2025 was the year Outbreak truly became countercultural, a razor-cut celebration of the sharpest edges of the music spectrum. In the overcast haze of Sleep Token headlining Download, and with it the speculation about the future of live music, Outbreak offered a lineup which was arguably the largest statement piece that European, if not global, hardcore could offer, a thrilling insight into the future of the genre, a reality where Turnstile could headline a festival the same weekend as Charli XCX. For the first time, the festival was held over two locations, with Friday commandeered by LIDO to provide a space for some of the most innovative artists in the scene: Knocked Loose, Speed and Superheaven. Saturday and Sunday were a return to form in their industrial home of the Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester. A cool mix of beatdown, brutality and the avant-garde makes Outbreak one of the most brutal crowds in the festival calendar. Acts like Feeble Little Horse, LustSick Puppy and Jane Remover make their misfit alliances with the band kids for the weekend. Somehow, the class of 2025 even managed to pull Denzel Curry and Danny Brown along for the ride. Amongst it all, it was also as much a celebration of UK culture as bands like Ikhras, No Relief, and Impunity shouted the loudest across the weekend. With some brutal debuts from bands across the pond, including xWeaponx, Contention and God’s Hate. There is no place quite like Outbreak. Words by Jake Longhurst (JL) and Amber Brooks (AB) Speed These days, it feels wrong to have Outbreak Festival without Speed, and it’s easy to know how much playing the festival means to the band, as vocalist Jem Siow pours his heart out to the hardcore scene. Travelling for 36 hours from their Sydney home, this is only a fraction of the hard work the band have undertaken over the past ten years to make a name for themselves, with their immense Only One Mode propelling the band into becoming one of the staples of the genre. To say that Speed has changed the game is an entirely true statement. In hardcore fashion, their set was short and packed a hard punch, with a pit that became bigger and wilder as it went on. A hot and heavy air packed the second stage tent, resulting in a sweaty mess that pooled into puddles at the bottom of your shoes. The trajectory of the band is exciting, unparalleled, and the hardcore community knows it as they turned out in their masses. Finishing on their iconic ‘The First Test’, both the band and the crazed audience know this is only the beginning. -AB Credit: Nat Wood Superheaven Shoegaze heroes Superheaven played twice across the weekend, once on the Friday and once on the Saturday. Both sets were glorious, especially with the inclusion of some material from their self-titled, the band’s first album in ten years. Opening their set with one of those tracks, the group kicked their UK return off with ‘Numb to What Is Real’, which was just the beginning of what came to be an absolutely brilliant show. Moving onto ‘Leach’ and then ‘Crawl’, the band showed off all three eras they’ve gone through with aplomb, keeping the love divided evenly across all three of their albums. Whilst the London set was not necessarily quite as impressive as the Manchester set, this mostly came down to setting - the tent at Victoria Park just didn’t quite compare to the stage at the BEC. However, the set was still magical, with song four being the immortal ‘Youngest Daughter’, before the band led off a barrage of ‘Stare at the Void’, ‘Long Gone’, ‘In on It’ and closer ‘Poor Aileen’, to really ramp the crowd up. After a fair few years wait, it was an absolute pleasure to have Superheaven back for not one, but two shows ahead of their January 2026 UK tour. -JL Turnstile Turnstile. They’re more than a band really, they’re almost a religion. Each live show lets attendees feel cleansed, attached to something higher, a part of one great communal release of energy, stress, sadness. Their headline set at Outbreak London 2025 was therefore, rather unsurprisingly, a sensational event that will be remembered for years and years to come. As the skies darkened, and rain threatened to break through the clouds above, the band made their way on stage almost 15 minutes later than expected, and let the sounds of the lead single and title track off of their new record ‘NEVER ENOUGH’ ring out into the night at Victoria Park. The reaction was instant. Thousands of people all sung together in varying pitch, accuracy, and volume, but were all united by the colossal outpouring of emotion brought on by the evocative intro, before it swelled into the gargantuan, stadium sized anthem that the song truly is. Following that up with ‘T.L.C.’ let the crowd open up and get their dancing shoes well and truly on, and they did not come off until the set’s end. Amongst the exquisite setlist were some favoured newer tracks, like ‘LIGHT DESIGN’ and ‘I CARE’, as well as hits from GLOW ON like ‘UNDERWATER BOI’ and ‘HOLIDAY’. The band aren’t remotely afraid of reconnecting with their roots though, and the run of ‘7’ into ‘Keep It Moving’ and ‘Pushing Me Away’ was visceral. However, it was the final six songs of the night that showed the still-huge potential the band hold, to one day take on stadium headlines and festival top slots. ‘ALIEN LOVE CALL’ and ‘LOOK OUT FOR ME’ finished the main set, with the former featuring Blood Orange for the full experience, before the whole crowd just let go and danced for the latter. As the encore begun, the five piece broke into GLOW ON’s opening track ‘MYSTERY’, and the energy felt near celestial, before the fade into ‘BLACKOUT’. With all the explosive power of a hydrogen bomb, the band tore the entire crowd a new one, and then finished off on two firm favourites from the new record in ‘SEEIN’ STARS’ and ‘BIRDS’. If ever there was a “you had to be there” list of the greatest hardcore sets in history, this is surely up there with the very best of them. -JL Credit: @Ishasha_photography Julie Los Angeles-based indie rockers julie showed up and showed out on both Friday and Saturday. With a sound that combines rock, 2000’s American indie, shoegaze, punk, noise, pop, and even nu-metal, they’re certainly not a band to be slipped into a single drawer, content with one sound. The group only formed and started playing shortly before the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, so haven’t been around very long, but formed their band with the desire of playing live, and writing music that begs to be played live. Judging by their reception, you could well say they succeeded. Having released just one album, 2024’s ‘my anti-aircraft friend’, you may be forgiven for assuming that they wouldn’t have a set full of bangers. But with the success they’ve experienced, and the intention to always write songs for the live setting, both band and crowd were excellent. Opener ‘catalogue’ started things off well, introducing them to the watchers-on who had been unaware of the bands sound until then, whilst ‘kit’ and ‘aprils-bloom’ set them up for excitement. Their debut single ‘flutter’ is still by far their most popular song on Spotify, nearing 50 million listens at the point of writing, and was a spectacular thing to observe on such a broad stage, knowing how rapidly the band have gone from playing back gardens to Outbreak. - JL Jane Remover Digicore sensation Jane Remover performed at Outbreak, again on both day one and day two. Their intense, electronic sound is reminiscent of hyperpop, but distinguishes itself enough that you know something different is happening within their mind. At the age of just 21 coming into 2025, they’re not a mainstay of the industry yet, but being provided the opportunity to play Outbreak twice - as well as open up for Turnstile on their American tour - is