Since opening for Overkill in front of 70,000 people in 2023, Poison The Preacher’s popularity has skyrocketed. The band was formed in 2021 by Juan Pablo (vocals, guitar) and Sergio Cortes (drums) as a college project between two music majors, and it was not until 2023 when the band began to look like we know it today, with Juan Camilo Bernal joining on the guitar and Thomas Lopez on bass. With their very first upcoming tour in Europe in September, the band is starting to be seen on the wider radar of hardcore, trash and death metal fans around the planet, which is perfectly timed as they are just now celebrating the release of their debut album. Vs The World is a diverse release that is eclectic, energetic and engaging, all within the span of just nine tracks. The band play things relatively a little safe in committing to their respective genres, but still add in new and dynamic sounds, as they celebrate their culture throughout by expressing their Latin American roots within the heaviness found here. The band decided to dive right into action after the opening track and continued with their two collaborations, 'Sucker Punch', featuring Chris Ramos (Dead Heat) and 'Dying Every Day'+, featuring Devin Swank (Sanguisugabogg). Both songs are energetic, featuring heavy breakdowns and ear-piercing vocals. The former has a great portion of Pablo’s and Ramos’ vocals stitched together for some significant moments, whilst in the second one the band’s vocalist and Swank fill in for each other rather than combining, going for a welcoming mixture of vocals and sounds. Both pieces also include the excellence of Camilo Bernal’s guitar, Lopez’s bass and Cortes’ drums, creating two distinctive pieces that compliment each of the band's guests, allowing them to shine within the sound Poison The Preacher have curated. With the band proudly representing their own roots, we get to hear many elements from Latin American music, more specifically from Colombian traditional music, throughout all of their songs, but most obviously in 'Congelado en el Tiempo', which is an excellent fusion of their chosen genres and it creates a ‘Municipal Waste-goes-Latino’ sound, which is fairly specific to Poison The Preacher throughout their whole album. Another example worth mentioning is the last song on the album, 'Us Against The World'. We do hear the same musical elements, amplified by the razor guitar riffs and breakdowns, that make the track stand out. The track touches on the topic of what it means to be a Colombian and Latin American band in today’s global music scene - a thought that is present throughout the entirety of VS The World. Although the transitions between songs are barely noticeable - and in most cases non-existent, due to the band giving listeners exactly zero chance to stop for a breather - it is still a very interesting piece to listen to, especially for fans of the Municipal Waste, Overkill and Suicidal Tendencies. Whilst there may not be many moments to sit and reflect upon the record until it's very much done, that gives it a brutal intensity that reflects the searing passion and desire of the band themselves. The whole record promises a new perspective on Colombian-infused metal music, with a great band to help pave the way. Score: 7/10 Vs The World was released on May 23rd 2025 via Seek and Strike. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: Poison The Preacher

In a rare event for Glasgow, the sun was shining, and the heat had already turned the day into a sweaty one. Despite this, as we approached the O2 Academy, people were already filtering inside for a chance to witness Jeremy McKinnon up close. This show marked the first stop on A Day To Remember’s UK and Europe Tour, celebrating the release of ‘Big Ole Album Vol. 1’, and supported by fellow Slam Dunk 2025 lineup members Split Chain. Renowned for their fusion of metalcore and pop-punk, as well as their high-energy, interactive live shows, they’ve cemented themselves as a cornerstone in the alternative space since the release of their 2009 album ‘Homesick’. Having founded their own festival, ‘Self-Help Fest’ in 2014 and sold out countless tours over their career, we had to take the opportunity to see them in action ourselves. As the lights came down, the unmistakable “WAZZUP!” scene from the 2000s classic ‘Scary Movie’ echoed through the venue, instantly setting a nostalgic tone for the night. New to the scene but rising fast, nu-metal outfit Split Chain stormed the stage to a warm welcome before a satisfying segue into ‘Haven’. Their second song, ‘Subside’, brought with it an early attempt at a circle pit, which quickly fizzled out; this was a recurring theme throughout their set. They powered through with tracks such as ‘bored. tired. torn’ and ‘Future’, before frontman Bert Martinez-Cowles took a moment to thank the headliners, joking that “our teenage selves are crying right now”. Whilst the crowd remained half-hearted and the vocals occasionally were drowned out, Split Chain never let their enthusiasm and energy drop. Their relentless passion paid off, leading to a successful wall of death during their closing song, ‘I’m Not Dying To Be Here’, leaving on a high. When A Day To Remember took to the stage, they quite literally did so with a bang, launching into ‘Make It Make Sense’ with scorching blasts of flames timed to the beat. The energy rapidly escalated as they paraded into fan-favourites ‘I’m Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?’ and ‘2nd Sucks’, igniting the pit into utter chaos. While introducing ‘Bad Blood’ from their newest album, they joked that it was a cover of a Taylor Swift song, drawing joyous laughter from the crowd. The momentum briefly dropped during ‘Rescue Me’, their 2019 collaboration with Marshmello. This felt like a strange detour, and its lighter, electronic-infused sound disrupted the overall energy of the set. To match the more relaxed atmosphere created, giant monochrome beach balls were sent bouncing across the crowd. Shortly after, guitarist Kevin Scaff teased a snippet of ‘Walk’ by Pantera, before Jeremy shut it down with a grin and blasted into their cover of ‘Since U Been Gone’. The energy continued with ‘All My Friends’, preceded by them asking the crowd who was here with their loved ones and a round of cheers. One of the band members scuttled onstage in a Super Mario onesie and began firing a t-shirt gun across the venue, with the lucky few in the crowd triumphantly holding up their spoils throughout the song. The band kept the momentum high, continuing a trend from their North American tour and striking the first chords signalling a mashup of ‘You Be Tails, I’ll be Sonic’ and arguably their most iconic track, ‘Mr Highway’s Thinking About the End’. The pit had an energy unlike any other as Jeremy screamed the legendary line: “Disrespect your surroundings!” The performance of ‘Resentment’ was especially impressive, given that Jeremy admitted that his in-ear monitor failed during the song. He joked, “Did I sound like shit?”, and praised Alex Shelnutt’s high-hat for keeping him in-time. Leaning into the teenage nostalgia much of the audience was undoubtedly feeling, paper rolls were launched across the crowd during ‘All Signs Point To Lauderdale’, entangling and arming the pit. The main set wrapped with the beloved ‘All I Want’, and they left for a brief break before returning for the encore. They began with a stripped-back version of ‘If It Means A Lot To You’, encouraging the room to raise their phone torches and lighters. Mid-song, a fan got engaged, leading to a spontaneous and emotional first dance in the pit with much of the audience sitting down. They then shifted to playing ‘Flowers’, which struggled to lift the crowd after such an emotional ballad. Thankfully, the energy returned full-force with the closer, ‘The Downfall Of Us All’. The instantly recognisable chanting at the beginning elevated the energy in the room, ending the night on an unforgettable high. Even after more than 2 decades in the industry, they are still consistently showing up with the energy of their youth. With Split Chain setting the tone and A Day To Remember blending incredible crowd connection, nostalgia, and impressive technical skill, this night was a true reminder as to why they’ve remained top of their game and will continue to do so. Words: Chloe Sodeau Photos: Kieran Atkinson

