In a genre built on catharsis, defiance, and emotional bloodletting, My Gnawing Pains Will Never Rest feels less like an album and more like an exorcism. The full-length debut from South Carolina’s Your Spirit Dies is a visceral, unflinching dive into pain - personal, spiritual, and generational. But more than just a collection of breakdowns and blast beats, it’s a bold mission statement from a band that refuses to be buried by the expectations of their origin, scene, or past. From the opening seconds of 'Trenches of Pain', it’s clear the group has found a brutal clarity. Brandon Byars’ voice is a weathered, furious instrument, alternating between unhinged bellows and ragged spoken passages that linger like scars. Tyler Dorman and Holden Hall’s guitars don’t just riff - they spiral, screech, and collapse, merging classic metalcore crunch with blackened tremolo picking and eerie atmospheric textures. Backed by Keagan McChesney’s thunderous bass and Brannon Crumpton’s airtight drumming, the band’s sound is somewhere between Trustkill-era chaos and a funeral procession through hell. That foundation gives way to some truly standout moments. 'Serpentine', featuring Zao’s legendary Dan Weyandt, is a venomous diatribe aimed squarely at the narcissists in our lives. Weyandt’s unmistakable howl meshes seamlessly with Brandon’s unfiltered delivery, making the track feel like a cursed sermon being shouted from opposite ends of a collapsing cathedral. The breakdown hits like a betrayal, and the lyrics sting just as sharply. On 'In The Depths of Grief', the emotional weight becomes almost suffocating. Written in part about Brandon’s aging mother and the quiet dread of watching loved ones fade, the song melds melodic dissonance with earth-shaking heaviness. It’s deeply personal without ever slipping into melodrama - just raw, unprocessed hurt delivered with conviction. “You will die alone”, he growls at one point, and it doesn’t sound like a threat. It sounds like a truth we try not to name. Throughout the record, Your Spirit Dies flirt with a broad palette of influences without ever diluting their core aggression. There’s the melodic finesse of Killswitch Engage, the grimy chaos of Napalm Death, and the ominous noise-laced textures of Godflesh. But it’s not just the music that carries cinematic weight. Giallo horror samples, including The Beyond and even screams from MaXXXine’s Mia Goth, are stitched into the seams of the album, adding a surreal, nightmarish texture that heightens the tension without becoming gimmicky. 'Unjust God' might be the band’s boldest artistic leap. A slow-burning, black metal-tinged reflection on faith, suffering, and religious trauma, the track simmers with rage before erupting into a haunting clean chorus. It’s not an anti-religion rant so much as a cry for understanding in a world that often feels designed to break you. “I stare into the eyes of an unjust god”, Brandon confesses, and the conviction in his voice is chilling. Carson Pace of The Callous Daoboys injects his signature chaos into 'Night Pierces My Bones', pushing the track to a fever pitch, while Blaythe Steuer of No Cure joins the fray on 'A Snow in Summer', a song that delivers a nihilistic verdict on the human race: “We ruin everything”. It’s as scathing as it is infectious. Closing the album is 'An Effigy of Failure', a reimagined early track that now sounds like a declaration. The band has levelled up since its original incarnation, and here, the song’s mix of fury and finality feels earned. “Life on earth is a living hell, and I fear death no longer”, Brandon screams - less as a lament, more as a liberation. What makes My Gnawing Pains Will Never Rest stand out isn’t just its technical prowess or guest features - it’s the sense of real human struggle bleeding through every second. This is a band of Southern kids who weren’t 'supposed' to make it, who clawed their way out of the cracks, and whose music doesn’t shy away from ugliness, grief, or doubt. And yet, somehow, it’s still affirming. Still cathartic. Still hopeful, if only in the sense that screaming your truth out loud is better than swallowing it. In a landscape where so much metalcore can feel plastic or performative, Your Spirit Dies delivers something terrifyingly real. Score: 9/10 My Gnawing Pains Will Never Rest will be released on May 2nd 2025 via MNRK Heavy. Words: Jason De Mendonca Photos: Your Spirit Dies

Metamorphosis is the new upcoming album from Bristol’s amphibious five-piece Froglord. It broadens the band’s already comprehensive lore about Herman, the human and the almighty Frog Lord, who “Is sent back every 1000 years by the Ancient Ones to protect and restore the natural balance on the Earth.” With the singles ‘Herman’ and ‘Cryptids’ already unleashed, alongside the excellent cover of Aerosmith’s fan favourite song ‘Sweet Emotion’, the band is getting ready to share their newest blessing from the Lord himself with the public. We talked about their upcoming album; the singles released so far, and had a bit of a chat about the band’s concerts and festivals. When asked why the frontman of the band “chose the path of amphibious swamp rock”, we had a bit of laugh after he admitted that “that’s a question [he] asked [him]self” as well, but quickly followed up by explaining that the frog is an animal followed him throughout his life, and is now almost a mascot for him. The band also mentioned that the band name is “a little bit tongue in cheek towards the whole Stoner Doom scene.”. They then jokingly added that the creation process went something like this: “Yeah, let’s come up with something really, really daft, and we’ll come up with a name. But you’ll put like lord or wizard, or goat or bong, something like that.” We then shifted our hands onto the main reason this interview was going on, their upcoming album, Metamorphosis, due for release on the 2nd of May. “It’s the fifth album in the tale of the Frog Lord. Essentially, there was the original trilogy. So there was an amphibian ascending army of frogs, sons of Frog Lord, that ended with Frog Lord ultimately dying, awaiting his rebirth in his next incarnation. But we’re currently now in prequels. This Metamorphosis is the tale of how Herman the human becomes Herman the mystic toad, who we then see in the album The Mystic Toad”, in a rough summation of the lore of the previous albums. Following this part of the conversation, we then get into the recording and writing process, wondering if there were any issues along the way. “When we wrote 'The Emergence of the Toad', the penultimate track, that was one of the tracks that we collaborated on when we originally wrote it together. The first attempt we tried was like “Right, we’re going to write this really big, powerful, doomy track for the end of the album”. But yeah, it’s got a very big, powerful feel and when we originally sat down to wrote it we might have had a bit of a smoke beforehand, and we just jammed out for about 10 minutes like a little idea. I was doing some vocals. And then