Let’s be honest - if you heard that The Bear’s Matty Matheson was fronting a new hardcore band, your first instinct might’ve been to roll your eyes. A chef, a TV personality, an actor… now a punk vocalist? On paper, it’s got all the hallmarks of a chaotic vanity side project. But those who’ve spent time in and around the hardcore scene know better. Matheson’s connection to this world isn’t some passing trend - it’s been part of his life for years. Long before he was a household name, he was fronting grimy Ontario band Sex Tears, shouting his lungs out in the corners of DIY venues and staying tethered to the culture that shaped him. And then you factor in Wade MacNeil. Yes, that Wade MacNeil - Alexisonfire guitarist, Gallows frontman, and a generational voice in post-hardcore. Throw in Daniel and Ian Romano, plus Tommy Major (all from Daniel Romano’s Outfit), and suddenly, this isn’t just some novelty record - it’s a serious lineup with serious pedigree. Written and recorded in just two days, Mental Madness is a raw, urgent blast of classic ‘80s-style hardcore, supercharged with anthemic hooks, swaggering riffs, and a sense of joyful menace. It’s fast, loose, and loud as hell - but it’s also built with purpose by people who know exactly what they’re doing. Mental Madness is a blistering crash course in '80s hardcore, filtered through a modern, scorched-earth lens. It’s ferocious, fuzzed-out, and unrepentantly raw - true chain-punk energy from start to finish. The guitars snarl and grind, the drums swing like wrecking balls, and the whole thing feels like it’s teetering on the edge of chaos in the best way possible. But the real surprise? Matty Matheson’s vocals. Drenched in reverb and delivered with guttural force, his performance is equal parts unhinged preacher and hardcore lifer - commanding, cathartic, and totally convincing. For anyone who only knows him as the lovable chaos merchant from The Bear or his joyful cooking videos, it’s a total gut-punch. This isn’t cosplay. It’s conviction. Written and recorded - supposedly - in just two days a few years back, Mental Madness feels anything but rushed. There’s urgency, sure, but it’s not slapdash or half-baked. It’s tight, focused chaos - the kind that only comes from players who’ve been doing this for decades and know exactly how to channel instinct into impact. Each track is crafted with intention, whether it features a rapid blastbeat or a heavy, stomping groove. The chemistry among the band members is unmistakable. You can sense the trust, the relaxed vibe, and the shared musical language that has developed over years of friendship. Though it may have been recorded quickly, the result sounds like the culmination of a lifetime of experiences. The record is a whistlestop tour through a variety of hardcore styles - never content to sit still, never dragging its heels. 'Highway', for example, swerves into almost classic rock territory, riding a swaggering groove that wouldn’t feel out of place on a fuzzed-out biker soundtrack. It’s got that same grizzled charm and southern-fried stomp you’d find on a Cancer Bats deep cut - gritty, catchy, and laced with a wild-eyed confidence. Elsewhere, tracks dive headfirst into frantic thrash, knuckle-dragging stompers, and moments of unhinged, feedback-drenched noise. It’s all delivered with the same fearless energy, like the band’s throwing every influence they’ve ever loved into the fire just to see what burns brightest. We went into this record with some (admittedly reasonable) reservations. Would Pig Pen end up being just a fun, short-lived passion project? A celebrity side quest for Matty, and another entry in Wade’s ever-growing discography? But from the first track, any doubts are flattened. There’s real, and entirely unsurprising, talent on display here. This is a solid, cohesive hardcore record built on chemistry, conviction, and a deep-rooted love for the genre. It’s simply too good to be a one-off. Of course, with Matty’s filming commitments and Wade juggling more bands than most of us can name, the question isn’t if Pig Pen can keep this momentum, but how. Will this become a full-blown project, or is it destined to exist in flashes between filming schedules and tour cycles? Either way, we’ve got two simple requests. First: keep playing shows and keep making records. Second: UK tour soon, lads? We’re waiting. Score: 7/10 Mental Madness was released on June 27th 2025. Words: Andrew Nile Photos: Pig Pen

The unstoppable Italian trio, King Potenaz, has returned with a new offering of stoner doom metal named Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1. Originally formed in 2019 while the members Giuseppe Guarini, Francesco Pesato and Piero Schiavone were jamming together, the band have managed to squeeze more rawness, aggression and darkness into their second album. Consisting of four lengthy songs, Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1 is a textbook example of stoner doom metal, with its distinctive slow melodies and haunting sounds of guitars. All four songs are opening with prolonged, intensifying intros, that in most cases transition into Guarini’s fry screams. The first and second song, 'Rivers Of Death' and 'The Empty Hand Pt. 1', are both similar sounding pieces in terms of guitars, vocals and drums. Listeners are not necessarily surprised by any novelties, which might be a let down, especially with songs that are over ten minutes in length - but may be assured by the