Pure feminine rage descended onto Manchester Academy 2 with the arrival of Philly firestarters Mannequin Pussy. After the release of the spectacular 2024 album ‘I Got Heaven’, they made a casual trip last summer to play to both the audiences at Glastonbury and Outbreak, proving that they’ve made peace with both the mainstream crowds, whilst also shining brightly within the heavy music scene. Now their dazzling blend of indie rock and riot grrrl punk is back, and the band are becoming increasingly more angry at the infuriating state of the world, making their welcome return to the UK audience, making the statement that if we burn, you burn with us. However, making a quick detour to Coventry, political punk rapper Shortstraw sauntered across the stage. Energetic, loud and paying homage to Doc Cotton, this one-person army backed by their drummer, cycled through their hits with ease, getting the crowd riled up with their infectious charisma. With only three singles out on streaming services currently, we were treated to unreleased hits that carried themselves loudly on the big stage. As a new artist, there is a lot of exciting potential from this rising star, and the future is incredibly bright. Expect great things. Often, when tasked to review, overall emotions about a set are best left to the end to provide some punch and give an overall verdict about whatever act you had just watched. In this case, from the moment the band came on stage, there was no doubt about it- Mannequin Pussy are phenomenal. Warming up the stage with some of their softer singles, ‘Sometimes’ and ‘Nothing Like’, the crowd was overwhelmed with an ethereal aura. Pastel lighting accompanied the effortless ease of the set, as vocalist Missy Dabice’s voice flowed delightfully to the soft edges of the rhythm, provided by bassist Colins ‘Bear’ Regisford, guitarist Maxine Steen and Lucy Ritter, who was covering for Kaleen Reading. As a collective unit, Mannequin Pussy were incredibly tight, commanding the crowd who were swaying in unison to the slow beat. After the band played ‘Softly’ and ‘Control’, they went off of schedule as the amp they used to play ‘Dunk II’ was not functioning, opting to play it later in the set (with the crowd heckling “Whatever happened to Drunk I?”) Vocallist Missy would later explain that incidents like these were known as ‘set goblins’, disrupting the peace of the stage. As a band that gives time to strike up a connection with the audience, chatting to the audience about finding solace in the art you create, the stigma surrounding their name and getting all the men to shout “Pussy” as loudly as possible). The connection that Missy fronts with the crowd is electric- there is something timeless and alluring about her presence that is so confident and welcoming at the same time. Soundtracking it all are gorgeous retro beats that seamlessly flow between tracks. In the soft-to-abrasive transition that takes place during ‘I Got Heaven’, the band becomes confrontational, with a frenzy starting in the middle of the pit. Pushing the limits of hardcore with ‘Of Her’, the show’s emotional direction flips, night and day, to the carefree beginning of the set. ‘Perfect’ and ‘Clams’ follow in the same aggressive suit, and before long, the band would encourage the audience to scream as loudly as possible, before moving into ‘Ok? Ok! Ok? Ok!’ Colins takes the floor to take the lead on Pigs is Pigs, a rambunctious commentary on the state of the police in America, especially towards marginalised communities. Fronting vocals for this song, he puts everything into his anguished screams. Circling back around to the infamous ‘Dunk II’, Missy warns the crowd that they have two songs left and finishes on ‘Emotional High’ and ‘Romantic’. Mannequin Pussy are not a band, but instead a collection of the most pure and complicated emotions, that champion freedom of expression in the most concentrated form possible. On their records, their discography bleeds with care for the music they create, but in a live context, it heals and is hopeful for the future. As a moment in time, their Manchester show is controlled, damaging and incredibly full of love. A joy to watch and the best band we’ve seen this year. Words: Amber Brooks Photos: Marco Cornelli

With seven number one singles in the UK, six top 10 albums and over 10 million records sold worldwide, McFly are a force to be reckoned with. Starting out as a pop/rock band, throughout the years their sound has ventured into pop-punk and rock, positioning themselves as a well-loved band within multiple genres. 2025 sees the now 22-year-old pop-rock band McFly set to headline Download Festival this spring. Here is a countdown of their 10 best songs! 10) Route 55 Like a hot sunny day in the UK, bassist Dougie Poynter’s lead vocals on a McFly track are rare but loved by all. ‘Route 55’ takes us on a journey to the good old days, past memories that linger on in our minds and a call to leave the past in the past. Mirroring classic Bon Jovi, Danny Jones swoops in to deliver a gritty, rocky chorus that transports you to the classic American highway of ‘Route 55’. A somewhat wistful but hopeful tune to kick off the countdown! 9) Star Girl First released in 2006, ‘Star Girl’ takes listeners on a cosmic journey of vibrant guitar jams and trumpet solos. ‘Star Girl’ is out of this world - literally. In 2009 the intergalactic pop track was played to astronauts on the international space station. This was due to a phenomenal social media campaign by McFly fans, informally known as Galaxy Defenders (taken from the penultimate line of the track). Since then, the song has achieved earth shattering success. Debuting at number one on the UK singles chart, reaching platinum status and most notably being played every week for two years as part of Chris Moyles's BBC Radio 1 show. ‘Star Girl’ remains a fan favourite and a quintessential McFly anthem. 8) Touch the Rain Initially intended for their sixth studio album, ‘Touch the Rain’ is one of 13 Lost Songs that the group finally released in 2019. Conceived during a power outage caused by a storm, the lyrics use the elements to strip the song back to create an unadorned, honest masterpiece. The isolated vocals, built up to blend perfectly into a classic McFly guitar solo, and drums that mirror the first rumblings of an imminent storm, gives a country nostalgia meets rural Americana vibe. This doesn't come as much of a surprise, as the record was written in Texas. A lesser-known but still equally nostalgic edition to the band’s impressive catalogue of songs. 7) Party Girl A song that encapsulates a night out on the dancefloor, ‘Party Girl’ was released as the lead single for McFly’s fifth studio album, Above the Noise. With a music video featuring vampires dressed to kill and a 16th century manor house, this Nosferatu meets synth-pop track signalled an end to the punk undertones of their previous material. Featuring definitive McFly guitar riffs and harmonising ‘ooohs’, ‘Party Girl’, sustains itself as a song that belongs just as much in the club as it does on stage. 