we came back to it the next day and was like “Mate, we just rewrote ‘Empress Rising’ by Monologue.” Froglord then explained that the song inspired them in writing the final track, but they reworked the melody so much that it does not resemble it anymore. We changed the focus after this to the only cover song on the release, the cover of ‘Sweet Emotion’ by Aerosmith, that has been given a big kick from the band. We asked why the band chose this specific cover, to which they responded that “We were driving back from a gig in Plymouth, and we had like a playlist of just random things on. And then ‘Sweet Emotion’ came on, and I thought “This would be a good song to cover”. And then two weeks later, I sort of had the bones of it and (to a second band member) told you guys that we were doing a cover of it.” Continuing straight onto the song ‘Cryptids’, that came out on Friday April 4th, we asked the members to describe the song without directly describing it. “It’s like the main one from Trainspotting. I think it’s got that kind of vibe, but like a sludgy, sludgy stoner vibe.”, explained one member to us. The second member went into more detail: “It’s the one song where I actually will turn around and say, Rob Zombie-esque! It’s very much got a Rob Zombie vibe. So it’s the best way I would say.”. They then continue that “You know, it’s a lot more upbeat. It’s a much more unique track on the record. I think that’s why we wanted it to be one of the singles, because we were trying to get the singles, all three of them, as a showcase of the, I suppose, diversity of the record itself.” After talking a bit more about ‘Cryptids’, they said that: “ It’s always one of those things when releasing a record, seeing which ones people like. You’ve always got your pre-existing beliefs of what’s going to be people’s favourites, or at least what’s your favourite. And then a lot of the time, maybe some will come out, which, you know, it’s always an exciting time. It’s really good to hear from someone else, or get feedback from another point of view, or take it as saying, like, “Okay, if this song’s doing really well, maybe we need to look in that kind of more direction more, but keeping to our roots at the same time.”" From the interesting talk about the band’s upcoming release and some of the tracks, we moved onto their concerts and festivals, they are set to play this summer. With the exciting line up of shows they have, our curiosity got the better of us as we asked each member what gigs they are looking forward to the most. “DesertFest in London is the standout. We’re headlining a stage on Saturday. And like, when we started this, the DesertFest was the dream. It was like “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.”, but then it did. I mean, we are not playing the Roundhouse, but the fact that we have been asked our first time to headline a stage on Saturday is just a really humbling kind of moment.” Closing up the interview, we have asked the band if they have any upcoming plans after their big release and summer tour. “We are working on a collaboration with a group at the moment. By the end of the year, we have more plans to go touring Europe. We played up in Poland this year, and that was such a reception. So we definitely want to go back out there and do as many countries across Europe as we can.”. They then added that they have already started to work on the next album. “I think we started that months ago to be honest, like here and there. It’s kind of like “I’ll write something, send it to you (other band member), and you piece it together a little bit, and then come back.”. It’s very early, but it just comes together like that.” With any luck, we can expect a continuation of the Froglord saga very soon. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: Froglord

Froglord, the amphibious stoner metal force hailing from the swamps of Bristol, are coming back with the much-awaited continuation of the story of Herman, The Man, and his journey to become Herman The Toad, in order to save the world and become the spiritual guide of the Frog Lord himself. The new album, aptly titled Metamorphosis, is the fifth instalment in The Tale of The Froglord, and consists of eight tracks that are all in keeping with the lore of the band, and a ninth one being a cover of the hit ‘Sweet Emotion’ by Aerosmith. The tracks on the album are all unique in their own way. For example, the song ‘Herman’, which was also the first single from the album, is a catchy song about the protagonist and his mission that - whilst primarily leaning on the guitars and drums - uses a number of other sounds within the melody such as harmonica, that are not typical for the band’s songs or genre, yet adds more depth to the song. As we can hear in ‘Herman’, but also other songs such as ‘Mutation’, the vocalists often change their voices to compliment the music, playing around with tones, depth, clear vocals, and screams. In some instances, it is an important finishing touch, but in other cases, such as ‘Mutation’ and ‘Follow The Star’, it can get a bit overwhelming, especially when combined with such heavy drums and guitars. Throughout the album, we hear a band that's not only using their own knowledge of the genre to their advantage, but also going beyond this as they're not afraid to experiment with different styles. This is shown very clearly in the fifth track on the album, ‘Cryptids’, which is also the most recently released and final single before the grand release. Froglord do always know how to execute their doomy riffs and gloomy lyrics to perfection, and this song is a notable example of it. Paired up with a catchy synth and tempo that makes you want to head-bang for the duration of the track, it guarantees a spectacular explosion within the crowd. As the story of the all-mighty Frog Lord progresses further throughout Metamorphosis, we are getting closer and closer to the grand finale, in the form of the last original song on the album that concludes the transformation of Herman into his toad form, named simply ‘Emergence Of The Toad’. Utilising sludgy riffs and swift drums, the track is most certainly one of the strongest on the album. The vocals heard across the song fit the atmosphere well, giving us a serious and grand finale to Herman’s big alteration, allowing us to see how it all links into the rest of Froglord's discography and lore. At the end of the album, the band decided to include a cover of Aerosmith’s classic song ‘Sweet Emotion’. The band give the song a very shiny new coat here, that causes it to fit in very nicely with the rest of their songs, yet managing to stay true to the original song in a combo that's likely to be an absolute fan-favourite. The combination of sludgy stoner metal and classic rock gave the band an opportunity to experiment with their limits, and they've made it well worth their time. Metamorphosis is a complex album, continuing with the legacy of Herman The Man, that is well written both musically and within the band's own lore. Froglord have once again proved that they can play around with any music ideas and transform them into songs that are not just catchy, but also groovy and . Although the combination of different sounds and voices can sometimes be quite challenging, especially after listening to the album for a while, it is still a fascinating piece to listen to, and absolutely worth checking out if the cultof amphibious metal sounds like your cup of tea. Score: 7/10 Metamorphosis will be released on May 2nd 2025. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: Froglord