elements they know from experience. There are no transitions between the tracks either, resulting sometimes in confusing listen-throughs, when the beginning and the end of certain tracks are not clear. The third song, called 'Sabbatum Sanctum', is the shortest one from the four, at a positively humble five minutes and forty-nine seconds. Starting with a dreadful intro, where a tambourine takes over the narrative, the song then proceeds to give the much relieved audience distorted guitars and crushing drums. Followed by dystopian vocals, the song is once again a text-book example of the genre it is ought to represent, and King Potenaz once again proves that they are veterans of this genre. Although the finale of the song seems to be distant at first, the track ends rather abruptly, making it sound odd and awkward for some of the listeners. As it happens sometimes, even in this case, it is worth to wait until the end of the album for the best piece. The closing song, titled 'Ariadne, The Serpent Witch', is a magical piece, very distant from the rest of the songs, yet still corresponding with the narrative of the genre. It is not only the best song of the entire project, but also the longest one - with almost fourteen minutes under its belt. Funny enough, it is also the only song that has a full guest feature on it, namely Jana Maista, who has also lent her vocals for backing vocals in “Sabbatum Sanctum”, and Marcella Loconte, who wrote the lyrics for the song. Highlighting Guarini’s guitar and Pensato’s bass throughout the whole track, it's surely a surprising ending to a fairly well-made album. Apart from the repeating similarities and lacking transitions between the songs, Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1 is a project that has had a lot of work put towards its completion, and it is visible that the creators thought about the album as a whole, as well as the individual songs. It is a solid fit for anyone who enjoys the stoner doom metal side of music, and would likely be enjoyable even for metal fans who are not that familiar with the genre. Score: 6/10 Arcane Desert Rituals Vol.1 was released on June 27th via Majestic Mountain Records. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: King Potenaz

Swinging in full force with their slavic roots, Varhara is finally bringing their highly anticipated third album ПЕРВЫЙ ВЗДОХ ПОСЛЕ (The First Breath After). Originating from Saint Petersburg in Russia, the band formed in 2019, consisting of the drummer Vladimir Ogoltelov, guitarist Ekaterina Balyantseva, bassist and vocalist Igor Bely, and guitarist and keyboardist Alexander Kalinin, and since then has been surprising listeners across the world with their approach to shoegaze and atmospheric black metal. Andrey Novozhilov The band’s latest project is made of six different tracks, all sang in the entirety in their native Russian language. “Smola”, the first track, and “Uragan”, the second one, are explosions of angry drums, piercing through the subtle sounding guitars. Bely’s urgent-sounding vocals are complementing the overall sound with his screams. The band mastered the art of emotional breakdowns and atmospheric tension in their songs, as the listeners can especially appreciate in “Uragan”. The following songs “Iskra”, and the title-track “Pervij Vzdokh Posle”, however, are leaning even more towards the atmospheric, and sometimes almost symphonic side of Varhara’s discography, showing off more Balyantseva and Kalinin’s ability to capture moments and create scenes with their instruments, while Ogoltelov’s bass drum keeps on telling the stories of the past. While “Iskra” is dependent on Bely”s vocals, that are helping to keep the narrative alive, “Pervij Vzdokh Posle” is an instrumental piece, relying solemnly on the energetic guitars and brumming bass, that is very prominent throughout the whole song, building the soundscape brick by brick. In the contrast with the previous songs, “Prazdnik” and “Burial”, the last two songs on the album, are heavier in their nature, exhibiting more shoegaze elements. The guitar distortions are more pronounced in “Prazdnik”, giving it sort of “doomsday” feel compared to the narrative-like sound of “Iskra”. “Prazdnik” is by far one of the heaviest tracks of the album, and it is evident that Varhara did not hold back with the heaviness on this track, from the already mentioned distortions to the fast-working bass drums and angry cymbals. On the other hand, “Burial” sounds almost uplifting, compared to the previous songs, with the clever usage of distortion, while also maintaining the atmospheric aspect of the band’s style, sounding almost hopeful, which is ironic with the song’s title. It can be interpreted as a new journey after death, new beginnings and perhaps new life. The track is indeed a perfectly picked departure from The First Breath After. The album has fulfilled many expectations, and is a great piece of music. The alteration between the band’s styles is on point and keeps the listeners engaged throughout the project, offering new perspectives with each song. Although there is a downside of no transitions between the songs, making the listening experience slightly packed and sometimes overwhelming, the album is still a solid piece with greatly executed riffs and mesmerising vocals, that are sure to make one stay on their feet. Score: 8/10 Words: Katerina Stepanikova Varhara’s new album is coming out on 20th June via These Hands Melt.