6) Room On The 3rd Floor Take a peek inside the lives of a touring band. Stuffy hotel rooms, noisy neighbours, nonfunctioning air con and broken beds. This song is all about missing home comforts and the trials and tribulations of living somewhere that is not your own. The challenges that come with living away from home bubbles away in the verses and builds to a crescendo of harmonies by the outro. This slower-paced rhythm moves away from the 60s infused sounds of other tracks on the album like ‘Surfer Babe’ whilst retaining a strong connection to listeners across the generations. 5) Happiness Warm, bright trumpets and lo-fi bass and drums - ‘Happiness’ captures the essence of McFly and marked a new era for the band. This 2020 track exudes positivity, and lit a spark of happiness in the dark isolation that the covid pandemic created. The opening track from their sixth studio album Young Dumb Thrills set the tone for the rest of the album - songs you can’t help but move to. From dancing around the kitchen to conga lines in mosh pits, this uplifting track sits comfortably as a top ten McFly song. 4) Transylvania With organ-infused melodies, ‘Transylvania’ brings a Victorian gothic edge to the band’s otherwise pop collection from their third studio album, Motion In The Ocean. Theatrical in nature, bassist, vocalist and lead songwriter for this track Dougie Poynter explains how the song was formed through an imagined love tale - a stable boy and a princess that fall in love but cannot be together. Tapping into the storybook imagination of the band and their love for 90s group Jellyfish, ‘Transylvania’ creates a space that encourages listeners to feel accepted and free to be who they want to be. The call and response vocals in the chorus mixed with the marching band drum beat amplifies the unusual but beloved narrative the band created. A quirky anomaly in their catalogue of classic hits, this song is its very own musical, all within 4 minutes! 3) Red Teased on the 2012 ‘Keep Calm and Play Louder’ tour, ‘Red’ is another demo that the band decided to officially release as part of The Lost Songs collection. Raw, energetic and lively, ‘Red’ reminds us of McFly’s power to create a rock song with a twist. Filled with edgy electric guitar riffs and blended vocals, ‘Red’ honours blues through its melody and rock through its chorus. Red and white flashing lights with a single hanging grill microphone (which singer Danny Jones throws out to the crowd and catches in one effortless motion) makes ‘Red’ one of McFly’s most energised songs played live. 2) Lies Who knew that an upbeat trumpet melody and guitar riff melody would combine to make such an epic hit? The song in question, ‘Lies’, calls out deceptive behaviour. The bridge pays homage to the band’s second studio album, ‘Wonderland’, with the lyrics “I’m just one drink away/And I'm back in Wonderland like it was yesterday”. Echoing the much darker sides of mental health, and the orchestral finale seen also in ‘She Falls Asleep’, ‘Lies’ carefully balances the feelings of being caught in dishonesty with the frustrations of dealing with it. A certified crowd-pleaser. 1) Five Colours in Her Hair A true McFly classic. Their debut single and first number one. ‘Five Colours in Her Hair’ introduces itself with a bouncy guitar riff and unified "Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo’s!" recognisable in its first few seconds. Rerecorded to feature a heavier pop-punk style, ‘Five Colours in Her Hair’ has evolved with the band, to fit their fun-loving but edgy feel. Inspired by the character Suzanne 'Sooz' Lee from the Noughties TV Show ‘As If’, the song tells the story of a girl with crazy colours in her hair who quickly captures the attention of everyone who crosses her path. Drawing influence from The Beach Boys, and dubbed ‘the new Beatles’ by the press, McFly had a lot to live up to. ‘Five Colours in Her Hair’ is the song that established the young band as a formidable force across many genres and stands firmly at number one on the top ten countdown! Catch McFly at Donington this June for Download Festival Words: Mary Horner

With the release of two new singles, a pair of tours, and of course a new album hidden up the bands' sleeves, Pupil Slicer are about as ready as they'll ever be to renew their quest for total domination. Chatting to the brains behind the brutality, Kate Davies, they revealed a little bit of what's been going on within the world of Pupil Slicer. When it comes to Pupil Slicer, it was nigh impossible not to go all in and ask for every juicy detail on the upcoming, and as-yet-unnamed, third LP. With their ruinous debut Mirrors and the incredible, more melodic follow-up Blossom, the third full-length release from the band is supposedly going to tow the line between the two, whilst bringing in a more polished production that has already been heard on the exquisite new singles 'Heather' and 'Black Scrawl'. Taking the punishing aggression of Mirrors into any album is always an immense positive, but when mixed with the more advanced songwriting and hookiness of Blossom, it's all but a certainty that the Slicer LP3 will be a raging success story. As said by Kate themself, "I've already done the grindy shit... and the melodic stuff... this will be a bit of both but a bit nastier" - now that sounds like one HELL of a listen. Whilst there hasn't been a date provided, we should be eyeing this frankly eyewateringly heavy release for late Summer or early Autumn - get it in the diary. This LP is at a real crossroads in the Pupil Slicer journey. After shedding and then taking on some new band members, the group has had to reset a little before this album could be recorded. Kate's manner was fairly relaxed, as it tends to be, whilst they went into a bit of detail regarding the sonic development to get here, but this feels almost like they've taken for granted just how hard it was to get here. The band have released two full-length albums that don't correlate directly sonically, and are now attempting to stitch the two together with new members. For anyone who has heard the singles, they're a triumph of mathcorey metalcore, with but a hint of grindcore and hardcore. Taking the spectacular vision that Kate has always had as a composer and writer, fleshing it out into an album, and making it sound this good is truly a triumph over a number of serious tribulations, and with any luck, it will push the band that much further into the limelight they so deserve. Of course, to go alongside this, the group are taking a few goes around the country to fine-tune their stage show, the first of which has just blown us by! Setting off last week, Pupil Slicer were joined by Tayne, the industrial noise pop act, on a trio of dates that no doubt caused a flurry of moshing, thrown drinks, and screaming - the numerous videos on various social media accounts all testify to this fact! This brief jaunt was nothing if not a romantic trip around some of the UK's most glamorous destinations, taking the bands to Milton Keynes, Huddersfield and Cardiff on their first of these leg-stretching sessions. Later in the year comes the real goodness, on their late November run with Danish bruisers LLNN, and up-and-coming ragers Worn Out. Even just discussing both tours, Kate is visibly excited at the prospect of both - and said about the November dates that "LP3 will be out before that tour, so you can learn the lyrics". Now, it would not be Slicer interview with Kate without having a chat about Warhammer. For those not in the know, Warhammer is a tabletop war game played with numerous miniature figurines that are each hand-painted by the player, with some pretty deep lore and an incredible variety