Slung’s debut album In Ways feels like a pressure valve being slowly, deliberately released. Across its eleven tracks, the Brighton-based four-piece navigate trauma, power, and identity through tightly controlled chaos and emotionally honest songwriting. With each member bringing their own history, both musical and personal, the result is a record that feels tense, deliberate, and above all, human. The album opens with 'Laughter', a song that wastes no time getting to the core of what makes Slung tick. Guitarist Ali Johnson lays down serrated riffs while drummer Ravi Martin pushes everything forward with precision. But it’s Katie Oldham’s vocals that land the heaviest blows. The song is about the damage inflicted by an emotionally absent parent, and her delivery walks the line between vulnerability and confrontation. It’s a powerful introduction that sets the tone for the rest of the record: personal pain refracted through tight, bruising songwriting. Where 'Laughter' burns, 'Collider' simmers. Originally built around a demo from Zac Jackson of El Moono, the track follows a fictional cult who communicate with their deity through psychedelics. Despite the surreal concept, there’s a quiet unease running through it. Steady drums and restrained distortion make it feel like a fever dream slowly rising to the surface. Oldham’s vocal performance pulls it all together, never overselling the weirdness, just letting it unfold. 'Heavy Duty' deals with generational trauma and the imprint of patriarchal expectations. Written with Annie Dorett of CLT DRP, it captures a different kind of heaviness - the quiet, exhausting kind that sits in your bones. There’s a weariness to the way Oldham sings “you’re dragging me down,” but also a defiance. The track never fully explodes, instead lingering in the tension between what’s been inherited and what needs to be unlearned. It’s one of the album’s most affecting moments, not because it’s the loudest, but because it leaves space for reflection. Elsewhere, the band digs into stories that are less autobiographical but no less sharp. 'Limassol', which began with Sick Joy’s Mykl Barton, turns a sun-bleached Cyprus resort into the setting for a slow-motion heartbreak. 'Come Apart', another standout, sounds like it could soundtrack the opening credits of a late-night crime series. Originally a demo by Projector’s Lucy Sheehan, the track blends desert guitar tones with creeping tension. Both songs feel cinematic, but never detached. There’s always something grounding them, whether it’s Vlad Matveikov’s undulating basslines or the clarity of Oldham’s storytelling. The album’s final two tracks, 'Nothing Left' and 'Falling Down', pull the curtain back completely. Written in the aftermath of a painful breakup with a long-time friend and collaborator, these songs don’t try to be anything but raw. 'Nothing Left' in particular wears its melodrama proudly. Oldham has said she initially felt embarrassed by how over-the-top it was, but that’s part of what makes it land. There’s a kind of catharsis in how the vocals bend and stretch, especially in the final note - a nod to Paramore that feels earned rather than imitated. As a debut, In Ways doesn’t feel like the start of something tentative. It’s not a toe dipped into the water. It’s a full-body plunge. The band’s live energy is already central to how they present themselves, and this record captures that with tightness, urgency, and the sense that nothing is being held back. Slung has made something that feels specific, personal, and sharp-edged, while still being inviting. There are moments of catharsis, but also moments of restraint, storytelling, and strange beauty. In Ways doesn’t offer easy resolution. It sits with discomfort, names it, and makes something powerful out of it. Score: 7/10 In Ways will be released on May 2nd 2025 via Fat Dracula. Words: Jason De Mendonca Photos: Slung

Bristol is a city that’s proud of its punks. The likes of The Cortinas and The X-Certs built the scene, paving the way for IDLES to host 10,000 people on the Downs, supported by a swathe of Bristolian bands who followed in their wake. It is entirely possible that KNIVES’ founders, Jay Schottlander and Erin Cook, were inspired by the city-wide joy of that day, as their band exploded into the university campus bars across the city soon after. 3 years on, their debut album GLITTER attempts to take that frenetic energy and fuse it with wide-ranging influences, from hardcore to experimental jazz. All too often, though, these efforts get bogged down by a dogged commitment to the same monotonous song structure, creating a largely unrewarding and ear-fatiguing listen. GLITTER opens with by far its best shot, as ‘The Dagger’ excellently combines the crunchy guitar tones of Kid Kapichi with shout-rapped vocals that wouldn’t seem out of place on a Rage Against The Machine album. Each instrument is given space to flourish within the mix, whilst all complimenting Schottlander’s commentary on the rise of the far-right. It’s a total home run of a track, which makes the drop off that follows it all the more baffling. On ‘The Dagger’, KNIVES prove that they can structure a track to be musically and structurally captivating. For much of the rest of the album, they try their utmost to make you forget that fact. There are a handful of highlights – ‘Eat Thy Neighbour’ builds well with its abrasive drumming patterns, and ‘You Think You Know’ features fun interplay between the guitars and vocals – but for the most part, GLITTER is stymied by the same formulaic structure that the vast majority of tracks rigidly stick to. A promising melody runs through the first verse, which then inevitably gives way to a chorus which is little more than a wall of noise. The song then grinds to a halt for a quietened, spoken word pre-and-post-chorus, before the final chorus erupts once more. This framework is fine (if nothing special) on a single, but hearing it repeated time-after-time grows extremely tiresome, and makes a relatively short runtime feel unending. It is perhaps overly cynical to critique a punk album for being repetitive; after all, repetition is a staple of the genre. However, KNIVES pride themselves on their incorporation of far-reaching inspirations into their sound. Frustratingly, glints of this expansiveness are in fact sprinkled throughout the record. ‘PhD’ pairs the lead guitar line with Izzi Allard’s sax in a surprisingly dynamic manner, whilst Ben Marshall’s bassline