Hiroe’s debut full length album Wield feels like an argument put to instrument , building its soundscape to anger as the project presses on before resolving into the sultry energy of making up. Throughout its six instrumental tracks, it offers welcome variation in a genre that often struggles with similar sounding pieces. Album opener ‘The Calm’ is aptly named, with its pretty guitar melodies and light drumming - but the story really starts at ‘Tides’ with a crash-lead drum and a swung feel that gives both the Deftones influence that Hiroe claim, as well as the feeling of when someone in a relationship makes the comment that lets each party know they’re about to get into it. As the midpoint solo kicks off the anger builds, as snapped words turn into raised voices, with the subtle raising of the pitch of the guitar as the riff slows down encompassing the consumption of the heavy emotion. Between the last act of ‘Tides’ and final side A track ‘Collider’ the debate is in full swing, with the last act of ‘Tides’ swapping into an alternative rock soundscape reminiscent of the track name, building up to the anger part of a lovers tiff. As for ‘Collider’, the pace is maintained with a looped-shred riff and guitar-monies akin to that of an argument going around in circles, while the drumwork includes a hidden snare section which is impactful in its departure from most of the drumwork throughout Wield, before launching back into a power chord-driven that has the pitch of the guitars creeping up to develop it as a motif. By now, the tiff is in full swing while the guitars speak over each other, fighting for attention while repeating the same points. ‘Collider’ ebbs and flows before finishing with power. Side B’s opener ‘Dancing at the End of the World’ introduces some floor lead drums with its winding melody - the eye of the storm has been hit. The build back up to Hiroe’s maximum is effective also, with the upwards pitch motif making a return, but this time with a more heavy handed approach that adds some variation. The standout of this project is penultimate track ‘The Crush’. The heaviest of the six, it adds a metalcore flavour to the project that was unexpected on the first listen, and awaited on the next. The increasingly heavy hand to build to this point feels like it makes sense, then hits its stride with a riff reminiscent of that in A Day to Remember’s '2nd Sucks'; not a band we expected to come to mind upon hitting play. The slow and swung melodies feel more impactful in this heavier soundscape, and the static flares added into the mix give the track more depth as it moves into its second half. The outro builds beautifully with piano melodies infused into its swelling, until it literally crashes out into 15 seconds of ambient fade out - a painful reminder that it is still prog. Album closer ‘I’ve Been Waiting For You All My Life’ is delightful in its creepiness: opening with static and a haunted house style melody as it transcends, that static turning into a dark ambience as the drums deepen to incorporate rolls in its beats. ‘I’ve Been Waiting For You All My Life’ is a sultry make up after the passion of the conflict, coming together over the best of the drumming on the project while slowing the tempo right down in another Deftones-esque track. The only shame here is the finish is a bit lacklustre compared to the main body of the track, with ten seconds of ambience and five of actual silence - a little flare may have been effective. All in all, this is not the worst of prog or dreamgaze that has sat in the listening pile, though it is up there for some of the most nap-inducing, with the lack of lyrics being both a respectable choice for Hiroe and a tangible factor in this sentiment. Structurally, most of these tracks are pretty similar: slow start, then two sections each of the melody focused and the riff focused atop four bar phrase drumlines, with fills on bar four. The sounds and melodies used in this structure are still quite varied, and unlike others of the genre, nor have they let the track lengths run away with themselves, but it is still hard to get behind on a matter of personal taste (or personal distaste, for transparency’s sake). Nevertheless, to all those looking for a heavier hand in their prog rock and a story to be told, it can be found in Hiroe’s debut. Score: 7/10 Wield was released on June 20th 2025. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: Hiroe

On a warm June evening, a small band from Brooklyn, NY, played their first ever show on UK soil. Couch Slut are an angry, sludgy, noisy band whose sound can go all the way from depressive near black metal to a swarm of bees who are collectively furious at the state of the world. They’re a defiantly queer band, who have been releasing music for over ten years now, and so for the opportunity to have finally arisen for us to see them it was nothing short of a privilege to attend. On top of all that, the only support slot was filled by a band near and dear to us - our first ever cover stars, the ever wonderful Death Goals! With two aggressive, abrasive queer bands on one lineup, the night was set to be stellar. At 7:45, the delightful duo that is Death Goals took to the stage. In a room that was already far too warm and sweaty without a band even playing yet, they gave their utmost in order to add to that. With bangers old and new alike, they played with a fire and an energy that’ll have you dripping just watching them. From the aggression of the classic ‘Shrike’ to the screamo stylings of the Coventry dedicated ‘Covo’, and the melancholic heaviness of the phenomenally named ‘If I’m the Enemy Then Who’s the Protagonist?’