of ways to engage with it. Having discussed a certain faction of humans, the Blood Angels, in some depth previously, 2025 finds Kate deep into the territory of a new faction of humans - the Emperor's Children. With a bold new colour palette on the faction, a stunning black and pink design, there has rarely been an army so terrifyingly dashing on the field of battle. It was the first question to come to mind, to ask why the choice of such a bold look, but "it looks cool right?" was all the answer we needed. With plenty to come this year, rest assured that Pupil Slicer will be back on the Out Of Rage front page sooner rather than later - an album, two tours, and of course more TTRPG's are all yet to be discussed. With another friendly chat over and done with, the leader of the Slicer faction heads off to their lair to preside over more evil riffs and black/pink figurines, leaving us just waiting on this bold new step in their musical journey. Catch Pupil Slicer on the road in 2025: w/ LLNN 25/11 - Bristol, The Exchange 26/11 - Nottingham, The Bodega 27/11 - Manchester, Rebellion 28/11 - Glasgow, Slay 29/11 - Leeds, Brudenell Social Club 30/11 - London, The Underworld Words: Jake Longhurst Photos: Richard Mukuze Cover Design: Simon Arinze

Calling all fans of independent music - Bearded Theory is back and eager for another round from 21st to 25th May 2025! The eclectic music festival brings together artists from multiple well-loved genres and is focused on showcasing all the independent talent that the music industry has to offer. This year's line-up is brimming with insanely talented artists with the likes of Iggy Pop, Manic Street Preachers and The Sisters of Mercy claiming their space as the main headliners of the five-day event, and with the sunshine that the UK has been blessed with as of late, Catton Park will be beaming with warmth and this years festival is sure go down in the Bearded Theory history books. If you’re scratching your head regarding who to include in your itinerary from this jam-packed line-up, this article will give you an idea of the best of the best that you should be squeezing into your no doubt already busy plans. Arxx Jumping straight into it, the artist snagging the tenth spot on the list is Arxx, a Brighton-born power-pop duo who leapt into the music industry back in 2019 with their debut EP ‘Wrong Girl, Honey’ including five perfectly crafted tracks and fans fell for them and their fun-loving and rebellious energy instantly. If you’re an advocate for supporting the smaller bands at a festival, Arxx is a definite must to give your all to at Bearded Theory 2025! Nova Twins You’re going to need to preserve your energy for this next duo because they will have you jumping so high that you become airborne, the next artist is the eclectic rock geniuses who have somehow managed to seamlessly blend punk and grime, Nova twins. Screaming their way onto the scene back in 2016, they’ve been serving genre-blending and high energy tracks for the last nine years, and they have zero plans of stopping anytime soon. The Sisters of Mercy This next band first made it big in the UK’s underground music scene back in the 1980’s and have since been touring the big gun venues and festivals with an energy and stage presence that only they can achieve. The Sisters of Mercy are a rock band originating from Leeds who are popular amongst gothic culture due to their grizzly vocals and darkwave essence and, even though they haven't released a studio album in a solid thirty-three years, their music is still a staple in post-punk playlists everywhere. Billy Nomates Billy Nomates is a fun and fierce alternative/indie musician originating from the south coast of England, and is well deserving of the seventh spot of the list with her brand new album ‘Metalhorse’ dropping on 16th May 2025, a mere five days before the festival. Her music beautifully blends a mix of punk, 80’s pop and synth to create a unique sound that you can dance the entire set away to, and is a must-see for a good boogie at Bearded Theory 2025! Terrorvision After their initial disband in 2001, the West-Yorkshire born indie-rock band Terrorvision have been back on the music scene and releasing banger after banger, and with their latest album ‘We Are Not Robots’ dropping late last year, they have an entire arsenal of fresh and fun tracks to show off so make sure to include them in your extensive list for Bearded Theory 2025! Alt Blk Era Get ready to unleash your inner ‘nightmare upstairs neighbour’ with the Nottingham-born genre-blurring sister duo Alt Blk Era. With influences from all over the shop including alt-rock, DnB, pop and electronic music, their music caters for a majority of tastes out there and they are ready to own the stage with their stunning vocals and high-energy performances. Iggy Pop If you don't know this artist, one can only assume that you’ve been living under a rock for the past forty years (or you weren’t born, but still not a valid excuse) because well-deserving of the fourth spot in this extensive line up is Iggy Pop. As a man of many talents including working as a musician, singer, songwriter, record producer and an actor, he is more than well-equipped to bring out your feral ‘wild child’ and get the audience going feral with his free-spirited and nostalgic tracks. Millie Manders and the Shutup We’ve made it to the top three artists that are a must-see for Bearded Theory 2025, and deservedly snagging the third spot is Norwich-born punk band Millie Manders and the Shutup, who enjoy poking fun at societal norms with their high-energy tracks and will definitely bring out your inner rage with their phenomenal riffs and of course, in-your-face vocals from Millie Manders herself. Ezra Furman The penultimate spot is very deservedly given to one of our favourite alternative/indie musicians from all the way across the pond, Ezra Furman. Breaking boundaries with their emotionally honest and creative lyrics and using their music to celebrate their queerness, she is a performer who is unapologetically themselves on as well as off of the stage. Their music may also be recognised from an extremely popular little TV show by the name of Sex Education, as she wrote and recorded the entire soundtrack for all four seasons of the hit Netflix series. Manic Street Preachers Swooping in and grabbing the top spot with both hands is Welsh-born alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. Formed in 1986 in Blackwood, Caerphilly, their music has evolved over their time and takes on more genres than you could count on both hands, including glam rock, punk rock, punk metal and many, many more. With their energised, soul-searching lyrics and extremely addictive melodies, you can count on them to raise the energy and keep the party alive at Bearded Theory 2025! There you have it, ten must-see artists to add to your itinerary for Bearded Theory Festival 2025. With such a broad array of genres present, the line-up is bound to appease every music taste and get you partying the five nights away! Words: Billie Wheeler Cove Photo: Simon Arinze