shines at the beginning of ‘Chroma’. These are the two most notable – but far from the only – times that a sonically interesting element springs up in a song, only to be trampled by a stiflingly busy chorus. They consistently drown out everything distinct in the songs’ makeup, including its lyrics. Jay Schottlander is clearly trying very hard in his vocal performances. When discernible, his lyrics are evidently painstakingly crafted and passionately delivered, much like the aforementioned Rage Against The Machine, who the band have previously listed as one of their biggest touchstones. However, when listening to this album, you find yourself asking if “some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses” would’ve hit nearly as hard if you couldn’t hear Zack de la Rocha over the instrumental. The Rage frontman himself would have struggled to be heard on these songs, and with respect, Schottlander’s voice does not have the power nor the ferocity of his inspiration. KNIVES are not a band without potential. Though GLITTER is a largely aggravating experience, it is bookended by two extremely effective tracks. The latter of these, closer ‘I See Them Fall’, is unlike anything else on the album. An eerie, finger-picked acoustic guitar track that plays with the preset expectation of relentless noise, but wisely chooses to stay the course and close the record on a refreshingly disconcerting note. Like on the opener, KNIVES exhibit here that when they show restraint, they can capably conjure up a great song. If they are able to do this more often, building on the glimmers of potential amongst the earsplitting tedium, then their next offering will consign GLITTER to a mere growing pain. Score: 3/10 GLITTER will be released on May 2nd 2025 via Marshall Records. Words: Ali Glen Photos: KNIVES

Broncho's Natural Pleasure is perfectly described by its name. From the slightly blurry image of a bee on a flower as the cover, to the sunny, blissfully fuzzed-out tones within, everything here screams to an album with a feeling and a vibe in mind more than anything else. The quartet from Tulsa is comprised of Ryan Lindsey (vocals,guitar), Ben King (guitar), Penny Pitchlynn (bass), and Nathan Price (drums), and this release marks their fifth as a group. Having slightly abandoned the rockier, more insistent end of their sound in favour of the corner of their sonic playground best saved for teary-eyed daydreaming in the sun, the band have returned to soundtrack your hot girl summer break ups and main character moments with excellence. Kicking off the album is 'Imagination', which marks the start of this dreamy exploration of Broncho's most vibe-based release yet. Taking plenty from shoegaze and dream pop, with a healthy dose of American 2000's indie and a little bit of British art rock a la Radiohead, the group are fusing a number of things into one magically cohesive piece of music. This flows seamlessly into 'Funny', injecting some self-aware lyrics and lightheartedness into proceedings. The path takes a slight detour across tracks three and four, as 'Cool' and 'Get Gone' up the intensity ever so slightly. The drums become a little more overt in the mix, and this one-two combo is certainly the most energetic part of the album - albeit this is not saying much, as the band are still cool as a cucumber even here. Without the pure lucid daydream feel of the first two, it allows the listener to embed themselves further into this glorious world that's being fashioned in sonic form, and serves to set us up to lose ourselves into the soundscapes to come. The late afternoon sun is still beating down heavily as we arrive at 'I Swear', which pairs wonderfully with later track 'You Got Me' in how casually and desperately both tug at the heartstrings. Ryan Lindsey's vocals are at their most comforting here, making for a sound akin to being hugged softly and warmly by a dear friend or loved one. The lyric in the latter of "You got your mom, and you got me" is pristinely beautiful, and can and will bring you to tears if you so let it. The album continues in similar fashion throughout the rest of the songs, with small detours towards the towns of pure indie on 'Think I Pass', folk on 'Way into Magic', and honky-tonk on album closer 'Dreamin', whilst never really leaving the sun-drenched road they've driven on all album. As the forty-odd minutes of music make their way to a close, you might well be stuck deciding between crying because it's over or smiling because it happened - but instead of choosing, why not do both? This album deserves that much. Over twelve tracks, 41 minutes, and countless gorgeous moments, Broncho have painted themselves as veritable masters of sunny weather hope and melancholy, with a dash of blissful elation and a side of love, by way of nature, friends, family and the best bits of being alive. If this was the soundtrack to a film, you would be torn in two emotionally by the end, weeping whilst laughing and smiling and totally unsure of how to feel except to feel as much as possible. If you need to feel, please listen to Natural Pleasure. You won't be let down. Score: 9/10 Natural Pleasures was released on April 25th 2025. Words: Jake Longhurst Photos: Broncho

A Day to Remember stands as one of the most genre-defying bands in modern rock. Since emerging from Florida’s underground scene in the mid-2000s, the band have built quite a reputation for effortlessly blending the heaviness of hardcore with the energy of pop punk. A Day to Remember’s sound is as impactful in a pair of headphones as it is in a packed venue. Their music strikes a rare balance—vulnerable yet aggressive, melodic yet ferocious. While their style has evolved across albums, the band has maintained a clear identity, continuing to produce anthems that resonate with fans. 10) I’m Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of? This fan favourite track kicks down the door with fury. One of the most iconic ADTR songs, featuring Mike Hranica of The Devil Wears Prada adding another layer of aggression, it’s the perfect example of their hardcore roots. This track has so much energy and really signifies what early ADTR were all about. Chugging riffs, massive breakdowns and sing-along choruses, make this song a setlist staple at their shows. 9) Exposed Catchy, angsty, and energetic—this is peak ADTR without sacrificing their edge. A song that stands out on this album, due to how heavy and intense it is. This song aims at corruption, media manipulation, and political deception. It calls out how truth gets twisted, how leaders prioritise power over people, and how public trust is eroded. The song really takes you back to the band’s heavier roots with the thrashy guitars, pounding drums and Jeremy McKinnon’s intense screaming vocals. 8) Mr. Highway’s Thinking About the End “DISRESPECT YOUR SURROUNDINGS!” Enough said. This song is a mosh-pit detonator that always hits hard. This song is just pure chaos – in a good way! This song is heavy throughout with brutal down-tuned riffs, double kicking drum and of course that iconic breakdown, that is so legendary it became a meme in itself. This song is so much heavier and darker than most of the other songs off ‘Homesick.’ 