. With raucous guitar screeches, powerful paired vocals, and artillery strike breakdowns, the twosome have rarely sounded so devastating. It was all the better with their crowd involvement though, as they had multiple ‘guests’ joining them on vocals, a song half-sung from the crowd, a healthy crowdsurf from vocalist/guitarist Harry - leaving poor vocalist/drummer George all on his lonesome on stage - as well as a couple of stage divers and moshers willing to brave the humidity to have some fun. Even on a sweltering June evening, there’s no fun like Death Goals fun. After the abrasive, high energy queer aggression of Death Goals, we had a fairly welcome break before the more lumbering, unsettling sound of Couch SLut. Nearing 9:00, their starting time, things were starting to cool down a tad, but as the room filled more and more the Dome just kept on getting hotter and hotter, so it was a small mercy that their set was not built for the moshers. As described earlier, the band are an amalgamation of numerous genres - from sludge to black metal to hardcore to noise rock to punk and even more. Once they walked out onstage, all the tension that had been building up in anticipation of their set was released in a chorus of whoops and cheers, affirming the palpable excitement of the band at playing their first ever UK show. Whilst they did come on to a wash of green and purple light, vocalist Megan Osztrosits then made the request of red light to replace the previous, which then bathed them for the duration. The unsettling look only served to heighten the unsettling atmosphere, with songs like ‘Couch Slut Lewis’ and ‘Ode To Jimbo’ working to uncork all of the nerves inside every onlooker. Working through their set, the band showed their appreciation for being able to escape their home country of the US for a brief time, as a yell of “Fuck ICE!” came from the crowd in response. With the world in the state it is right now, being able to watch bands play is a real luxury, and watching bands as vital as Couch Slut feels quite poignant within the context of 2025. As they wrapped up on quite the depressing note with ‘The Stupid Man’, they looked grateful to have received such a warm crowd - and relieved to be leaving such a warm room! Once the heat subsided, the night felt like a dream. In the midst of so much conflict, a small room came together in celebration of queerness, and in defiance of hate, fascism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and so much more. These bands and these events are more important than ever, so we can’t thank Couch Slut and Death Goals enough for their engagement and their power, despite the weight of the world on all our shoulders. Words: Jake Longhurst Photos: Artemi Falzon

Starting a one-man project can be intimidating, but not for the multi-instrumentalist and composer Snjór, who started Deciduous Forest as their creative vessel. Originally from Brisbane in Australia, the artist guides listeners on an atmospheric journey through memory, emotion and myth. Their album Fields of Yore consists of deeply captivating immersive soundscapes, blended with elements from atmospheric black metal, neofolk, and cinematic ambient, introducing listeners to their world of music and folklore. Featuring only five tracks, the album is short, yet memorable, and often featuring long build-ups, such as the ones in 'The Formless Dark' and 'Ghost of Lies', alternating between mumbling bass, angry drums and talkative synths. Complimented by Snjór’s pleading-like screams, the tracks are sure to catch one’s attention immediately. Not only the songs rely on these grand introductions, but they are also gradually get longer, with the self-titled 'Fields of Yore' and 'Ages Past' being the longest ones, with 'Ages Past' impressively having over thirteen minutes in length. Both songs are bringing in story-like energy, with an extensive mix of synths, drums and guitars, as we can see throughout the whole album. Even when the lyrics are not clearly audible, the listeners can pinpoint the singer's emotions in their voice. Being able to execute such an extensive track without a flaw is a skill that is not often mastered by many musicians, and it allows the expertise of Deciduous Forest to shine. As the album progresses further, the audience may find themselves immersed in audio, they can resonate with emotionally and spiritually, and that exactly happens in 'Fields of Yore'. The part starts off very subtle at first, only with a guitar and flutes, but keeps gradually expanding into an explosion of instruments and sounds, evoking many different feelings within the listeners, especially when the bridge expands into a massive mixture of drums, synths, guitars and bass. Being one of the most powerful moments in the album, it does leave a mark on anyone, who dares to listen to the whole piece. The album is finished off with a shorter song, 'Anemoia', but that does not mean that it is any shorter of the artist’s work. Being purely instrumental, the track once again features very well suited synthesis, drums and guitars, creating very emotional ending to an album, that has taken the listeners on a rollercoaster of emotions and feelings. Fields of Yore is an ambitious release of an ambitious artist, that has surpassed all the expectations. Although some of the lyrics are not audible, which takes away from some of the experience as the listeners are not always able to understand the full meaning of the song, it does not stop anyone from fully acknowledging the craftsmanship Deciduous Forest put into their songs. It is rare to be able to fully awake the listener’s emotions while keeping their attention, but this release fully outdone itself. An absolute must listen to for anyone who is a fan of atmospheric, almost symphonic-like soundscapes, that are fully capable of pulling the audience in. Score: 8/10 Fields of Yore was released on June 23rd 2025 via Gutter Prince Cabal. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: Deciduous Forest

Stepping into Mamma Roux's on a humid Saturday evening in Birmingham, the black interior and dim lighting immediately set a gritty tone. Heat radiated from the stage, promising an exhilarating night. Birmingham, renowned as the "Home of Heavy Metal", has long forged some of history's most iconic metal music. Tonight, five incredible local bands had reached the final of Metal To The Masses, their performances eagerly anticipated by a crowd that packed the hot, dark venue. This was the crucible where these talented bands would battle for a coveted slot at Bloodfest and, ultimately, the title of Black Country's reigning new metal band of 2025. DYING ADDICTION The first band to battle the stage were the impressive Dying Addiction, a four-piece all-female Gothic nu-metal band from Wolverhampton, formed only about 18 months ago. The members are Stephanie 'Sinister' on vocals, Chloe on guitar, Sophie on bass, and Evie on drums – all of which were truly badass Gothic-metal goddesses. Their aesthetic was striking, with lime green and black outfits, black metal warpaint, green dreadlocks and alien contact lenses which immediately set the tone. Stephanie's vocals seamlessly shifted from beautiful cleans to fantastic screams, even delivering chilling and menacing laughs throughout, accentuating the haunting vibe. Musically, they were flawless, with chunky, dystopic riffs, sinister