going to give them every chance to change that. Having also played two sold out shows the nights before Outbreak, Jane Remover is not resting on any laurels - they’re in this to play music in front of as many people as possible. Playing almost exclusively tracks from ‘Revengeseekerz’, their 2025 effort, it was clear to see that they’re only interested in forward progress. ‘Angels in camo’ was as good live as on record, possibly even better, and ‘Professional Vengeance’ gave itself ample reason to have such a raw song title. Of course, the Friday sets inclusion of a Danny Brown feature on ‘Psychoboost’ was pretty crazy, but performing it with him instead on the Saturday was an equally incredible moment to witness. Closing their set with ‘TURN UP OR DIE’ into ‘Dancing with your eyes closed’ sent off two stellar sets by a clearly soon to be star. - JL Sunny Day Real Estate Come ye, come ye, oh elder emo’s of the United Kingdom, come one and all - Sunny Day Real Estate played not one but TWO Outbreak sets, and if you didn’t catch them you really messed up! Their set on the Friday was a tad shorter than the Saturday set, which had a total of eleven songs prepared to treat the Manchester crowd. With more songs off of their 1994 effort ‘Diary’ than any other album, it took us back to their roots with all the energy and soul of a modern live performance. Opener ‘Seven’ was an instant hit, and keeping with the numerical theme so was follow up ‘One’. Other particularly notable moments were the relatively early playing of ‘Song About An Angel’, before the midpoint of ‘Pillars’ led into ‘Guitar And Video Games’. The crowd was as excited as can be by this point, with the punk sound shining through more than we had anticipated within the band’s sound, and the finale of ‘In Circles’ into ‘The Rising Tide’ sounded phenomenal with this slightly more aggressive sound. We can only hope they return soon, so we don’t miss them too much. - JL Credit: Nat Wood Have A Nice Life Writers of the seminal 2008 album ‘Deathconsciousness’ and surprisingly hard to pin down as a live act, Have A Nice Life are, to the discerning lover of sad music, legends in their very own right. The rarity of their live show arguably adds to this, and even though they have technically been playing since 2004, they played a total of four shows before 2017, so they’re no Frank Turner. On their first ever UK tour, they found themselves not playing a similarly bleak, nihilistic bill, but on that of a primarily hardcore festival. This might be a daunting task to another band, yet Have A Nice Life took it in their stride. As it turned 7PM, the inside of the BEC arena’s main room was packed fit to bursting with lovers of misanthropic music. The set was stacked, as would be expected, but it was ultimately closing the trio of ‘Bloodhail’, ‘A Quick One Before The Eternal Worm Devours Connecticut’, and ‘Earthmover’ that drew the largest cheers from the packed out BEC. With arguably their three largest songs being played in a row, the entire crowd was full of emotion and excitement in equal measure, thrilled to be watching an iconic act upon such a momentous show. -JL Slowdive To all but close off the day’s light, who else could fit on such a bill but the almighty Slowdive? With an album as genuinely legendary as ‘Souvlaki’, they were perfectly poised to deliver a sensational show, with an outpouring of feeling from the crowd all but guaranteed. As they took to Outbreak’s outside stage with a shimmering green and black graphic behind them, the excitement was near-visible in the air, as crowdmembers whooped and cheered and gasped and even started crying, all in somewhat equal measure. As you might expect, the most excitement was saved for songs off the aforementioned icon of shoegaze, ‘Souvlaki’ - yet this didn’t stop the band, nor the crowd, from revelling in each and every moment of sweet sonic substance. ‘Avalyn’, ‘shanty’, and ‘Star Roving’ plucked at the heartstrings early, before a seriously potent midsection kicked off with ‘Catch the Breeze’, then went into ‘Pygmalion’s big track ‘Crazy for You’, the semi title track ‘Souvlaki Space Station’, and ‘Sugar For The Pill’. By this point, the overwhelming feeling was appreciation and enjoyment with a solid dose of bittersweet emotion - the sadness of the music touched the hearts and souls of every listener, yet happiness reigned supreme with each onlooker desperate for more. Finally, the unbelievable three-peat of ‘Alison’, ‘When the Sun Hits’ and ‘She Calls’ washed over the Outbreak loyalists, who promptly found themselves stood in puddles of tears, and feeling all the beauty of life in a moment. -JL Credit: Nat Wood XWeaponX Would you like some mosh pits with your Cheerios? For those hardcore greebos, there are plenty of exciting ways to start your day, but arguably, for the crowds at Outbreak Festival on Sunday, watching the first UK performance of xWeaponx was definitely up there. For those in the know, the second stage was immensely packed out, well beyond the confines of the infamous front section. For an opening band, this was impressive. Even more so was the setlist artillery, as the band fired round after round of explosive choruses and sharp set gang callouts, the entire audience could get behind. Whilst the band comprises members of Knocked Loose, Harm’s Way and Dare, the band is no nepo baby; it's a well-kept secret that deserves to be played on European soil. With the surprise release of their latest EP back in April, and nine whole minutes of abrasive fun, there’s something excitingly dangerous about being at a Weapon X show. Seeing the band was a moment to get giddy, and ultimately, the unparalleled hype you get watching a set at Outbreak. - AB Credit: Nat Wood No Relief Brighton hardcore is as good as it’s ever been. Representing the BN1 scene on one of hardcore’s biggest stages, No Relief set the crowd alight with their riveting performance and tighter than tight musicianship. The anger within their riffs was palpable, and the crowd responded in due course with plenty of spins and dives. Whilst the band were only onstage for twenty minutes, they made every second count, and showed up a number of the larger bands across the weekend with the sheer commitment and effort they displayed. No Relief, we salute you. - JL God’s Hate The first ever UK set by God’s Hate was always likely to be hectic. But you want to put that first ever show at Outbreak though? Well, open warfare could be considered more peaceful. Tracks like ‘Be Harder’ and ‘God’s Hate’ received exactly the reaction you’d think, with every single person even vaguely near the stage sending every ounce of energy and rage into either throwing themselves off the stage, or into other people. They played a full ten songs, and included two excellent covers of ‘Master Killer’ by Merauder, and ‘Take ‘em All’ by Cock Sparrer that riled the audience up even further. In a choice that shocked no one, taking the very fitting final slot on the setlist was the song ‘Finish the Job’. Not one soul let the band have even a moments respite until they’d left the stage, and they did that to rapturous applause. -JL Credit: Eddy Maynard Loathe - Amber Well, this was special. Whilst we were not expecting a set from Loathe this year, it was greatly appreciated. The band will always have Outbreak as their home, even if they're from Liverpool. Loathe are a band in that dark purgatory between albums, and sometimes they offer a smidgeon of hope that there is a new era on the way. Opening with an entirely unknown track (yeah, that one wasn’t escaping us), they made their presence known on the outdoor stage. The turnout for their set was immense, moreso the energy given at the front of the pit. The set itself felt fresh, opting for classics ‘Is It Really You’ and ‘Aggressive Evolution’, alongside