Oporto was put through its paces on the Leeds leg of Hyphen’s 2025 tour with Native James and Eva Kiss on Tuesday. The energy was high and vibes immaculate in what became an intimate community between fans and artist over the three hours spent in the wood panelled rectangle hiding around the corner from Leeds corn exchange. When doors opened at 7:30 the energy was chilled out, with our headliner for the evening lulling in the back of the room selling t-shirts and conversing with those that turned out early, while the last of pints and final cigarettes were enjoyed in the sun on the last warm night of the heatwave. The crowd trickled into the mostly sold room as 7:45 approached and local opener Eva Kiss set up to begin. Kiss was a siren in more ways than one: dusty blonde with a pinstripe shirt/waistcoat/bloomer skirt set complimenting silky smooth vocals made for closed eyes and becoming swept up in her thoughtful grunge soundscape. Despite being a member down and some wiring issues making the sound glitch out their set was as seamless as it was heartwarming: from the track dedicated to Kiss’ beaming girlfriend in the crowd and the loving gay uncle energy emanating from the band, or her catching and thanking two at the front for remarking that a song from the next project in the works slapped, the happiness to be there matched with the quality of their 20 minute set eased Oporto into an evening of stellar rock. Even when sorting the technical issues the calming energy of Eva Kiss had filled the room, with the time spent ironing out these problems used to play lift-music inspired melodies and a perfect opportunity to plug a gig for the quartet in Fenton, Leeds on May 21st; definitely worth going if grunge is your jam and your in the area, with the promise that this set will be 100% of Eva Kiss and dialled up on the energy.When the set closed with drummer Seb hand drumming before the big final breakdown, some of Oporto will absolutely see them there. Where Eva Kiss had lulled the crowd into the evening, Native James ignited the energy. First arriving on stage in a fetching jumper quickly discarded as the broken Gregorian chant morphed into the beginning of Mungen Train as the reserved personality that had been wandering around Oporto transformed into the high energy punk powerhouse that is Native James’ stage presence. His crowd work was great from the beginning and only got better, with the promise that the crowd would be moshing feeling like a hard sell to an otherwise chilled out room of older gen Zs and younger millennials but would come to fruition by the end. As Hammer turned into Power James’ band started to get into it, with his bass player in particular serving facials as he kneeled and moshed with the frontman when the set was hitting its stride; the only wrinkles were the first attempt to open the pit during hammer resulted in the crowd parting for no one to partake, though this was fixed quickly during field, and an attempt to introduce the band fettered by the forgetting of his new drummer’s name having only rehearsed with him that day - the fact that a standout set like this had only came together that morning only made it better. The main sell for Native James was the infectious energy: climbing onto the amps and headbanging with the crowd while he spat transferring into a room that gradually woke up and got down with him by penultimate track Block - recorded with Professor Green but bodied still by James on his own, then by the closing number he had convinced the crowd to all get down for a final jump and mosh where the pit got started all on its own. Native James was the personal highlight of the evening - from his intoxicating stage presence, the quality of the live mixes and his genuine kind man energy we cannot wait to see him start headlining tours of his own and hope we’ll be there when it happens. After a well deserved half hour to cool off, Hyphen’s drummer started to drum up the energy by asking everyone who they were here to see, parting the crowd once more as the guitarist and himself played a punked up version of Backstreet’s back for Hyphen to run through the crowd before starting the show with almost-latest single This Might Be It, then keeping the energy through actual-latest single The Bear. The attempt to deliver his mission statement after this seemed to have exposed a growing pain for an artist who has come into his own over the last year; the first time losing his voice in the middle of a headline tour. After a few big swigs of water and failed attempts he handed the mission statement over to his guitarist, introducing himself as “the other brown guy” to thunderous applause before explaining how his frontman’s surgeon/teacher parents have shouldered a mountain of racist rhetoric - a knife turned by their natural kindness as individuals. After a boo once he asked about how the crowd felt about Great Britain, Hyphen would once again take the mic for Dystopian Peter Crouch. Describe Hypen’s presence in four words? Allergic to the stage. From go and throughout he was running through the middle of the crowd, jumping on the amps to get his crowd to shout back at him, or grabbing fans and embracing them while getting them to finish the lines to the songs with him it was as clear as it was refreshing at Hyphen is doing this to fill a room with energy and community. On the latter point he shouted out the pair he was hugging specifically for knowing every word to all of the policial songs - right at the front with bent knees and screaming from the chest for most of the set, feeding his energy as they jumped around together throughout the set. On the former, one of the best examples was once Hate Yachts not Dinghies came up on the setlist; one of the best of the night with the frontman squatting on the right side amp, trading the title phrase with the screaming crowd while the whole room jumped along and grinned. It was after this that Hyphen stripped back his set a little to talk about the mental health perspective of his musical mission statement, telling Oporto about the dark place he was in at 23 and that he couldn’t have imagined his 31 year old self prepping to get married and able to tour as a punk artist, blending this into brown-positivity anthem cocoa butter to mark the chilled out portion of the set. This area marked the only hiccup of the Hyphen set, being that because of his voice he’s had to re-arrange the setlist to fit with when he’s able to scream; not to worry, this had zero impact on how good the final product was. After Cocoa Butter came Confidence, another track where he embraced groups within the crowd and jumped along with them in a move that felt like a core memory. For the last portion of the evening there was cheeky anti-work culture anthem Deskjob, another call to action for protesting and a final lull as he went back to the dark place he was in at 23 in the form of Futuristic; a manifesto of hurt backed only by the electronic track as a silent crowd and darkened room watch him fold into the microphone. Before beginning he asked the crowd to contrast this performance with his closers - 3 Pints and breakout single Marching Powder - the contrast was wonderful to see, we’ll get there in a moment. For these last two tracks the standout moments were the guy standing next to him when on the amp timing his repeating of “get back to where you came from” when the lyric came up in 3 pound pints, and then in closer Marching Powder where Hyphen first thanked the crowd for coming during the weeks, feeling their pain as they all had day jobs - free his guitarist from the Taylor Swift cover band - then embodied the theme of the song by leaping from the amps over the chairs and onto the bar for the first verse, getting the crowd to scream the hook as he lost himself in said crowd for the remainder of the song. The word to use for the Leeds leg of Hyphen’s tour would be immaculate. Each artist was both phenomenal and grounded, giving the satisfying feeling of being able to support artists who are kind among a crowd of lovely punks. Hyphen’s messages of pro immigration rights, pro trans rights and pro palestinian rights alongside his mental health advocacy were as relevant as they were moving; his calls for community felt heard in a room filled with laughter to make one of the best live shows we’ve had the joy of covering in a while. Listening to Hypen’s discussions of where he was ten years ago to now were motivating and resonant - it is never too late to jump head first into doing what you love, so to Hyphen enjoy every second of your come up, it is well deserved. Words: Julia Brunton