and layered bass, powerful and consistent drums, excellent range in vocals and great audience interaction. The set featured fantastic breakdowns and showcased the band's great cohesion and chemistry, creating a unique recipe of gothic nu-metal phantasmagoria resulting in an unforgettable performance the crowd loved. Dying Addiction DREAMBOAT EMPEROR The second band to take the stage were Dreamboat Emperor, a Birmingham-based instrumental ‘bedroom prog band’ of Sam (guitar), Tahj (bass), and Morgan (drums/e-percussion). With clear influences of Tool and A Perfect Circle, they’re a fresh, professional, and high-performing instrumental act despite only being together for 12 months. The music featured intricate technical guitar melodies, solidly smooth bass riffs and impactful drums with atmospheric effects on the e-pad. They created a mysterious, otherworldly and epic musical performance with only three members, all of whom connected rhythmically well, displaying great musical chemistry that extended through their entire performance. Overall, the set was expansive, aided by unique time signatures, and organically grew and faltered in fluidly transitioned waves creating a uniquely atmospheric instrumental journey. A band with fantastic potential that could possibly be elevated by a unique vocalist in the future. Left: Dreamboat Emperor, Right: The Black Hounds THE BLACK HOUNDS Next up were Black Hounds, a powerful four-piece heavy metal band from The Black Country (formed in 2013) with Ant on vocals and guitar, Connor on guitar and backing vocals, Joe on drums, and George on bass. With hints of Iron Maiden and Megadeath, Black Hounds hit hard from the onset. With exceptionally powerful vocals from Ant, accented with great growls from Connor whilst shredding face-melting guitar solos, underpinned by crisp and formidable drumming. Ant displayed great crowd interaction, shouting "I know it's hot, I know it's sweaty, but I want to see you move!” as the crowd headbanged in agreement. Overall, it was an exciting and full-throttle performance with maximum energy and impact; powerful yet incredibly clean and precise. The band had fantastic chemistry, with each member excelling individually yet working seamlessly together. Moreover, they displayed fantastic professionalism with clear potential to effortlessly play a festival like Bloodstock. MANTIS DEFEATS JAGUAR Mantis Defeats Jaguar, a local four-piece hip-hop/metal/funk ensemble (formed in 2009) left a lasting impression. Featuring JP on vocals, Jim on bass, Dan on guitar, and Pete on drums, their sound was truly unique, with hints of Faith No More but with heavy metal charm. The room became even more crowded when they started, instantly captivating the audience, many of whom knew the lyrics. Their blend of funky bass, heavy drums, and rapping vocals (with screams) were fantastic. The band had incredible energy; the vocalist was constantly jumping, even dancing with the crowd, truly owning the stage. Their music featured sick guitar riffs, upbeat rhythms and solid breakdowns, delivering a cool, energetic vibe. While some songs seemed to blend in similarity, the "Kicking Off" drum solo was fantastic and the final song "Get Down" with its funky bass and singalong chorus boded well with the crowd. In its entirety, a unique, cohesive and well-executed performance that left the crowd buzzed. Left: Mantis Defeats Jaguar, Right: Mount Slatra MOUNT SLATRA The final competing band were Mount Slatra, a four-piece thrash-metal band from Worcestershire, featuring Ryan on vocals, George on guitar, Emma on bass, and Ben on drums. From the opening 'Fist on the Wall', the crowd were headbanging and the mosh pit quickly formed. From here, they maintained an incredible energy, delivering impactful impending doom vibes throughout. Their cohesion and solid band chemistry was palpable, with Ryan humbly taking side-stage frequently to showcase the other member’s skills, displaying the utmost respect within the band. Each member owned their stage presence, and Emma's fierce growl and call to "open the pit" stood out, followed by a sick breakdown and a face-melting solo from George. Their cohesion was sizeable, and the final shouts of "Surf, suffer, die!" created a residual mark from an outstanding performance. HEADLINER: KENSEI The headliners were Birmingham’s 2024 Metal To The Masses winners, five-piece melodic metal masterpiece, Kensei. They delivered a sick, heavy, and brilliant performance with a good lightshow and professional stage setup. The cohesion and interaction among all members were fantastic, with unrivalled raw stamina showcased throughout. The vocals were consistently remarkable, bass was solid, and the drumming was absolutely insane, coupled with frequent undeniably awesome guitar solos (one in the middle of a circle pit which was an unforgettable highlight). The crowd adored them, and they clearly solidified their reputation in Metal To The Masses history. At the end of an extraordinary metal journey, the winners of 2025 Metal To The Masses Birmingham were announced: Mantis Defeats Jaguar! The crowd chanted “we love f*cking Mantis, la la la!” in response, as the band humbly took the stage for their deserved win. All the bands that competed were exceptional, and for those who did not win - rest assured you left your mark on Black Country metal history and we look forward to seeing you grow in the future. Kensei Words: Katherine Russell Photos: Joshua Joicey

The New Cross Inn is a real haunt of Out Of Rage. Since Reality Unfolds at the beginning of the year, we’ve barely left! With their upcoming Summer Jam series in particular, we’ll be a part of the furniture soon enough - and our latest venture to South London took us on a trip to see four phenomenal acts, all within the realms of hardcore but each with a different spin on the genre. Headliners Contention are one of the best and brightest ‘underground’ bands in the genre, with last year’s album ‘Artillery From Heaven’ being rated as one of the best releases of the year period, and after their set at Outbreak it would’ve been silly not to take another opportunity to go and witness their sheer sonic decimation an extra time; of course we didn’t just see them, with three stellar support acts all raring to blow us to smithereens. Opening the pit for the first time on the night was Norwich’s own straight edge heroes in Hour Of Reprisal. The antifascist group ripped the New Cross a new one, playing a selection of songs from their 2023 album ‘A New World From the