deeper cuts like ‘Dance On My Skin’ and ‘Gored’. We were treated to a new track, ‘Gifted Every Strength’, as well as a welcome feature from Static Dress’ Olli Appleyeard for ‘Heavy Is The Head’. Especially for a secret set, where the wild rumours about who would be performing seemed to rage on throughout most of the early afternoon that day, this set was a masterclass on how to show up and create massive waves, even on a hardcore lineup that doesn’t entirely fit into their sound. When Loathe played Outbreak in 2023, guitarist Erik Bickerstaffe described the set they played as their “Woodstock”, but this was the set was truly their moment that topped it all. - AB Contention Artillery from Heaven? It certainly felt that way, as moshers piled onto the front of the stage with some pent-up aggression. Florida metalcore outfit Contention headed to the UK for the first time, a much-needed trip after the release of their monumental debut album. Fast whirlwind riffs and piercing screams, the band scattered ammunition into the swirling pit. Starting as they meant to go on, the set was short but packed an intense amount of energy, with a sea of flailing arms, crowd killing and a sweet sense of victory for the band. Ultimately, Contention was one of the best sets of the weekend. There was the right amount of people making a truly immense statement piece in the pit, the sound was unmatched and feral, and there was untapped potential brimming from this round of UK shows. A military expedition with an intent to thrill, Contention is immense, and Outbreak well and truly made this set happen with an amazing atmosphere. -AB Credit: Eddy Maynard Deafheaven As Outbreak becomes more and more open to shoegaze being included, Deafheaven feel increasingly perfect for their lineups. A band formed by predominantly former members of metalcore and hardcore bands, they’ve never been one for the kvlt black metal side of things, preferring to keep their brand of heaviness stood firmly in the breathtakingly beautiful and devastatingly emotional end of the genre. With the live experience and songwriting expertise the band have, it’s always a wondrous set from the band whenever they play live. Having already released a flawless album this year, Deafheaven marked their return to the UK with a crushing performance that included some of the hits from ‘Lonely People With Power’. Opening with album intro ‘Incidental I’ into ‘Doberman’ and ‘Magnolia’ was a real mission statement, stating their huge belief in their latest, phenomenal, work. Indeed, out of the seven songs they played, only two weren’t from the latest album! ‘Incidental II’ also featured, and the glorious ‘Winona’ closed their set off. The two other tracks were ‘New Bermuda’s own ‘Brought To The Water’ and then the seminal ‘Dream House’, a bonafide classic of the 2010’s and legendary live song even now. They can do no wrong, and this set just further proved exactly that. -JL Knocked Loose Are Knocked Loose truly hardcore? For their recent releases, their expeditions into the gnarly and the extreme haven’t always made it feel that way. Their latest release, ‘You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To’, felt more akin to metalcore, opting for horror-filled haunts straight from their Louisiana suburbs. Knocked Loose’s sound in 2025 may feel like a world away from the guts of ‘Pop Culture’ and ‘Laugh Tracks’, but they are still a monolithic cornerstone of the hardcore community. Arguably, the band possess even more of a compelling argument through their dedication and respect to the scene, performing at a no-barrier set that screamed with compassion and community, scattering guest vocalists and name-dropping as many bands playing that day as they could. Deafheaven’s George Clarke elevated ‘God Knows’, throwing an ethereal dimension to the track, impressively screaming an entire octave above Bryan Garris - if that’s even possible. Speed went to town on ‘Deadringer’, whilst the dynamic duo of Kadeem France and Olli Appleyard represented the UK on ‘Billy No Mates’. Boston Manor’s Henry Cox confronted the Manchester crowds with a cerebral rendition of ‘Belleville’. All together, the band sounded immense, grimy and gross in the best way possible. Tracks from their latest release like ‘Blinding Faith’ and ‘Don’t Reach For Me’ cut their teeth so sharply amongst established fan favourites like ‘Counting Worms’ and ‘Where The Light Divides The Holler’. Splitting the crowd from stage to sound desk offered one of the most gory sights in Outbreak history, but from a distance, it was a moment of art. Michelangelo couldn’t paint the brutality of bodies slamming against bodies. The final nail in the coffin was finishing the set with a ‘Weapon X Outro’, a damaging embodiment of the true meaning of Outbreak culture. As both Bryan and Isaac debuted their other project, xWeaponx, to the masses that morning, they opened and closed their set with ferocity, enthusiasm and an undying respect for the hardcore community. Acts like Knocked Loose and Turnstile, who both headlined Outbreak this weekend, have arguably, with their success, moved away from the traditional hardcore sound; they both embody its spirit and tenacity that the underground community truly respects and nurtures. Whilst we are so focused on the future of heavy, Outbreak weekend has been a point of reflection. Why care, when Outbreak has some of the best crowds and the best people on the planet? -AB Credit: Nat Wood

Metallic hardcore act Mugshot are back with an album that is foaming at the mouth in its excitement to beat you into submission. All The Devils Are Here takes everything you already knew about the band and dials it up to 11, for a devastating trip that takes comfortably less than half an hour. Opener ‘Die In Fear’ let’s rip on the new release with all the subtlety of a brick to the teeth. Mugshot have clearly decided to go for the more abrasive, aggressive route compared to before - which wasn’t exactly a light breezy park walk of a sound at best - and slam the listener in the face with the sonic equivalent of a rotating saw. ‘Afore A Waking Nightmare’ takes this, ups it, and gives it back - there is nothing but vitriol layered into this beast of a song. ‘Shame’ scratches at the breakdown itch in all of us, with the latter half just about ready to break some DIY venue doors completely off of their hinges. Combined with some interesting rhythm blends and abominably heavy tone, it makes for a very healthy wake up call if you somehow had fallen asleep so far. ‘Vale of Tears’ takes a trip to riff central. It doesn’t pass go, nor does it collect £200. It just takes the listener all the way to the gnarliest riffs the band has to play, and that’s a beautiful thing. It’s metaphorically time for half time on ‘Skin the Rabbit’ - whilst it’s still comfortably in the first half of the record, the drumming will get you screwing your face up into that gurniest of gurns and keep it there all song through. Almost belying the album so far until the guitar kicks in, ‘I Will Be Here Forever’ opens with some triphop-esque drums that then mutate into a full-on groovy metallic hardcore throwdown, which ebbs and flows to let the pit breathe - before suffocating it under layers of screams and distortion yet again. Next up, marking the turning point of half way, comes ‘Flesh Of My Body’ - an incredibly brief interlude that is as abrasive as anything you’ll hear this year. Under 40 seconds long, once you hear the song title prepare to be ripped asunder by mosher after mosher after mosher. At around three minutes long, ‘Baptized in Concrete’ is a prog rock epic by Mugshot’s standards. However, unlike the average prog rock epic, this makes you want to throw people off of stages at other people in a disgracefully punishing display of musical hatred for the