7) Sticks & Bricks A fiery first track off this album, it really sets the tone for an edgier, more aggressive album. Jeremy McKinnon goes full beast mode in this song. From the first note, this one is pure rage and riffs. This song channels the feeling of being betrayed, underestimated and being taken for granted, it is about hitting a breaking point and deciding you are done with biting your tongue. It is really one of those songs that lights the room on fire the second it starts. 6) Monument One of the standout tracks from “For Those Who Have Heart”, this song is so underrated. There are pounding blast beats, chunky breakdowns and clean vocal hooks, this song really fuses both the hardcore and pop punk genres that embody ADTR as a band. The song is about feeling invisible despite having accomplished something. It hits hard, and you can see that this is when the band decided to take on a more melodic sound without losing that intensity they had with previous tracks. 5) The Plot To Bomb The Panhandle Another one from the album “For Those Who Have Heart.” This song is essentially about being betrayed. The song is about being betrayed by someone close to you and saying goodbye to this toxic person. Fast palm-muted riffs and aggressive rhythm guitars drive the verses, and you can really grasp the feeling of rage and frustration throughout them. The fast-paced drumbeats combined with the ringing riff throughout the song on top of the versatility of Jeremy's clean and harsh vocals, blend so well together, giving the song a perfect balance between both hardcore and pop-punk genres. 4) Violence (Enough Is Enough) One of the band's most urgent and confrontational songs. It highlights how society has become desensitised. The song confronts themes such as violence, societal decay and the exploitation of power. Musically, this is one of the band's heaviest songs with crushing breakdowns and powerful vocals that perfectly combine with the lyrics of the song. The verses are pure aggression, leading to a shift when the chorus comes in with clean vocals and a more melodic instrumental. 3) Naivety A standout track from Bad Vibrations, bringing a wave of melodic clarity to an album that is so aggressive. This song presents itself as a fast-paced, upbeat pop punk anthem. The guitar hooks and punchy riffs give it a youthful, fun feel. However, this track explores ideas such as a loss of innocence and getting older. It’s a nostalgic reflection on simpler times and the realisation of life-changing. 2) The Downfall of Us All From the “da-da-da-da-da” intro chant to its explosive chorus, this is the ADTR anthem. It perfectly defines who they are: melodic, heavy, and energetic. The guitars are sharp and explosive with palm-muted chugs, the drums are relentless, and Jeremy’s vocals shift between powerful, fierce screams and melodic cleans. This all combined really highlights the band's dynamic and emotional range. This song still resonates just as powerfully now as it did when it was first released, whether you’re a first-time listener or as a longtime fan. 1) 2nd Sucks Full-on aggression. This track is brutal, bold, and beloved by metalcore fans. That Mortal Kombat distorted soundbite “Fight” is Iconic. Musically “2nd Sucks” is a change from their typical balance of pop punk and metalcore, there are no clean vocals and no sing along choruses. The song is tight and aggressive, it hits hard and has an emphasis on rhythm and punch – it really plays into the theme of a fight. The song is about those who pretend to be something that they are not, and you can really hear this call out within the lyrics. This song is the perfect reminder of ADTR’s hardcore roots and is why I have ranked it No. 1. Words: Sita Gee

Loscil is back, and ready to release the full nine track long album Lake Fire. Loscil has been working in the electronic scene for over 20 years, and has more than 20 studio albums under his belt. This new album was highly disjointed in this creation, as it was originally scrapped only to then be picked up in the light of the most aggressive wildfires America have seen in modern history, which fits the theme perfectly as this album was left to burn, and has now risen anew out of the charred remnants of what came before. Starting with the sounds of distant ringing bells, 'Arrhythmia’ brings a pulsating beat much like a heart, as different synths wave in and out creating a spacious and airy atmosphere. As the reverberations build through the song, the pulsating beat continues until it slowly fades and brings back those chiming bells from the introduction, to bring the track full circle. ‘Bell Flame’ is lighter than the last track, using more electronic features to bring a luminated atmosphere, and opting for repeating melodies that set the tempo rather than any sort of percussion parts to once again reiterate the airy ambience, very much sounding like the album cover art looks. Track three ‘Candling’ starts darker than its predecessors with a low grumbling, as if a roaring fire had been made melodious. The bassline using the same two notes repeating all the way through, as a synth melody chimes through, which sounds like it could have been improvised on the spot as it's not really sure of where it’s going. An unsettling undertone permeates through the track. as the bassline slowly fades away at the end leaving just the ringing melodies to lead. ‘Silos’ much like track one feels spacious and empty but becomes more sinister in its last minutes, bringing deeping synths and a slight beat to bring it apart. As the next track ‘Spark’ continues with this lower gloomy tone you can hear the inspirations of the album ringing true, and can picture large catastrophic clouds with embers flying through them. ‘Ash Clouds’ resembles its name well, as dense layers come together to create an overwhelming grey, which fortifies itself as layers add and strip away without much variation through the almost seven minute run time. Commencing with a deep repetitive bassline, ‘Flutter’ uses pulsating and ringing synths, constructing an expansive illustration of hills and mountainous areas. This once again continues for the full 6 minutes without deviation. ‘Doux’ opens with a more string sounding arrangement, along with a profound bass beating like a heart all the way through. Meaning 'soft' in French, the sound much reflects the name as there are no harsh or loud sounds, just a constant hum the entire way through. This track much resembles an underwater feeling, perhaps representing the lake found in the name of the album which was chosen to represent the tradition of naming lakes after large fires that have happened nearby. The last track, ‘Lake Fire’, as the album is named, brings the album to a close with an expansive intro that howls through the listener like a gust of wind. The reverberations lay on top of each other, making the sound denser as the timer runs, before coming to an almost complete halt just after the halfway mark. Then, letting the deep bassy synths rule the rest of the number, as they ring out and eventually are extinguished. Individually, each track is a genius instrumental piece that does a great job at conjuring up specific imagery in the mind of the listener - however as a whole, the album lacks much variation and might only be enjoyable to those that find pleasure in genres built around ambient electronic instrumentals. The album has a gripping story behind it, and is positively cinematic in the way it evokes the imagery of fire and ash, so Loscil fans are still sure to enjoy this dense abyss of an album. Score: 7/10 Lake Fire will be released on May 2nd 2025 via Kranky. Words: Amy Smyth Photos: Loscil