Ashes of the Old’ and their 2024 EP ‘Endless War, Endless Peace’. Repping all the bands playing, the straight edge community, and Norwich, they gave a compelling demonstration of British hardcore through songs like ‘Rat Nest’ and ‘Failed State’, whilst their cover of Hatebreed’s ‘Tear It Down’ was nothing if not a treat for us all. Next up were Long Goodbye, who’d come down with Contention from Outbreak - having to travel away from their home in the North West of England just to come and treat us to some nasty metalcore, sprinkled with plenty of hardcore influence. With a smaller discography than everyone else on the bill, their set was incredibly compact - working through their whole discography to provide us a thrilling twenty or so minutes of enjoyment. ‘i used to dream of drowning’ was very well received, as was the relative deep cut ‘endlessly repairing a dying format’, both from last year’s ‘i used to dream of drowning’ EP, and latest single ‘fix the memory’ was also excellent live, with our only complaint being that we wish the set had been longer! Kenya were up next as the main support, also having travelled all the way down from Manchester, and brought their brutal Bali hardcore to London in what ended up being an absolute riot of a set. The band are from Denpasar, Bali’s largest and capital city, and they never stopped shouting out their scene in what was a passionate display of love for the genre. Songs off of their latest release peppered the set, and in particular ‘Sanity’ and ‘No Hate’ set up some searing breakdowns which caused no end of enjoyment. Finally, it came time for the headlining heroes, the Floridian firecrackers, the American anarchists, the breakdown bad boys themselves (sorry, I’ll stop the faux wrestling names now): the mighty Contention. Having already laid waste to Outbreak’s third stage two days earlier, the group were in no mind to do any different in London, and gave everybody a plethora of opportunities for stage diving, crowd killing, moshing, spin kicking and more. With eight songs off of ‘Artillery From Heaven’ being played, it was full of the apoplectic rage that they’ve become so popular for. Opening with their own self titled track, and following it up with ‘I.C.B.M.’ into ‘Revenge Directive’, every iota of anger and energy in the crowd was directed into one place - the little circular area in front of the stage with very few people stood in it. The two older tracks they played weren’t exactly ignored either, as ‘A Wasteland Called Peace’ and ‘State of Nature’ still swept the crowd into a frenzy. The last few tracks weren’t calm either - the penultimate song was just the breakdown from ‘Firestorm’ by Earth Crisis, and then the band finished with their enormous track ‘Inflict My Will’, as thirty-odd people each tried to rip the mic from each others hands and own that enormous yell for themselves, before the ruinous breakdown sent everybody careening into each other one last time. Hardcore is doing amazing things right now all over the world, and the New Cross Inn has genuinely showed so much dedication to all aspects of hardcore in supporting that - whether it be platforming bands from everywhere you could imagine, to hosting important events like Punks for Palestine back in May, and even just being a safe haven for queer people. Shows like this one affirm how important these bands, this scene, and this venue all are to us, and for it to have been played by four such vital bands put a really very large cherry on top. With any luck, Kenya and Contention will be back very soon - although we have little doubt that Long Goodbye and Hour Of Reprisal will make their returns not very long from now! Words: Jake Longhurst

The New Cross Inn is one of those quintessentially British venues, Puppy chose this to be the home of their latest London headline show. Puppy has been going for eleven years now, with the tenth anniversary of their first EP on the horizon, there's no better way to celebrate than on their own terms. The alt metal trio were born and raised in London and in their time in the industry have played countless shows, festivals like Reading, Leeds and Download, have received mainstream radio play and have supported the likes of Milk teeth and Creeper. Needless to say the band have a lot of experience under their belts, which lead to a killer night at the New Cross Inn. First to the stage was the modern rock duo Skinship, these guys have been described in the past as George Michael meets Nine Inch Nails and are inclined to agree. Their unique mix of genres and lead vocalist's infectious energy was the perfect way to warm up the room. The band were receiving cheers just for their sound check, so when it came to their set, the room was giving their full attention. More and more fans entered throughout their set, immediately drawn to the music and joining the rest of the crowd in watching. From front to back, every person was foot tapping, head banging and grooving to the band's tunes. The duo sported a uniform blonde spiked hair style with vest tops to finish the look. The drummer and vocalist treated the stage as their own. The lead was captivating as he took to climbing random objects around the room and even hanging from the ceiling, yes, you did read that right! The set is surely one to stick in your mind after that, these guys know how to make an impression. Next to the stage was Uzumaki, a 4 piece hailing from East anglia but based in London. The band's set was jam-packed with Grunge Indie Rock tunes as the crowd grew closer to the stage. They took a moment to shout out Skinship and Puppy, with whom it was their last tour date with, the crowd, of course, greatly appreciated this with roaring applause. The bands music draws lots of influence from 90’s britpop bands, perfectly suiting the Puppy audience who danced and moshed along, despite maybe not knowing songs or even the band beforehand. The lead vocalist, Alex, paraded the stage, bringing vitality as he interacted with different members of the band and the crowd. At long last Puppy made their way onto the stage, the crowd gave their loudest cheers and moved right up to the front as everyone rose to their feet. The three piece jumped to the grandstand, kicking off with the best mix of pure British rock and alt metal. from the very first song, the energy in the room was sky high. For the duration of the show, fans from front to back were singing every word, dancing with each other, even if they were strangers before, a welcoming energy filling the