listener. ‘Where Your Sins Will Lie’ includes something that brings out a very specific grin - that being, the Cheshire Cat style smile that only happens when a particularly grating pick slide graces your eardrums, Gojira style. This song feels like it could be the best embodiment of the album cover out of those on the record, portraying the abstract furious demonic image on the LP perfectly. Coming in tenth out of the twelve is the title track, ‘All The Devils Are Here’. Combining the atmospheric touches the band occasionally utilise with the weighty distortion of their guitars and gutturals, the track is more than worth titular placement, and takes no prisoners whatsoever in its quest to obliterate any listeners or onlookers. ‘Me & You’ brings a lovely touch of china cymbal to proceedings that was certainly present, but not as consistently used, and it’s incredibly welcome. The track is filled with nasty noise and rough vocals, with a few gang vocals spattered throughout to keep the hardcore influence as loud and proud as possible. Album finale ‘Next To Your Idols’ opens with an incredibly hard line - “I’ve got a bullet engraved with your name” is an excellent opening, that also happens to tee up the rest of the song brilliantly. With crushing breakdowns, riffs, and more brilliant vocals, the album finishes as strong as it has been at any moment throughout. Whilst the album doesn’t break masses of new ground across its run time, what it attempts to do it does extremely well. The riffs are groundshattering, the breakdowns are apoplectic, the vocals are hellish, and Mugshot manage to condense eleven full songs and one interlude into a short, sharp, twenty five minute ride. All The Devils Are Here is a powerful example of the heaviest sound this band have consistently put out thus far, and if they were looking for heaviness then this is a surefire success story. Score: 8/10 All The Devils Are Here was released on June 20th 2025. Words: Jake Longhurst Photos: Mugshot

Hot Milk’s second full-length album, Corporation P.O.P., is a thunderous, emotionally raw, and politically charged record. Across 14 sprawling tracks, the Manchester-born band unleashes a barrage of fury and frustration aimed at the powers that be, from broken British institutions to the global machinery of oppression, without ever losing their signature sound - hook-laden, genre-melding, and defiant. Their blend of pop-punk attitudes with post-hardcore intensity has made them a vital force in the scene, and Corporation P.O.P. feels like a natural evolution of that legacy. The record kicks off with a gut-punch on ‘(How Do I) Make The Devil Fall Asleep’. It’s a storming opener with tight riffs, an urgent tempo, and a vocal performance from Han Mee that practically quakes with rage. Her voice shakes in the first verse, brittle with emotion, as if she’s barely able to hold it all in. It’s gripping from the first line and sets the tone for what follows. Next is ‘INSUBORDINATE INGERLAND’, which starts with a train announcement for Manchester Airport, a small nod to the band’s roots. “[Manchester] is intrinsic to me and who I am” Han Mee says, and this track makes good on that sentiment. Lyrically, it’s a searing critique of how Britain’s working class has been abandoned, cloaked in tongue-in-cheek nationalism. Lyrics like “I’m England till I die” might sound like a football chant, but here they drip with irony; it’s not a celebration, it’s an outcry from someone who knows there’s no easy escape from the mess we’re all in. While ‘INSUBORDINATE INGERLAND’ stares down national decay, ‘The American Machine’ broadens the scope. It takes aim at the state of U.S. politics, though the band makes it clear they’re not just swinging wildly at the country - they’re lashing out at systems of hate and greed. As they put it, the track “is not anti-American, it is anti-asshole, anti-hate, anti-oligarch”. Vocally, it’s classic Hot Milk, with Han Mee and Jim Shaw bouncing between clean and harsh vocals, giving every line the weight it deserves. The band’s willingness to experiment is part of what keeps Corporation P.O.P. feeling fresh across its generous run time. ‘Hell Is On Its Way’ threads a slick, electronic vocal effect through its intro and chorus, adding a cold mechanic edge to its apocalyptic themes. We hear something similar in a later track, ‘Warehouse Salvation’, which implements some electronic dance elements, giving it an almost industrial metal sound. Hot Milk blends the new textures seamlessly into their hard-hitting rock foundation, which is a true testament to their growing confidence as artists. Closing track ‘Sympathy Symphony’ changes the pace, offering a moment of reflection after the chaos of the previous tracks. The first half is stripped back and contemplative, with devastating lines like “the resentment creeps like a fiend” landing hard in the quiet moments of this song. Just when you think the album might fade away peacefully, it builds into one final storm of sound. Culminating in screams that dissolve into glitchy, mechanical noise, it’s a haunting end that mirrors the industrial rot the band spent the entire album rallying against. Produced in part by Jim Shaw himself, alongside Zach Jones and KJ Strock, this album captures the full spectrum of Hot Milk’s sound and ambition. The intensity is palpable, with nothing feeling over-polished and manufactured, but still sounding incredibly tight throughout. One potential point of contention could be the album’s length: though not uncommon to have a 14 track album, a lot of recent releases have leaned more towards an 8 to 10 track count. Corporation P.O.P. is undeniably a lot to take in, but it feels entirely intentional. Hot Milk isn't trying to be digestible. There’s far too much to say, and too much wrong in the world to condense their fury into a tidy 10 track package. Corporation P.O.P. is bold, uncompromising, and loaded with the kind of urgency that comes from trying to survive a collapsing world. With this album, Hot Milk has proved that they’re not just another alternative band with a vague message of resistance. They’re an unstoppable force that isn’t backing down anytime soon. Score: 8/10 Corporation P.O.P. will be released on June 27th 2025 via Music For Nations. Words: Zuzanna Pazola Photos: Hot Milk

Now the British weather has crept above 20 degrees, it’s time to get excited for festival season! In the spirit here’s 10 bands and we won’t be missing at 2000 trees this year. Kneecap The last year has been massive for Kneecap: a steady rise exploded by their biopic, two academy awards and (perhaps controversially) a performance at Coachella this year. The masked Dublin trio bring their pro-republican underground rap sound to the headlining spot of 2000 trees this year, mixing Gaelic with English to promote the sovereign rights of Northern Ireland and lyrics about Irish political and party culture. If there’s one thing about Kneecap, though, is that they always have something in their back pocket, so we’ll be waiting with baited breath to see what they have in store for us in July. Coheed and Cambria We were so excited to see Coheed and Cambria on this lineup after getting our hands on The Father of Make Believe earlier this year. Their high concept prog rock sound scratches the technical itch of musicians and listeners alike, while the universe they have built through every album is a joy to unpick. Get yourself down on Friday if you want to catch this set. Pvris! Pvris! Have been staples of the scene since their seminal 1st album White Noise dropped in 2014; their brand of drum-heavy emo pop the perfect soundtrack to any yearning crush and one-sided breakup. After a lull it's great to see Pvris! Getting active again, with the ever shy Lynn Gunn looking increasingly confident in their stage presence