Weezer is one of those bands that somehow managed to soundtrack both your awkward teenage years and your mid-twenties identity crisis without missing a beat. Their catalog swings from alt-rock staples to weird synth experiments to full-blown pop moments, and somehow, it all works. Now they’re bringing that beautifully unpredictable energy to Download Festival. Whether you’re crushed against the barricade or hanging back on the hill with a pint, there are certain songs you’ll want to hear — and scream every word to when they hit. Here’s a completely arguable, but absolutely necessary, list of the top ten Weezer tracks to hope for when the lights come up. 10) The Good Life There is a particular kind of joy in a song that does not pretend everything is fine. 'The Good Life' is ragged around the edges, full of frustration and exhaustion, but it never stops reaching for something better. Live, that rough honesty comes across even louder. It is the sound of pushing through the bad days just to catch a glimpse of something good. By the time this song hits late in a set, everyone's a little tired, a little hoarse, and a little sunburnt, and it feels exactly right to shout along with a song that knows growing up is messy but still worth it. 9) Pork and Beans 'Pork and Beans' is what happens when Weezer decides not to play nice. It is a bratty, stomping track about doing things your own way, and it sounds even better when it is shouted by a crowd that knows exactly what that feels like. There is nothing subtle about it. The guitars are crunchy, the lyrics are cheeky, and the chorus barrels straight through without asking permission. In a festival setting, it feels like a little pocket of rebellion you get to carry with you for the rest of the weekend. 8) Undone (The Sweater Song) There are very few songs that could get away with starting with a weird little spoken word conversation and still end up with thousands of people absolutely losing it. 'Undone' pulls it off because it is honest about being awkward and weird. It starts slow and uncertain, almost like it is going to fall apart at any second, and then it builds into something way bigger than you expect. When that chorus finally crashes in, the whole thing transforms into a huge, joyous mess. It is not about singing it perfectly or moving perfectly. It is about losing yourself in the oddness and feeling completely okay with it. 7) My Name Is Jonas 'My Name Is Jonas' does not bother easing you into anything. It grabs you by the collar and drags you straight into its rolling, crashing momentum. Live, it feels like a rallying cry. The acoustic intro gives you just enough time to catch your breath before the distortion drops in and the whole thing kicks into high gear. It is a song built for movement, for shouting, for stomping the ground until your legs give out. It does not just tell a story, it barrels through it like a runaway train and drags the crowd right along with it. 6) El Scorcho There is something so beautifully unpolished about 'El Scorcho.' It is all awkward energy and half-finished thoughts, lurching forward and stumbling over itself, and somehow it becomes completely electric live. The best part is that you do not have to sing it perfectly. In fact, it is better if you don’t. The crowd becomes a chorus of wrong lyrics, out-of-sync claps, and massive grins. It is the kind of song that makes you feel like being a little weird and a little loud is the entire point of standing in a muddy field with thousands of strangers in the first place. 5) Buddy Holly 'Buddy Holly' is pure joy packed into two minutes and change. It is the kind of song that cuts through all the festival noise and makes people who barely even know each other start grinning and singing in unison. The second that first riff kicks in, the whole crowd seems to get lighter. It is simple, fast, and a little goofy, but it works because it does not try to be anything else. No matter how heavy the rest of the lineup gets, hearing “Buddy Holly” live reminds you that sometimes a great rock song just makes you feel good, no questions asked. 4) Hash Pipe From the second the riff punches out of the speakers, 'Hash Pipe' demands your full attention. It is heavier and grimmer than most of Weezer’s catalogue, and it fits perfectly into the rougher, louder world of Download. The beat stalks forward with a kind of grim determination, and the vocal delivery leans into that weird, sleazy energy. Live, it feels massive. There is no pretending this one is about anything delicate. It is about giving into the volume, letting the distortion shake your chest, and not overthinking it. 3) Thank God for Girls If there is a song that captures Weezer’s ability to be both completely absurd and somehow still totally on point, it is 'Thank God for Girls.' It is all over the place in the best way, twitchy and strange, with lyrics that sound like they were pulled from a fever dream. But when they play it live, it makes a weird kind of sense. The crowd locks in with the energy, shouting along to every bizarre line like it is gospel. It is a song that reminds you that festivals are supposed to be a little chaotic, a little messy, and a lot of fun. You don’t need to understand it. You just need to feel it. 2) Say It Ain’t So This is the one that hits you right in the gut every single time. 'Say It Ain’t So' feels like it was built for a crowd that needs to yell out all the things they cannot say in real life. It crawls in slow and heavy at first, bassline pulsing low and steady, and then erupts into a chorus that rips out of thousands of lungs at once. You can hear the collective roar travel across the field like a wave. It is messy and loud and emotional and absolutely perfect. No matter how many times you have heard it, when that chorus hits at a festival, it feels brand new all over again. 1) Island in the Sun Some songs don’t just get played at festivals, they take over. 'Island in the Sun' is one of those rare tracks that shifts the whole vibe of a field full of people. As soon as the guitars chime out, the noise softens, the tension fades, and suddenly you’re not thinking about your aching feet or the beer that got spilt on you earlier. You’re just there, moving gently, letting the warmth of the song wash over you. It is not the loudest moment of the set, but it might be the most unifying. At a place like Download, where everything else is cranked to eleven, there is something almost rebellious about slowing down and just floating for a few minutes. Weezer might not be the heaviest band at Download, but underestimate them at your own risk. Their best songs hit a nerve that heavy guitars alone can’t reach. They tap into that messy, brilliant mix of nostalgia, chaos, and pure joy that turns a good festival set into a great one. Whether you’re a diehard or just someone who has heard “Buddy Holly” on every road trip ever, their set is going to be one of those moments you look back on when the mud’s washed off and the wristbands are packed away. Don’t miss it. Catch Weezer at Download Festival, alongside headliners Sleep Token, Green Day and Korn Words: Kelly Gowe