venue. Even before they came on, you could hear fans discussing what the band's options were for the setlist and which songs they would like to hear, making friends just through the connection of liking the same band. As it is the tenth year anniversary of their first EP, of course, they played some old tunes just for the special fans in the building, receiving possibly the loudest cheers of the night. They also made time for lead vocalist Jock Norton to play an acoustic solo version of ‘Here At Home’ from their 2017 EP Vol.II. Throughout the show, you could see mosh pits building,g which included members from the opening bands as well as fans. The band truly curated a comforting and friendly atmosphere that anyone could join in on, and everyone in the room so visibly enjoying the show and taking in the highest quality live music. The band moved in tandem on the stage, flawlessly knowing exactly when to move back and forth, giving each member their time to shine and never missing a beat. You truly can't beat watching an experienced band on stage, especially in a venue full of long time fans singing their hearts out. As they eventually closed out the show they sang one of their biggest hits 'Forever’ followed by an extraordinary cover of ‘Hero’ by Chad Kroeger, a small tradition of theirs which they have performed at previous shows leaving even the bar staff singing along as they prepare to close the venue, a prominent way to finish the show. They left everyone in the room with the immaculate balance of craving more and being downright satisfied. A Puppy live show is definitely something you don't want to miss when it's in your area, so keep an eye on their socials for any news. Puppy are beyond experienced, but we believe the best is yet to come. Words and photos: Amy Smyth

And to think, some of us really did believe that Slayer were done. The Devil's own house band are making an unholy return to our shores, with all the fire and brimstone in tow we would expect. Playing two headline shows - one in Cardiff on the third of July, and one in London on the sixth of July - as well as playing the legendary Black Sabbath send off show on the fifth of July. Rocking up with a stupendously strong supporting lineup, the thrash metal icons are not here to mess about. With five amazing bands playing beneath the writers of ‘Reign In Blood’, arguably metal’s greatest release, the show will be nothing if not spectacular. Neckbreakker are the least known band on the bill, but released a killer debut last year (and you can read our review of it here), and are certainly as prepared as they could ever be to blast some stages into submission via their pummelling brand of death metal. If you were thinking about rocking up late, think again. Whilst the opener might not be the largest band going, Hatebreed should need absolutely no invitation. Even after going for 30 years or so, they’re still one of hardcores most enjoyable live acts, and have some of the meanest riffs and hardest breakdowns going, peppered throughout their healthy discography. With hits like ‘I WIll Be Heard’ and ‘To The Threshold’, as well as an extortionate number of lesser-known but still more than potent bangers, their set will not be calm and it will not be quiet. Speaking of thrash legends, Slayer have brought back one of the bands they took around the world on their supposed ‘final tour’ in 2018/19 - Anthrax! The NYC thrashers are one of the other members of thrash’s ‘Big Four’, and are still incredibly popular due to songs like ‘Got The Time’, ‘Caught In A Mosh’, and ‘Madhouse’. With a slight tinge of crossover stylings to be found within their sound, their set is sure to be full of singalongs, moshpits and fun. Possibly the most left-field inclusion on the list is Mastodon, the progressive metallers from Atlanta. Incorporating sounds as disparate as stoner and sludge, hardcore, death metal, psychedelia and even moments of jazz, the band write much more than just songs - their albums are revered for their complexity, storytelling and impressive development of sound. That is not to say though that they can’t do ‘heavy’ well - their heavier influences cn express themselves incredibly potently at times, and tracks like ‘Blood and Thunder’ or ‘The Motherload’ will no doubt be received wonderfully. The final support act before the kings of heaviness are the vikings of metal themselves, Amon Amarth. The beer-quaffing horde shall maraud their way onto the stage with energy aplenty, and doubtless a myriad of pyrotechnics too! With a viking helm drum riser, Mjolner - Thor’s hammer - and even Jormungandr, the great world snake, making an appearance, it will be of no surprise to anybody when ‘Twilight Of The Thunder God’, ‘Destroyer Of The Universe’ and ‘Raise Your Horns’ are chanted as loudly as anything else on the night. Whilst Slayer are an incomparable band, the supporting lineup they’ve managed to collate is one of the most impressive days of music on one stage that we’ve seen in a very long time. The six different acts will all be doing their best to have the widest circle pit, the largest wall of death, the wildest mosh pit, and no doubt the most engaged crowd, so any attendees - from the very largest Slayer fan to the young child seeing their very first show - are in for a day to remember. Words: Jake Longhurst

Genre-blending pop rock band PVRIS are celebrating 10 years of their debut album White Noise this year ,and whilst their UK leg of the anniversary tour is sold out, there is still a chance to catch them at 2000 Trees Festival. Ahead of the band’s main stage performance at the festival this year, here is a list of their top 10 songs. 10) Burn the witch One thing about PVRIS is they love an opportunity to get experimental and this song demonstrates this extremely well. As well as having an all female/ queer team behind the scenes for this EP, the song features Tommy Genesis and Alice Longyu Gao, the resulting song is a chaotic, yet fun and catchy song that you can rap, sing and shout along to. 9) Death Of Me Evidently Death of Me is a strong song as it made its way from the previous EP onto Use Me. It is experimental and has more of an upbeat pop sound than we have previously heard from the band but still has those signature rock elements that we come to expect from a PVRIS song. 8) My Way My Way was released between album cycles alongside Monster. Where as Monster talks about not internalising other people’s views of yourself, because only you know yourself, My Way takes a more lighthearted spin on this and makes it fun and empowering. 