if their last stint in the UK with Fall Out Boy is anything to go by. They’ll be fresh off the White Noise anniversary tour by the time we meet them at 2000 Trees, so we can’t wait to see what revisiting this will bring out for them. Hot Milk If you were lucky enough to get tickets for Wednesday you get the joy of catching Manchester quartet Hot Milk’s headline set. Bringing a perfect blend of 2010s pop punk revival and the harder electro-rock sound that’s defining the 2020s scene, tracks such as candy coated lie$ embody a mature angst swallow that adds an anti-establishment edge to their discography. Vukovi Bringing a little sex appeal is Vukovi, a party-punk duo from North Ayreshire, Scotland. They’ve recently dropped banger 4th album MY GOD HAS GOT A GUN, a full electro-infused take on their high energy rock sound which will have half the crowd dancing and the other half moshing. They’re at their best when serving sensual angst, combining deep metalcore instrumentals with hyperpop/heavy electronic beats and we can’t wait to see what their live performances are going to bring. Hyphen Hyphen is an indie rapper turned punk-rap artist hailing from Portsmouth, serving pro-south asian/anti-racism tracks that are equal parts raw and honest as they are cheeky and charismatic. Their early work is more focused on confidence-core, with tracks like Confident and Cocoa Butter promoting feeling comfortable in one's skin, but it has been the beautifully condescending and comedic offerings including Marching Powder and Hate Yachts not Dingies that have seen Hyphen begin his take off in the scene, helped in no small part by his bouncy full-on stage presence. As December Falls Also in that pop punk revival wave is Nottingham natives As December Falls, adding a strong flavour of emo to their sound that hits right in the 00s nostalgia. They are remarkably easy to listen to, with tracks such as therapy having every emos favourite blend of upbeat soundscapes and angst-packed lyrics. As December Falls will be up on the 2000 trees stage on Saturday. Malevolence If you came to this list for hardcore recommendations, the one we have for you is Malevolence. Punchy drums with a tastefully slower tempo to their hxc counterparts, tracks such as it’s all the same to you have a great mix of windmill ripe breakdowns with a more swinging sound that lets a listener take a breather. They’ll also be up on Saturday, which is proving to be a stacked day! Mallavora Bringing some ethereal hard rock to 2000 trees on Friday is Bristol-based Mallavora. Their searching melodies and dissociative vocals are transcendent; their lyrics talking of solidarity with the trans community and the injustices of the current world order. If you’d like to indulge in timeless dad-rock-esque sounds without worrying about their politics, Mallavora will do just that for you. Panic Shack While you’re waiting for Hot Milk on Wednesday feminist punk quartet Panic Shack are worth the listen. Bringing Riot Grrrl realness with a messy girl aesthetic, panic shack are sure to get you dancing while promoting women’s liberation. 2000 Trees will be returning to Cheltenham between 9th-12th July. Words: Julia Brunton

Catton Hall and Park, nestled in the rolling hills of South Derbyshire, will once again throw open its gates for the UK’s biggest independent metal festival this August. For over two decades, Bloodstock has excelled in delivering chaos and community for metalheads across the country and has become a true celebration of heavy music in all of its forms. Having previously attracted acclaimed headliners like Judas Priest, Slayer, and Megadeth, it’s become an experience not to be missed for anyone craving crushing sounds and the extreme side of music. This year is no different, with Trivium, Machine Head, and Gojira sure to unleash absolute devastation, but the headliners are just the beginning. The festival is turning 21 this year, and it has grown into a three-staged beast, packed with unmissable talent. With so much to see, narrowing it down can feel like choosing your favourite riff in a Black Sabbath setlist, so we’ve done the hard work for you. Here are 10 acts worth catching in the (hopefully) blazing summer skies of Bloodstock 2025. Konvent The all-female Danish death doom unit KONVENT are a force to be reckoned with. Formed in 2015 before releasing their killer debut album ‘Purtian Masochism’ back in 2020, they’ve honed their intense, guttural vocals and combined them with unshakeable riffs to create something truly compelling. They’ve stormed the stages of heavy European festivals throughout their career, from Resurrection Fest 2023 to their home turf at Copenhagen Metal Fest 2022. This four-piece is breathing new life into their genre, and their Friday set over on the Ronnie James Dio stage is sure to be nothing short of punishing. Pheonix Lake Having previously played the Sophie Lancaster stage back in 2023, the huge strides made by the 4-piece in the past couple of years mean that it’s time for a reprise! Hailing from Nottingham, the band formed in 2018 and have been steadily carving out their own space in melodic metalcore ever since. Blending luscious vocals and captivating harmonies, their sound is heavy, powerful, and emotive. Their latest single, ‘Fractured Wings’, has achieved nationwide coverage, proving that they are a band on a serious upward trajectory. Catch their return yourself over on the Sophie Lancaster stage on Saturday. Preyrs A fresh force on the scene, heavy alternative rock band PREYRS is the brainchild of Belfast rock singer Amy Montgomery, and they’re just getting started. They joined New Model Army on their UK tour in 2024, honing their sharp and fierce style of performing. With lyrics delving into themes of grief and war, they weave haunting melodies with an untamed energy that demands headbanging. Don’t miss the chance to witness this rising talent first-hand over on the Hopical Storm New Blood stage on Sunday. Paleface Swiss Hailing from Zurich, Paleface Swiss have spent the last 8 years crafting a unique blend of slam, hardcore and deathcore, rightfully earning a Friday slot on the Ronnie James Dio stage. With a balanced combination of brutal vocals, relentless riffs, and deeply personal lyricism, they’ve carefully cultivated a dedicated fanbase, especially garnering success with ‘Chapter 3: The Last Selection’ in 2023. It’s safe to say they are more than comfortable with selling out shows, and they’re currently touring Europe to promote their latest album, ‘Cursed’. If you’re looking for experimental extreme metal at its finest, be sure to check them out. Eihwar Need a break from the intense breakdowns and guttural growls of the rest of the festival? On Friday, French electo-pagan duo EIHWAR will be taking the Sophie Lancaster stage by storm with their hypnotic blend of shamanic chanting, traditional Nordic folk, and pulsating electro beats. Discovered relatively recently in 2024 at Hellfest, they’ve played some impressive festivals like Wacken Open Air and are currently making waves on a European tour. While still early in their journey, they already know how to put on a great show; prepare to be entranced, and join them on what they call their “Viking dancefloor”. Thrown Underground stars of the metalcore scene, thrown are set to unleash utter chaos to the Sophie Lancaster stage on Sunday with their sharp and modern take on the genre. Since forming in 2019, the Swedish 4-piece have been giving us blistering riffs and aggressive vocals with short, hard-hitting tracks such as ‘on the verge’ and ‘guilt’. Known for bringing explosive energy to their live shows, they’ve toured with While She Sleeps in 2024 and supported scene heavyweights like Knocked Loose and Architects. Before continuing their tour later this year, their stopover at Bloodstock