We're back at Rebellion tonight for the fourth and final quarter-final round of Manchester's Metal To The Masses. The cultural home of the city's local music scene, the venue has hosted some of the best emerging bands, with irreplaceable memories slathered in sticky floors and dripping ceilings. Amongst the lively raucousness of show-goers, there is the unmistakable claim that they made their moment count. Tonight's entertainment is courtesy of contending artists Phallic Rage, Syntara, Swole Castrati and Technologist, with a headline performance from North West metal legends Divintas. Only two will go through to the competition's semi-finals, based on a crowd vote and the other by the judges for the evening, respectively. The competition's finals will decide which band will be playing the iconic New Blood stage at Bloodstock Festival. It’s a battle-of-the-bands style showdown, and the pressure is on! Phallic Rage The arrival of the first band began with the frantic inflation of blow-up cows as the main crowd lingered near the pit, with cow-ear headbands anticipating the Rage. Not just any rage, Phallic Rage. Now at OOR, we know a thing or two about raging (it's in our namesake, and we know it), but this set was pure hedonistic fun, championed by five blokes and their riff-centric sludgy rock. The vocalist has a Brent Hinds quality to his voice as he churned up the pit, introducing the crowd to their bovine-infused music: He begins as he means to go on: "We're Phallic Rage and this is our song Phallic Rage." Whilst the connection between crowd and cow had been somewhat lost, they certainly put on a good show and wanted to win, throwing crocheted dicks around as they stormed through each of their hit songs. Fuelled by innuendos, inside jokes and a love of the scene that the crowd seemed to reciprocate, they pushed through the last song, bringing with them a man in an inflatable cow costume. With an impressive final chant of "Phallic Rage" to end the set, they made an impressive effort at making the most of their hometown crowd. Syntara Tensions are high. There is a coveted spot at Bloodstock Festival up for grabs. When emo-rock quartet Syntara exploded onto the stage with their metalcore-infused riffs, there was a uniform headbopping, appreciating the band's reaching harmonies as the first song hit its dramatic choruses. Sporting two headless guitars, the band made the most of the Manchester crowd. Their stage presence was more suited to an indie rock band, with mullets and white t-shirts, but they pulled impressive punches when it came to their riffs. Adding melt-in-your-mouth buttery vocals, it was reminiscent of early 2000s emo (and yes, the resemblance to the iconic Stuff Dylans was staggering). If I were 14, I would have loved this- but at this point in the set, we were waiting for more- a scream, some genre-defying moment. The band were tight, well-rehearsed and professional, outsiders to the inside jokes that preceded with Phallic Rage. Then the pits opened, like sunshine on a rainy day, opening up the possibility of a The Plot In You or a Bad Omens style set. The second half of this set was textured, emotive and looking for a fight. Impressive, especially for a band that looked that young. If they don't capture the hearts of Metal To The Masses, with time and dedication, there could be a category 5 hurricane named Syntara in the near future. Swole Castrati If you didn't think there could be a second penis-inspired band, meet Swole Castrati. Bordering on the more violent end of noise, the correct term for this style of music is defribulator punk, instantly shocking the audience with their fast-paced riffs, abrasive beats and loud gang chants. If their goal is to make the fastest-paced music possible, they're definitely on to a winner. However, the beginning of their set was overwhelmed with noise, and it was hard to truly appreciate the moment. When the band slowed down, there was glimmering moments of greatness, wielding a harmonica like there is no tomorrow. One truly empowering factor of tonight's competition is the impressive variation of genres and sounds making their mark on the rebellion stage. Technologist Certainly the most 'Bloodstock-esque' band of the evening, Technologist was a band built on wielding pointy guitars and windmilling their impressive hair. Sounding similar to bands like Sylosis and Tremonti, the band leaned into the more melodic style of traditional metal, cauterising the crowd's affection for the band with dramatic pre-choruses building into a swell of emotion as soon as the chorus hits. Arguably, taking into account that they were the last of the competing bands of the evening, they also drew the biggest crowd. The band were exceptionally tight musically and loving playing in front of the crowd, who managed to craft an impressive circle pit. The vocalist had wildman energy, with a glint of unpredictability in his eyes, showing off his impressive dance moves. Divinitas The guest headliners tonight were local metal band Divinitas. Having competed in the competition last year, the band were back to show off their new album ‘It’s All Gone Quiet Now’, which was released earlier this year. Incorporating a seamless fusion of prog, screamo and metalcore, they also blend the uplifting elements of black metal to make a truly impactful performance. Whilst there were some tech issues at the beginning of the set, the whole unit performed wonderfully, showcasing each member's talents (and a lot of that mid-2010s tapping which should definitely become fashionable again). Vocalist Andy Mac was phenomenal, a real performing talent that made his presence known and was technically brilliant, even having a moment away from the mic to show off his scream. The future of Manchester’s metal scene is bright. A great performance from all the bands performing that evening, and an even better demonstration of the dedication of the Manchester underground community coming together to support their scene. The winners of the competition were Phallic Rage and Technologist, who advanced to the next round.