Some bands and their music need time to find their way into fans’ hearts, and some bands need to release only one EP and one album to achieve that. The latter is very much the case with German newcomers Senna. Consisting of Simon Masdjedi (vocals), Tobias Stulz (guitar/vocals), Marcel Dürr (guitar), Fabian Cattarius (bass) and Leon Dorn (drums), the band is all about their own creativity and vision, and has been since day one, which is certainly paying off! They are currently gearing up for their newest release Stranger To Love, and their upcoming tour with Chaos Bay in the Autumn. Throughout eleven songs, Stranger To Love takes us on a storytelling adventure full of varying soundscapes, melodies, and vocals. As the band’s fans know from their debut EP, none of the members of Senna are afraid to let their imagination run wild, and as we can see from their first song on the album, 'Hurricane', they are ready to blend melodies to create their own world. The opening track on their debut release is prone to reminding us of softer music genres, right before dropping into swift guitar riffs and heavy vocals, reminding listeners that the band’s forte is indeed hard rock and progressive post-hardcore. As the audience progress deeper into the album, Senna’s ability to tackle instrumentation with ease in between lyrics becomes more prominent. Notable examples are the songs 'Blackout', 'Bodyguard', and 'Cliffhanger'. In the first mentioned example, the band stays safely in hard rock territory, seemingly making 'Blackout' a calmer song. However, the sound suddenly changes into synths, Masdjedi starts to scream, and Dorn’s captivating drums are given a well-deserved time to shine, before changing the pace back to calmer and even bringing in a bit of violin synth. On the other hand, 'Bodyguard' instrumentally sounds like some of Bring Me The Horizon’s pieces, in terms of melody, composition and breakdowns. Although it bears these similarities, it still stays true to the band’s roots and is an excellent piece to listen to. The last of the three songs mentioned, 'Cliffhanger', is composed differently to the previous two. Instrumentally, the song is faster, with a great amount of Stulz’s and Dürr’s guitar riffs featured, along with Cattarius’ bass lines. The track does feature a hefty amount of screams, as well as clear vocals, making it incredibly satisfying, as the soundscape is constantly changing. It surely is a standout track on the album, although all eleven tracks showcase the band’s potential. The album also features Our Mirage on the last track on Stranger To Love, called 'Polarised'. The song is a welcomed addition to the already stacked album, featuring exploding vocals from both Masdjedi and Our Mirage’s own Timo Bonner, who has been present throughout the entire track. The song is not groundbreaking, as it does sound remarkably like the band’s other recordings, but it still boasts some memorable riffs and elements that are sure to excite. Altogether, Senna’s debut album is a remarkably crafted piece, featuring a number of well written songs that have a potential to push the band forward. Although some of the tracks do sound similar to other notable bands, this is bound to happen within the broader range of hard rock and progressive post-hardcore - but the band absolutely put a lot of emphasis on keeping the music as true to their core as possible, while breaking the boundaries of the styles they find themselves most rooted in. This has certainly paid off in terms of their overall performance, and Senna is almost duty-bound to be put on the charts sooner or later, so keep your ears open as you'll surely hear more about them soon. Score: 8/10 Stranger To Love will be released on May 23rd 2025 via SharpTone Records. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: Senna

Last Friday have seen the O2 Forum Kentish Town shaking, as the Canadian quartet PUP took over the iconic building for a night full of singing, dancing, and jumping. Currently celebrating the release of their newest album, Who Will Look After The Dogs?, the band finished their UK tour with the London date and is currently touring across Europe until the end of May. Joined by the British Goo and American illuminati hotties for the British leg of their tour, the band members Stefan Babcock (lead vocals, rhytm guitar), Steve Sladkowski (lead guitar, backing vocals), Nestor Chumak (bass, backing vocals, keyboards), and Zack Mykula (drums, backing vocals, percussion) toured eight cities, before returning to London for an evening to remember. Opening the night with a half-empty floor and an audience who is just getting ready to party can be a tricky task, but the indie-pop-meets-punk-rock five-piece Goo smashed their opening act without any doubt. Hailing from the city of Keighley in West Yorkshire, the band already has some amazing performances under their belts, so it is no surprise that they went right into action that night. Their set was mostly calmer, leaning more towards the indie-pop side of their repertoire, however, their punk-rock songs, performed later in their set, absolutely surprised the whole audience, and were met with a big applause, that was then deservedly repeated at the end of their set, as it was also their last performance with PUP, as they did not follow them to Europe. Next up was the Californian quartet illuminati hotties, who recently played their Tiny Desk concert. Fronted by Sarah Tudzin and playing mostly indie-rock, the band was met with a wider audience during their performance and even received the first mosh pit of the evening. As the band’s set progressed, so did their music, as it kept going heavier with each upcoming song. Promoting their upcoming album Nickel On The Fountain Floor, that is coming out in less than ten days, the band played the singles “777” and “Wreck My Life”, featuring the frontman of PUP Stefan Babcock, making the crowd go feral throughout the whole song and being even more excited for the headline act. At the end of their set, illuminati hotties received massive cheers from the audience, who visibly enjoyed the performance. As the lights went dark, the whole Forum burst into a never-ending cheering, finally welcoming the main band of the night, PUP, onto the stage. Since the first note, every single person in the audience sang every single word of each song, and the whole floor transformed into a massive chaos, as there were many mosh pits and fans were just jumping and dancing around, making the balcony shake for its dear life. The band was overwhelmed by the excitement for the entirety of the show and expressed their gratitude multiple times, as they were getting through their signature riffs and breakdowns. During the concert, Babcock noticed a sixty-seven-year-old fan at the front row holding up a sign that read that it was his birthday the day of the event, and the whole venue, together with the band, wished him happy birthday. As the band continued swiftly with their energetic set, they announced to the audience that there were only two songs left on the setlist, and that “encores are fucking lame, so we don’t do them”, to prepare the fans for the end of the night. Right after that heart-breaking announcement, the band welcomed, to a big surprise of the audience, Sarah from Illuminati Hotties to sing with them and Tanisha from Goo to play the guitar, which was a great experience, as both respective artists absolutely smashed their parts. After that performance, there was only one song left, and although the fans were chanting for more, it was time for the band to leave the stage it, and their fans had to accept that the unforgettable concert is over. All three bands were amazing throughout the evening, and each one of them brought their own unique music and styles. The audience took little longer to appreciate the support bands, but once they got into the mood, it was an absolute pleasure to watch the excitement. PUP do know, how to make their fans enjoy the whole evening, and surely they are already planning to come back, as the support from the audience was very strongly felt. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: Ace Cheng