isn’t one to miss. Ba’al Blackened post-metal quintet Ba’al have been giving intense live performances since their formation in 2016. After taking the crown at Metal 2 the Masses Sheffield, they were invited to play Bloodstock, kickstarting the rise of their small but mighty fanbase. Fusing elements of sludge and black metal into a harrowing musical experience, their latest release ‘Re-Llipsism’, as well as upcoming ‘The Fine Line Between Heaven and Here’, is setting the tone for what to expect. Their set at Bloodstock is sure to be a dark and grisly celebration of these albums, so it will be well worth catching them over on the Sophie Lancaster stage on Saturday. Heriot This genre-defiant quartet from Swindon has made serious waves in the past 3 years after the success of their explosive debut EP, ‘Profound Morality’. If there’s a subgenre of metal you like, HERIOT has already torn it apart and rebuilt it from the ground up. They combine elements of death, gothic, and industrial metal with a relentless wall of mind-melting distortion. Having supported legendary bands such as Lamb of God, and with their debut UK headline tour impossible to snatch up tickets to, it’s no surprise they’ve already made it to a coveted Saturday slot on the Ronnie James Dio stage. Static X Do they even need an introduction? Since their creation in 1994, renowned American industrial metal greats Static X have thoroughly pushed musical boundaries across 8 albums. With hit singles such as ‘I’m with Stupid’ and ‘Push It’ coming from their debut album ‘Wisconsin Death Trip’, they’re icons of the metal mainstream. Their career includes appearances at Ozzfest, Download, and countless sold-out tours of their own, and it’s undeniable that their unmistakable energy has truly stood the test of time. They’re sure to give nothing short of a full-throttle performance when they take on the Saturday headline slot of the Sophie Lancaster stage. Famyne Another previous Metal 2 the Masses winner, Famyne have been carving out a name in the doom metal scene since their creation in 2014. Known for their haunting and hypnotic sound, they translate the darkest of the genre into energetic and atmospheric live performances that aren’t to be missed. They’ve toured extensively right from the get-go, including an impressive 11 countries in 2019 alone. With a growing reputation on the European festival circuit, they’ve also become Bloodstock regulars for good reason. Their set promises to be a truly immersive experience, so make sure to head over to the Ronnie James Dio stage on Friday. Catch all of these bands, plus headliners Trivium, Machinehead and Gojira at Bloodstock Festival this August Words: Chloe Sodeau

As an introduction to mincecore, Haggus’ fourth album and first studio release Destination Extinction is akin to walking into a Rocky Horror Picture Show showing through the back door. Their sound is full frontal and unashamedly chaotic, with enough true-metal tempos and chord progressions to mark it as the Haggus touch to an admittedly niche subgenre. Album opener ‘Rotting Off’ is great for easing the listener into the audio experience of Destination Extinction: a slower tempo than the rest of the tracks on the project at its beginning with a satisfying “weewoo” for a vocal introduction, it builds in pace and heaviness as the pitch shifted vocals kick in. Its follow up ‘Bound by the Realms of Cruelty’ is the first true indicator of what's to come on Destination Extinction, introduced by a traditional metal solo by Strinx player Hambone (their words not ours), the track is made up of voice-box-mixed guttural growls responded to with devilish wailing, broken only by more strinx solos. What strikes the ears as Destination Extinction gets going is how much the soundscape sounds like 70s and 80s metal bands when the vocals are removed from the equation. The ever moving tempo and melodic riffs manage to remind of Motorhead somehow, while entry three ‘What’s F**king Left’ - apart from being amusingly blunt title - features some of the best guitar work of the project including a seamlessly executed stop and start bass guitar into main chord progression balanced with the wails and guttural screams being fed to the pitch shifter. The track is bouncy and forward driven, fading into 'Lobotomised Compliance' with a long guitar note that keeps the momentum as the midpoint of Destination Extinction draws closer. On the topic of the guitar work midpoint entry ‘Do You Love Mincecore’ has a mythical midpoint solo buried in its voicebox/wail call and response vocals, conjuring images of a basement show but played in the local tavern just before ye olde lock in. As for the drums, their highlight comes in ‘Repulsive Institution’, hitting up a sound more metalcore or hardcore inspired with a punk drumline punctuated by double bass riffs that transform into full double bass lines at the builds and solos. Atop these drum beats Hambone does his best guttural animal impressions into the pitch shifter; pitch shifted pig scream was a treat our ears didn’t know they needed. The main critique that comes from Destination Extinction is that, once the novelty of the pitch shifter wears off, the soundscape can feel two-dimentional, though each track does maintain its own signature. Whether it’s the hoppy melodies on ‘Crippled by Stupidity’ or the choice to use a live guitar of ‘As the Hammer Drops’ these signatures help break up the wall of sound that 'Rotting Off' could have suffered from becoming. Back on the positives - some of the track names on this project are the highlights, such as aforementioned ‘What’s F**king Left’ and ‘Crippled by Stupidity’ or penultimate track ‘Malignant Boomer’, which is satisfyingly the angriest of the 10 tracks on the project. Album closer ‘Grotesque Reflection’ works well in its placement as a mix of everything Haggus has served throughout the rest of Destination Extinction: the chaotic builds and stop-and-start instrumentals paired with delicious double bass rolls and verses made up of pitch shifted pig-squealed verses. Overall, Destination Extinction was chaos, as are many extreme metal subgenres, but it was captivating in a “what the hell was that” kind of way, and the technical skill is definitely present between the solos and the integration of the pitch shifter. Was it a little samey? Yes, but it is also interesting, so the standards on that can be lowered a little. Do we love mincecore? Actually, yes we think we do. Score: 8/10 Destination Extinction was released on June 20th 2025. Words: Julia Brunton Photos: Haggus

YUNGBLUD has always felt like a storm. From the moment Dominic Harrison burst into public consciousness - smudged eyeliner, tartan trousers, fists raised in the name of the outcast - he was a whirlwind of noise, chaos, and contradiction. At just 26, he’s amassed a global cult following by fusing punk, pop, and vulnerability into a space that speaks directly to the disillusioned. For many, YUNGBLUD became more than a musician—he became a lifeline, a mirror, a manifesto. But what happens when the lifeline starts to fray? When the persona fractures under the pressure of grief, fame, and fatigue? Idols, YUNGBLUD’s fourth studio album, is the sound of that unravelling. The mask doesn’t slip for the sake of drama, or a refresher, or because it got boring - it falls because it’s simply too heavy to hold. Gone are the spiky anthems built for festival stages. In their place are whispered confessions, moments of aching quiet, and the rare bravery of simply being still. This isn’t his loudest record, but it’s the most truthful. And possibly his best. 'Hello Heaven, Hello' opens the album like a quiet procession. Over sparse piano and unsteady vocals, Harrison delivers a eulogy not just for someone else, but for himself. The grief is unfiltered - it hangs in every pause, every breath, every note he nearly doesn’t sing. 