On paper, combining spoken poetry with metal seems like it wouldn’t work. In fact, it’s the concept behind one of the most controversial albums of the 21st century, Lou Reed & Metallica’s Lulu. If you know anything about that album’s reception, you would know that Metallica and Lou Reed fans both seem to dislike it - and they’re two of the most beloved acts in music. If they can’t do it, who can? Enter SUMAC & Moor Mother. SUMAC is the brainchild of Aaron Turner, formerly of sludge group Isis, whose 2000s output is now considered some of the most influential in the genre. It’s a supergroup of sorts, with drummer Nick Yacyshyn and bassist Brian Cook coming from esteemed groups like Genghis Tron and Botch respectively. However, as much as the term “supergroup” makes it seem like a gimmick, it absolutely is not. SUMAC are producing some of the most mind-bending music in metal at the moment, showing a huge range of versatility while still remaining extremely heavy; their collaboration with noise legend Keiji Haino in 2018 being a great example of the boundaries they’re willing to push. Our other key player is Moor Mother, an artist who has covered too much ground in the past decade to fit into just one review. She is arguably best known for her hip-hop albums, though, such as 2020’s Brass, a collaborative album with similarly conscious rapper billy woods, which she released within the same year as True Opera, a noise rock album with Mental Jewelry. The keyword here is, once again, versatility. It’s this versatility that allows SUMAC and Moor Mother’s collaboration on The Film to make sense - and the music itself backs this up as well. The first single and opening track on The Film is ‘Scene 1’. Just like the first scene of a movie, it sets the themes and types of sounds you’ll be hearing throughout the record. Consisting of droning, distorted guitar chords and no percussion, it lends your focus directly to Moor Mother’s poetry. Her words touch on conflict, racism and injustice with lyrics like “All they know is hate” and “We didn’t demand more from a democracy of monsters”, her delivery gradually becoming more and more impassioned matching the progressively more claustrophobic noise of distorted feedback in the background. The second single, ‘Hard Truth’ is a sort of transitionary moment on the album, along with the similarly short ‘The Truth is Out There’. Their inclusion on the record makes some sense, they break up the more intense moments on the album - even if they can feel a tad unnecessary. It makes repeated listens much more palatable, and they both clock in at around 90 seconds regardless. The final single released, ‘Scene 4’, shows another side of the record entirely. The cacophony of backing vocals at the start, the way the guitar rumbles in the background, never quite picking up but you always expect it to. It creates this striking sense of unease, as Moor Mother repeats the phrase “Nobody told me” between verses, over and over, before reaching some sort of conclusion. However, the bulk of this album is made up by second and final tracks, ‘Scene 2: The Run’ and ‘Scene 5: Breathing Fire’, respectively reaching 13 and 17 minutes. Not a second is wasted in either song either. ‘Scene 2’ in particular has this sort of pulse at its core. At certain points, a single low, metallic bass note is strummed. It’s SUMAC bringing you back to planet Earth after this heavy yet almost formless exercise in tension and release. Moor Mother’s words compliment this perfectly, the phrase “I was running” central to the song, imagery such as “What do we return to? Demolished homes?” delivered with such urgency. It’s terrifying to listen to at points, there’s this apocalyptic feel to it, but that feels like the point - this is reality for many people in war-torn countries that she talks about throughout the record. ‘Scene 5’ is similarly a call to action, the end of Moor Mother’s part has her repeating “Take off running”. It’s probably the most huge-feeling song on the entire album, and you’d be right for thinking that this is because of the 17-minute runtime - however, while it certainly does feel like a journey of epic proportions, it also might be the heaviest SUMAC’s instrumentation gets on this record, with these pummelling drums and sustained guitar chords all throughout the entire first half of the song, before winding down during the last seven minutes into something more gentle. It marks some sort of respite from everything you’ve heard up to this point. It closes the album on a reflective note - much like the lyrics themselves. It’s like staying behind in the cinema to watch the credits after a movie - which in the end, is quite fitting for The Film. Score: 8/10 The Film was released on April 25th 2025. Words: Jake Leonard Photos: SUMAC + Moor Mother

Approaching old customs and traditions with an uncommon style seems to inspire lots of artists, and the same goes for Alukta, the 2023 formed duo from France and Belgium. Inspired by the Toraja people from Indonesia, especially by their elaborate funeral rituals, their debut album, Merok, is a way for the vocalist and instrumentalist Marie and the record master Déhà to mourn and explore the old tribal customs. The six-track long doom metal album is a wonderful combination of doom metal and black metal elements, diving into heavy, yet almost symphonic vocals, accompanied by extensively used drums and guitars. Right from the beginning of the album, in the second track ‘Laissez entrer ceux qui pleurent’, we can hear a mesmerising blend of heavy drums, guitars and screams, peaking into a beautiful harmony of vocals that is sure to give the listener goosebumps. The clear vocals sound very raw and sad, and together with the melody imply the act of mourning, yet also celebrating the time they spent on the planet with their loved ones. The blend of emotions in the clear vocals and heavy screams is vital for the whole track, as it can be interpreted as giving us a glimpse into the different stages of grief. On the other hand, the fourth track, bearing the name ‘Kombengi’, is shorter than the other pieces on Merok, but starts off with a quicker tempo, giving the listener a feeling of being personally included in a ritual. Yet again Marie and Déhà combine together the clear, calming vocals of hope with the piercing screams of anger, despair and sadness. The second and fourth track share lots of similarities such as the emotions and use of instruments, but at the same time are unique in their own ways, always bearing unpredictable characteristics that are ready to catch the listener off guard. The rest of the tracks on the album, such as ‘Aluk To Dolo’ and ‘Des Teintes d’éternité’, are just black doom metal songs, that are well composed, but do not really stand out from the rest, especially since the length of all the tracks is mostly over seven minutes and the listeners can get lost in the sounds quickly, not having a single transition or break to catch their breath. Overall, Merok is a gracefully composed piece that dives into the traditions of tribal funerals with an ease, introducing the listeners to non-conforming instruments in metal. Although the tracks are very lengthy and often difficult to distinguish, as there is not a single transition in between the songs and so they can sometimes appear repetitive, the unique usage of vocals makes the album interesting to listen to. Alukta have done a great job of establishing themselves on the metal scene, debuting their first album just two years after forming. We will absolutely hear more about the duo in the future, as their work surely will come to the attention of the scene as soon as the album comes out. Score: 7/10 Merok will be released on May 2nd 2025 via Transcendance. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: Alukta