7) Animal This was the first single released for the album Evergreen. It’s a rage powered, defiant song yet still fun and upbeat, delivering a message of nonconformity. 6) Goddess An empowering, bass driven song from Evergreen, Goddess heavily contrasts to the songs that come before it when it comes to the lyrics, having an overall more confident sound. This is a song that explores femininity with elements of female rage splashed in. 5) Dead Weight Dead Weight is the second song on Use Me, a pivotal album for the band's sound where they started to get more experimental and bridges the gap between their current sound and their older sound. This song is upbeat and repetitive but in a way that never gets old. 4) What’s Wrong You can’t go wrong with an upbeat song with contrastingly dark lyrics, What’s Wrong is one of those songs. Dealing with themes relating to depression, this is one that a lot of people will be able to relate to. 3) You and I This is the first song from the deluxe version of their iconic debut album, they also released a stripped and a live version of the song on the 10 year anniversary version of the album which brings new levels to the song giving a more raw feeling to them than the original. 2) Heaven From their second album AWKOHAWNOH, Heaven acts as a transition between this and the previous album. It is a strong start to the album being soft yet angry and sets up the emotion and passion that we see throughout the rest of the album. 1) My House This song being first was a given, its the most popular song from their first release and showcases what PVRIS has to offer from the get go. The new anniversary version has the same song featuring Courtney Laplante from spiritbox, a collab which was very much appreciated by the girls, gays and they. Catch PVRIS at 2000Trees Festival this August. Words- Libby Percival

Manchester’s Star and Garter always finds a way to feel like the center of the universe, and Wednesday was no different. The venue played host to a night of unmistakable sonic alchemy finding room for Cwfen, a four piece occult metal outfit from Glasgow and LA’s fairy doom juggernauts Faetooth who entered the UK with a raw, eerie vengeance that, of course, could be felt throughout Manchester. With their sound being a dark mix artists like King Woman, Frayle and SubRosa, everyone could understand why the huge line of fans span out the door and spilled out into the street. It wasn’t just another run of the mill metal gig though. It marked itself as Cwfen’s first ever Manchester performance and Faetooth’s long-overdue arrival to northern UK stages, especially fresh off their new single ‘White Noise’. For metal lovers, it felt like a ritualistic merging, one band stepping into the ring with everything to prove, the other already swinging from the rafters having shared stages with artists like Skloss, Troy The Band and even Sunrot. Cwfen (pronounced “Covern”) opened for the night with a set of twisted occult metal emphasising that dirty gothic grime. Their name might evoke a bit of secrecy and ritual, but there was nothing at all subtle about their entrance as they clearly climbed on stage with the intent to make ears bleed and bodies fall through the floor. Armed with their brand new album ‘Sorrows’, they came out of the gate swinging and laid down the thunderous first verse of ‘Rite’. The crowd began swelling with latecomers rushing up the stairs, pints in tow. Ribcages rattled beneath denim in the crowd, pints started to spill and the band followed with hallowing and deadly screeches. Frenzies of applause rang out as they slipped into the next track ‘Reliks’. It clocked in at 82bpm, but definitely held that intensity they’re known for. Grounded, gravel-like tones poured from the speakers, speaking a language the crowd couldn’t get enough of. Bouncing low ends, each chord tight enough to create a glue the crowd couldn’t unstick from their eyes. The rest of their set consisted of steady snares ringing out like gunshots burning up the air around them. ‘Whispers’, ‘Penance’ and ‘Embers’ caused mixed vibrations from the high and low ends that could untie your shoelaces only for you to trip over head and heels for this band’s dirty death defying soul chewing metal progressions. When asked what they thought about their performance, all they had was 3 simple words. “Sweaty, Beautiful, MESS!”. It was hard to get enough, but people knew what was coming. Hailing from Los Angeles, formed in 2019, Faetooth. Definitely not your typical doom metal band. Walking the line between ethereal and brutal, combining true sludge and shoegaze into something others refer to as ‘fairy doom’. With their latest release ‘White Noise’ in tow, the treacherous trio finally brought their mystical wrath to Manchester. The venue space had become overrun with cheer, whistles and boozed up die-hard fans. Opening up with a long, deep bass swell to introduce ‘White Noise’ twisting the room’s atmosphere before ramping up into a glacial, face melting chorus of chaos. Look over and Rah’s punishing cymbal work had hair flying and heads rolling, blowing wigs and newcomers to Faetooth up, up, up and away. By ‘Remains’, Faetooth’s sonic fog had everyone by the throats. Teeth rattling, subterranean rumbles echoed from each corner of the room as Jenna shouted “How we doing Salford?”. A boom of fans bellowing out, before the band kicking it into gear, adding to their already monstrous aura, dropping to their knees and executing every note and even smoothly transitioning into their next track. The crowd didn’t even have a chance to pick up their slacked jaws before being thrust into another Faetooth classic. Only their most played track ‘Echolalia’ causing necks to stretch and strain to the devastating beat those three were supplying. Verses melodic, almost a calm before the storm that is this track’s chorus. Floors literally shook, ear drums leaving the venue and just when you thought they peaked, one final floor shattering scream to round things off. Only to be met by some obsessed fan screaming “WE, LOVE YOU” as the song faded to silence. Faetooth’s performance was nothing short of awakening. Not just another stop on a tour, but a full blown sonic seance. Their connection to the audience was magnetic, spiritual, and punishingly loud. Comparisons to acts like Windhand or My Bloody Valentine feel warranted, but not quite complete. Faetooth are truly carving a space of their own. Words: James Smith Photos: Jack Walsh