'Idols Pt. 1' follows like a smudged photograph of a self in crisis. More spoken word than song, it dissects the emotional toll of visibility. This blurring of image and identity reverberates throughout the record - and nowhere is it more haunting than on 'Lovesick Lullaby'. A gothic waltz drenched in romantic ruin, the track explores love as both comfort and confinement. The melody sways; the emotions bleed out beneath it. Then comes 'Zombie', the album’s bleakest moment. It’s numb, drained, and eerily still. “I’m not alive, I’m not in pain,” Harrison sings, with the distant tone of someone watching his own life from across the room. There’s no explosion, no climax - just quiet surrender. It’s one of the most effective portrayals of shutdown in recent memory. 'The Greatest Parade' follows, but not to offer relief. Instead, it spirals into surrealism. Drenched in distortion and carnival dread, the track turns fame into grotesque theatre. Applause becomes accusation. Confetti feels like forensic dust. Harrison sounds like he’s performing the version of himself the world expects - resentfully, bitterly, brilliantly. 'Change' and 'Monday Murder' keep that defiance alive. Gritty, breathless, and sharp-edged, they sound furious - but underneath the noise is exhaustion. These aren’t anthems of uprising. They’re dispatches from someone fighting to stay upright. 'Ghosts' slows everything down again. It’s a song about absence; not just the kind left by death, but the invisible weight grief presses into every room. Stripped back and fragile, it doesn’t aim for closure. Instead, it settles into the silence, learning to live beside the missing. Not a ballad, not a breakdown - just a quiet, aching presence. 'Fire' and 'War' rekindle urgency, but it’s a smouldering kind of anger. 'Fire' pulses with sharp immediacy, while 'War' feels heavier, more resigned. The fury here doesn’t feel victorious - it’s the last gasp of someone cornered by burnout. Harrison’s voice cracks where it counts, revealing everything the volume can’t hide. 'Idols Pt. 2' brings the arc to its inevitable collapse. Revisiting the album’s central tension between persona and person, it doesn’t resolve it so much as expose it. The line “You drew yourself a set of prison bars / On your painted scars / They’ll see you the way that you are” lands like a final, breathless admission. No polish, no apology. Just the hard truth of being seen too late. Then there’s 'Supermoon'. The exhale. The aftermath. Barely tethered to melody, it drifts into space and never quite returns. There’s no crescendo. No final scream. Just atmosphere and absence. A soft fade to black. What makes Idols so affecting isn’t just its themes, it’s the refusal to dress them up. There are no easy answers here, no romanticised redemption arcs. It embraces discomfort. It gives grief its full weight. It sounds like someone trying to find themselves without a spotlight and without screaming. This is not a record for crowds. It’s for the moments when you're alone with the version of yourself you don’t post. It’s bruised, imperfect, honest - and that’s what makes it remarkable. YUNGBLUD has spent years trying to be a saviour. On Idols, he just wants to be a person. And finally, he is. Score: 9/10 Idols was released on June 20th 2025. Words: Mia Gailey Photos: YUNGBLUD

Electric Brixton got thrashed by the legends from Virginia, USA, Municipal Waste, and it sure was a sight to see. Currently on their UK and Europe tour, alternating between festivals and venues, the band is visiting various countries, and the London date is their only concert in the UK. Supported by the amazing Tortured Demon, Xentrix and Death Angel, the whole evening was a nostalgic setback with powerful energy and fluctuating emotions. The first support band of the three – Tortured Demon – is originally from Oldham in England and formed quite recently in 2018. Consisting of the founding members and brothers Joe Parkinson, who is playing the drums and Jacob Parkinson, who is a vocalist and plays guitar, and the guitarist Rory Marsland-Smith and bassist Joel Bayley, the band surely knows how to put on a show worthy opening for one of the groundbreaking bands of the genre, with the electric guitar riffs and ground-shaking vocals. Although they still had their soundcheck going on when the audience was let into the venue and started immediately from there, and their set was very short, they were still welcomed with a big moshpit and enthusiastic audience. The next opener, Xentrix, was not short on success since the beginning, as they chose the iconic theme song from the original Terminator as their opener. Since then, the audience has showed the four-piece from Preston in England the support throughout the moshpits and the songs they loved. Being on the trash scene under its current name since 1988, with the founding members, lead guitarist Kristian Havard and drummer Dennis Gasser, and the newer members, guitarist and vocalist Jay Walsh, and bassist Chris Shires, the band surely knows how to captivate their fans, and the showed it off with their mesmerising set, that was enjoyed by the fans to maximum. At the very end, the band threw a big handful of tshirts into the crowd, surprising the audience with great memorabilia. The third opener, and a band, many fans went to see, was the thrash force from San Francisco, the unforgettable Death Angel. Currently being fronted by Rob Cavestany, who is one of the founding members of the band, and Mark Osegueda, who is Cavestany’s family member, the band also consists of Ted Aguilar, who has joined the band after their reformation in 2001, and the newest members Will Carroll and Damien Sisson. The band chose the track “Endure” from The Last Of Us as their introductory track, and it was surely met with grand cheers from the audience, who was excited the band was back after countless years. The band was unfortunately met with couple of technical issues during its performance, but Osegueda saved the day both times with his expressions of gratitude for the London crowd, who in his words always welcomed the band with opened arms and is the reason thrash metal is still thriving. In return, the audience gave the band many crowdsurfers and songs sang back with no hesitation. As the band was leaving the stage, the fanbase was filled with mixed emotions, because they did not want the Death Angel set to end, but were also excited, because the main band of the evening was about to come out. As Municipal Waste came onto the stage, the floor instantly transformed into a battlefield formed from a massive moshpit. Out of nowhere, a very visible inflatable balloon in the shape of “wiener” appeared and was continuously making its way through the crowd, until it sadly deflated. Together with the balloon, someone pulled out a broken cardboard box and the venue staff released inflatable balloons into the crowd, resulting into a chaotic scene that was mesmerising to watch. Municipal Waste, as the band is known for, took over the scene immediately, and gave the fans an unforgettable load of riffs, screams, drums and giggles, as well as swear-words, as the lead vocalist of the band, Tony Foresta, actively tried to start a moshpit on the left side of the floor, while also making a femme-only moshpit during one song, stating that “gender, race, it does not matter, we are all here to enjoy the night”. Crowdsurfers were flying left and right, and it was obvious that the night was about to become one of those iconic moments, that ate bound to never forget. As the set seemed to slowly come to an end, the band decided to play a song, they have not played in twenty-years – “I Just Want To Rock”, and the fans went absolutely nuts. At the end of the show, the fans did not want to let the band leave, but gave them one last round of applause, that was enough to make one emotional. All three support bands were a perfect fit to support as big band as the Municipal Waste. Each brought their own unique twist to the thrash metal and managed to get the crowd excited about the headliner, and some might have brought in even more fans, such as the thrash metal icons Death Metal. Electric Brixton has seen a lot in the years since the opening, but this night surely was once-in-a-life experience with an unmatched energy, that was flowing around the whole night. Photos: Jenny Parker Words: Katerina Stepanikova

