is your strength, while letting some of the sickest riffs going act as the soundtrack of your life. It's an encouraging and powerful testament that being different is what makes one unique, and it opens a whole new perspective onto what is truly considered weird and what is not. Although some of the songs were a bit weak compared to their usual, the message carried through all ten was strong and THE RASMUS has once again proved that they do not need to fit into convention to keep being one of the most influential rock bands around. Score: 8/10 Weirdo was released on September 12th 2025 via Better Noise Music and Playground Music. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: The Rasmus

When you first hear their name, you might not know what to expect. Bands with names like this often turn out to be gimmicky and tend not to take themselves seriously, especially when they're named after an actor with the same reputation – but NICOLAS CAGE FIGHTER exist to buck that trend. The Australian death-driven hardcore rockers have been on the scene for years, with their debut album dropping in 2022, and they're back with another aggression-fuelled, ear-crushing record, I Watched You Burn. The album is "a bit of a concept album" says vocalist NICK MORIARTY, diving into the ideas of life, death, and what it truly means to be human. It takes all the depth of their debut release, and amplifies it tenfold. Title track I Watched You Burn comes roaring at us like a ghost rider from hell. Immediately we're kicked in the teeth by MORIARTY's raw, guttural screams, and JUSTIN ELLIS' intense guitar riffs. It sets the scene for the album – darkness-tinged, relentless, and evoking the suffering and despair of the immortal protagonist witnessing his world slowly fall apart around him. Valley of Agony capitalises on that, hitting us with a wall of sound heavy enough to shatter your eardrums instantaneously. CONNOR McMILLAN brings his filthy basslines, while MATT DAVENPORT continuously punches us in the face with the clashing of drums, as if he has a score to settle. Godforsaken Silence does anything but live up to its name – it's noisy and thunderous, and vicious in the ways it strikes us. In the wake of the merciless breakdown, we can already picture that when the mosh pit clears, they’ll be bringing out the dead. What follows is The Executioner, in which MORIARTY and ELLIS tear at each others' throats with guttural vocals fighting for dominance against unabating axe riffs. It's an intense face/off that thrashes us around and leaves us begging for air – but still they do not relent. Soon after is Tempest, carrying yet more grit and aggression, and a pounding drumbeat that could demolish concrete. The track hits almost four minutes in length, but with the sharp, unhesitant violence it exudes, it feels like it's gone in sixty seconds. Garden of the Grieving Mother is another rip-roaring track, as brutal and unforgiving as it is sickeningly catchy, while Death in Bloom drags out an extended breakdown, acting as the one (brief as it is) respite we're given in this release. Legacies of Dust has the band meeting their namesake in the determined, unbroken punch after punch they hit us with, all the ferocity of a rage-filled cage fighter running through their blood. Existing Beyond Death is an immediate follow-up, a sure-fire pit-killer with its kick-ass riffs and fist-swinging beats – good luck to anyone trying to escape unscathed. This all leads to an ultimate culmination when Tarnished Remains appears. The intensity reaches its peak with this closing track, vocals dragged up from deep within MORIARTY's core. ELLIS is more frenetic than ever, and DAVENPORT's drums are an unremitting assault, all while backed by McMILLAN's persistent, load-bearing bassline. I Watched You Burn is an incendiary, unrelenting piece of work that has NICOLAS CAGE FIGHTER at their best – their breakdowns are brutal, their riffs are disgustingly grimy, and their vocals are staggering. This follow-up to their debut album is a worthy successor in every way, dialling up the intensity and aggression to the extreme. One thing is for sure – the band must truly know what it's like to suffer the unbearable weight of massive talent. Score: 8/10 I Watched You Burn was released on September 12th 2025 via Blood Blast Distribution & Bleeding Art Collective. Words: Naomi Colliar Duff Photos: Nicolas Cage Fighter