Suburbs rejoice, Sports Team are back! The irreverent indie rockers have been thinking characteristically outside of the box in the promotion of their latest album Boys These Days, giving fans the opportunity to shoot them with paintballs virtually in exchange for CD purchases, engaging in surprisingly competitive hot dog eating contests, and offering cash rewards at gigs to the closest lookalike of lead singer Alex Rice. The question, as ever, is can the music match the wildness of the antics? After the lukewarm reception to their sophomore record Gulp!, the six-piece have returned with a refreshed instrumental palate. The wry critiques of Middle England remain, but the blaring guitars which were previously central to their sound take a backseat. Instead, glitzy saxophones and keys are deployed, evoking memories of 80s new wave which, despite a couple of eyebrow raising moments, provide the group’s music with a much-needed new depth. Immediately, on the opening songs 'I’m In Love (Subaru)', Sports Team put their fans on notice that things are changing around these parts. The first sound on Boys These Days is a luscious sax solo, accompanied by choral vocals angelically praising the track’s titular automobile. Although a far cry from their previous work musically, Rob Knaggs’ lyrics reassure listeners that the joyous absurdity that got them this far is still present in abundance. The song is a love letter to a rally car, for pity’s sake! What could be more Sports Team - except perhaps a sequel dedicated to the road it’s driving along? The record’s title track continues the “new sounds, old themes” trend, as caustic parodies of the older generation’s critiques towards the youth of today are underscored by honky-tonk piano, violins, and even an errant harmonica. If The Style Council had written Sports Team’s breakout hit 'Here’s The Thing', it would doubtlessly have sounded something like this. 'Moving Together' follows, an oddly jaunty track that exposes a weakness in their greater diversity of sound. The mix is very cluttered, seemingly the product of too many ideas being thrown at it and none sticking. Consequently, this track lacks the catchy quality that so much of the South Londoners’ music can claim. The same is not true of 'Condensation', the strongest of the album’s singles, and a brilliant blend of old and new Sports Team. The album’s glossy production is deployed fantastically here, taking what is ostensibly a straightforward song and adding bells and whistles that make it a particularly dynamic listen. 'Sensible' is similarly a highlight, successfully conveying both the banality of the average young professional’s lives and the fear of becoming one with its muted acoustic guitar and hastily delivered vocals. 'Planned Obsolescence' marks Knaggs’ only appearance as vocalist on Boys These Days, as he modernises The Divine Comedy’s 'Gin Soaked Boy' with a nihilistic twist. Though he is not a note-perfect singer, the messiness of his vocals, as well as the whistling throughout, hammer home the pointlessness of life Knaggs describes in its lyrics. At this point, Boys These Days takes a brief break from satirising the world around them to focus on the state of play across the Atlantic. 'Bang Bang Bang' is a commentary on gun violence in the United States, set to a guitar riff ripped straight from a spaghetti western. Sports Team have long been aware that humour is the easiest way to get a point across, and the contrast between the soundscape and messaging in this tune is by far its best deployment on this record. 'Head To Space' has a similar oxymoron at its core, longing for the escapist life of an astronaut whilst being acutely aware of space tourism’s wastefulness. This internal conflict has become surprisingly topical, given Katy Perry’s recent foray into the cosmos, but this track succeeds by understanding the appeal of space travel, rather than straightforwardly rejecting it as a destructive pastime of the super rich. Of course, it is very tempting to decry the likes of Perry, and even more so Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk, for chasing an interstellar vanity project when the one world we have burns, but by painting in shades of grey, Sports Team ensure that they don’t stray too far into preaching to the choir. Not everybody can be Billy Bragg, and for bands such as Sports Team, making music that is enjoyable matters far more than music that is agreeable. After 'Bonnie', a slightly misconceived effort to incorporate a funk groove into their repertoire, comes the album’s closer 'Maybe When We’re Thirty'. This is truly quintessential Sports Team: a song that simultaneously pokes fun at and finds romance in Britain. Even with their constant pisstaking, you always get the sense that they love their homeland, idiosyncrasies and all, and nothing captures that more than this track. Their ability to find and express both the frustration and joy in ordinary British life is one of the biggest reasons for their success, and although they have upped the sonic glamour on this album, this heart remains core to their success, and central to this album’s strongest moments. Combining this heart with a previously unseen musical adventurousness makes Boys These Days a refreshing addition to their catalogue, and opens up a range of directions that their sound could take going forward. Score: 7/10 Boys These Days will be released on May 23rd 2025 via Distiller Records. Words: Ali Glen Photos: Sports Team

LA’s House of Protection have barely existed for a full year, yet they’re already charging into their second release while staying busy on the road. Stephen Harrison and Aric Improta are scene veterans and clearly didn’t feel like Pulling Teeth (wink) with the slow approach. Their new record Outrun You All drops this Friday via Red Bull Records, so here’s what to expect: Intro track ‘524å§ł€€-°’ is a literal welcome. This time, they directly reference “The House of Protection” as a real thing, whereas before it had only appeared in the lyrics to ‘Pulling Teeth’. It hints at a growing theme, a cult, society, or something more. Musically, it carries the same dreamy lounge vibe they’ve had since the end of their debut single ‘It’s Supposed To Hurt’, often used to bookend the more chaotic tracks. Naturally, it leads into February’s first single, ‘Afterlife’, which is heavier and more blunt than earlier material. Dual vocals and modulation are the main stars in the track, and feels very deliberately placed at the beginning of the record given how final it’s subject matter is. ‘Godspeed’ is the first non-single track fans are treated to, and it takes that coasting speed of ‘Afterlife’ and immediately ups the pace. It has some near-hyperpop elements, as well as sections of very deep, industrial guitar and bass. As always, Improta is dead-on with percussion, before letting loose into one of his trademark cacophonies to finish out the track. This track could’ve made waves before release, especially after touring with the genre-straddling Poppy. It would’ve drawn a lot of eyes towards them for their sound, if the US tour the duo just completed with her didn’t already. It tows the line between dance and rock perfectly, as we’ve come to expect(?) from the unpredictable duo. Given the relative proximity to record release day when House of Protection released ‘I Need More Than This’, there's not much that needs saying about the brilliant third single. It leans into a throwback 2000s rock sound. It carries a lot of atmosphere in a very simple musical arrangement, and has proved popular with fans so far considering it is quickly catching up to the other singles on stream volume, despite being out for substantially less time. This was the best single they could have brought out so close to the record, considering how literally it translates, and it has drawn so many extra eyeballs to Outrun You All. Then comes ‘Fire’, which - for all those trivia fans looking up House of Protection for the first time - has been in their arsenal since their second ever show in London’s Underworld. It’s sample-heavy with an almost rap edge, blending their past projects in surprising ways. It manages to blend elements of both Harrison’s and Improta’s individual work in the past, as well as their joint venture. Harrison taps into hardcore roots, channeling The Chariot, while Improta’s drumming recalls his work with Night Verses that he got so much praise for just last year. The order for the track is certainly controlled chaos, and seems even more destined for the live shows than ever given it’s persistent “F-I-R-E” chant through the latter half. The genre-hop continues into ‘Phasing Out’, though aside from the drum and bass element, this isn’t totally unfamiliar ground for House of Protection. ‘Phasing Out’ is very similar to ‘Being One’ off the previous record, right down to the prolonged and altered vocal line consisting of the song’s title, though this carries a bit more energy than its ancestor from last year. ‘Being One’ served a very specific purpose on Galore as a sort of catharsis, ad well as giving Harrison a chance to climb in and amongst the crowd at intimate shows, ‘Phasing Out’ may be the next evolution of that bit. Finally ‘Slide Away’, which feels like just the right song to wrap up the record, amalgamates all the experimenting they have done on the record for the final four minutes of listening. It feels very reflective and mature, considering just how chaotic the band have managed to be in their first year of existence. There’s notes, drum beats, and screams that all hang on for that moment longer and “Slow things down” - exactly as the song suggests. It’s a hot commodity for fans nowadays, when a band has that one specific song they can play live, and it sets in for a viewer that the people they idolise are up on stage in that very moment, ‘Slide Away’ feels like that song. It’s emblematic of how big House of Protection are going to be, how they will make you feel something. Outrun You All is expertly produced. Some may not love it - but it feels like the exact record House of Protection needed to make. It delivers on the promise they’ve shown live and pushes their sound into new territory, as well as probably raising a few eyebrows. The faces you have seen sprinting around the room at full tilt for over a year just stopped dead in their tracks, held their arms out and said “Be angry, be sad, be lost”. Outrun You All feels like a risk, because they wanted to show us something new. “House of Protection loves me, and there’s nothing I can do about it.” Score: 9/10 Outrun You All will be released on May 23rd 2025 via Red Bull Records. Words: Nic Howells Photos: House of Protection

Krematorium’s sophomore album Sinister Seduction is, in a word, fun. Pulling inspiration from 80's thrash metal and the new wave of heavy metal, the Croatian quartet have put together eight characterful songs filled with personality, and killer riffs to boot. Album opener ‘Stonehearst Asylum’ doesn’t ease the listener into its soundscape, starting as fast as the album means to continue and giving the energy of the song a band would be playing in a bar in a slasher movie that becomes background noise as the killer starts his spree. This vibe is solidified with the maniacal laugh that ends the track. Its follow up ‘Moonshine Rider’ serves the first of the riff heavy tracks that are emblematic of the project from its first-verse solo while Domagoj Fišeković sings of riding motorbikes at night and wanting to break free atop a floor lead bride before the second shred of the 4:16 track. Even with the themes of being trapped and alone, the feeling is that of a group of technically brilliant musicians messing around in the studio after listening to too much Slayer - in the best way possible. As usual, it is the third instalment on Sinister Seduction that stands out in its first half - ‘Manhunt’. Still packed with riffs, but this time they're accompanied by stabby double bass drums, and a tempo that gets the adrenaline pumping as if one is being chased. This keeps up until the final instrumental, where a beautifully executed half-time breakdown is gifted to the ears; whether it is Erik Perušić or Sebastian Živković shredding on top of it in the final stretch, it scratches the solo-craving itch in the brain wonderfully. Upon hitting the midpoint there comes the upbeat-feeling ‘Go Getter’, a jumpy NWOTHM offering, and ‘D.F.T.E’, which somehow manages to get even faster with less stoppages, just at the moment on the record where the standard midpoint lull on each track was starting to get a little repetitive. This said, the even-less-break structure gets a tad repetitive from here on out, which is a shame as each track on Sinister Seduction is solid-to-banger status, leading to the feeling that Krematorium may be best seen live to fully enjoy their work. In any case, Krematorium do send it sky high in the final three tracks of Sinister Seduction; ‘Scream 'n' Shout’ gives a more hardcore feel than the rest of the tracklist, most notably in places where they opt out of the live mix but keep a more raw screamed vocal. Its soundscape is also the one that pulls the least punches, launching into its solo with a welcome guitar screech before the shredding begins - it would’ve been nice for Dorian Perušić to have a little more time in the sun from behind the kit, but alas, this is not the way with riff metal. ‘Reign of Terror’ is the longest offering, clocking in at just under five minutes, but makes the most of it through a more-is-more approach: more speedy guitar solos, more group-shouted choruses, and more funky sounding scales to separate each part. There is a little more love given to Perušić in the second act instrumental too which was nice to hear. For closer ‘Blackened Sky’, they opt for a swinging soundscape as the track develops, still pulling no punches to get the blood pumping one more time, as they close out the album with apocalyptic thrash metal combined with all the trimmings. It’s hard not to listen to Sinister Seduction without a smile; frankly, the smile on Domagoj Fišeković’s face can almost be heard in his recording of vocals. The whole project feels like friends jamming the same songs they’ve played for years - polished in their execution but laid back in their performance, which adds an air of jolliness to a long-labelled satanic genre. Sinister Seduction is an ideal addition to any thrash enjoyers repertoire, and by the sounds of it you might need to keep an eye out for Krematorium, so you don’t miss them in a city near you. Score: 8/10 Sinister Seduction will be released on May 23rd 2025 via Witches Brew. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: Krematorium