Fresh off the back of an insane set at Outbreak Festival, Denzel Curry burst onto the stage of the packed O2 Brixton Academy with insane energy and charisma that comes from someone who knows they’re killing it. With support from Frozemode and DJ Babyface Gio, Curry continued his Mischevious South Tour at one of London’s most iconic venues - just as you’d expect from one of the rising stars of the rap world. Opening the evening were London-based Frozemode - a trio of frontmen with a full band behind them (a rarity for rap groups!). From the moment they sprinted onto the stage of the packed-out venue, their energy was boundless. C’mon, when one singer runs onstage with a bottle of Courvoisier, you know they mean business. CHO-HOLLO, I.V.GATLIN and LISONG were non-stop, constantly running around, dancing and overall hyping the crowd up. If anyone was going to bring the energy before Denzel Curry’s set - it’s gonna be these guys. It was a perfect choice and the audience was eating it up, giving in to the group’s desires for mosh pits, jumping and screaming the lyrics at the top of their lungs - they’ll be a headliner here in no time. Following them was DJ Babyface Gio and despite his best attempt with some insane track choices - unfortunately, he did not have the same energy as Frozemode - but to be fair to him, going from an energetic trio to a DJ would be a tough transition for anyone. His skills are undeniable and in a more suitable lineup and venue, I have no doubt he kills it. On a plus side, it gave security chace to pass out water to a horrifically warm venue, and pull out people who were becoming unwell from the heat. If the venue wasn’t hot enough, when Denzel kicked into his set, he brought the heat tenfold. Though Denzel’s success comes from him blending genres and gaining fans from a variety of scenes, whilst he is undeniably a phenomenal rapper, the musical stylings pull influence from the grunge and hardcore scenes, giving the overall vibe a much heavier, grittier sound. Donning an iconic Speed jersey, Curry furthered his hardcore music connection and if the moshpits in the crowd were anything to go off, the crowd were eating it up. Denzel Curry is the prime example of a rapper being able to perform expertly and have an insane stage presence with out over the top props or staging - he just needed himself. Though many may know him the viral ‘Ultimate’, Denzel proved to the Brixton crowd that every single one of his tracks is a hit and that he just has that star power. Throughout the night the crowd barely stopped jumping, he really was playing banger after banger, and ending on a cover of Rage Against The Machine’s ‘Bull’s On Parade’ was truly chefs kiss. With talent, stage presence and energy like this, Denzel Curry will be selling out arena tours in no time. If you’re a hardcore/alt fan who has been thinking about branching into listening to rap, what are you waiting for? Denzel Curry and Frozemode are just the tip of the ever-growing iceberg that is starting to blur the lines between heavy rap and hardcore. Words and Photos: Ely King

Another year, another unpredictable set of weather requirements for Download Festival. Whilst the dust (quite literally) settles on the hallowed Donington hills, we witnessed another wonderful edition of live music, and the first without Andy Copping in the driving seat. The result, a rather exciting set of statement pieces that truly made the festival shine. Masked mysteries, Sleep Token headlined with brilliant tenacity, and President decided to take its inauguration on UK soil. Malevolence obliterated during their (not-so-secret) secret set, and somehow we got to witness... the Vengaboys? We certainly love to party, and they set the tone for the entire weekend. Here is what we caught at Download Festival this year. Out Of Rage made the collective decision to provide coverage at Download Festival after discussions with our community. In light of the recent speculation surrounding the EHRC guidance on the definition of a woman, and the use of toilets at Donington, we want to reiterate our support for transgender people. Inclusivity is so important, especially within heavy music spaces, so making sure our basic human rights are accessible to all is the bare minimum. SLEEP TOKEN - Neve Saltmarsh The Ritual for Saturday Night's headline slot was simply harmonious. Starting the show off with Look to Windward harmonies and pink petals scattering across the crowd, it is the simple statement that Sleep Token have arrived. Playing songs such as Vore, Emergence, The Summoning and Caramel, even going as far back in their repertoire as The Love You Want and Thread The Needle, the band showed an immense array of emotions and passion for the moshing singing crowd below. Ending on the title track Take Me Back To Eden, a shower of green lasers covered the stage. Whoever said Sleep Token shouldn't have been a headliner was simply wrong. KORN - Amy Smyth After 31 years of being a band and playing back when the festival went by the name Donnington, Korn finally made their way to be one of the three Headliners of the entire Festival, and their set did not disappoint. Every soul from the very front to the very back row was moving, mosh pits began to open up before the curtain even dropped, and crowd surfers kept security on their toes for the entirety of their set. The band played all of their greatest hits from across the years, leaving every single fan satisfied. The set was absolutely legendary, the band kept the energy in the arena sky high for the entire set with their vigorous energy, we can only say we feel sad for anyone that missed out, what a way to close out the entire Festival! PRESIDENT - Claire Elizabeth Welcome to the Inaugural Presidential Rally! President's first live appearance, and what a treat it is to be at Download 2025. The Download Debut was definitely one of the weekend's most exciting moments, and it had the crowd to show for it. We had only 2 songs pre-released, and you could feel all the anticipation in the air. From the Dogtooth Stage, there were festival goers as far as the eye could see, and anticipation was in the air. There may be speculation about the masked singer, but one thing that we do know from the set is that this artist can scream. Fans were treated to three unreleased tracks, all showcasing the serious talent from this band. Powerful, mysterious and unforgettable. President has definitely arrived, and we can’t wait to see what comes next. MALEVOLENCE (SECRET SET) - Ben Blissett With much speculation as to what the secret set at download could be this year, a leak revealed that Malevolence would grace the avalanche stage and ensue utter chaos upon the crowd. Performing only a handful of songs, the band certainly ushered in a new era, making their first appearance at the festival since they played the Opus Stage in 2022. The set was violent, explosive and gave Download just a taste of how Malevolence does things. This set was one you would’ve been a fool to miss; they picked only bangers that would constantly keep the crowd moving, they made their statement and left, it was fantastic. SPIRITBOX - Han Hallett Three years after playing the Avalanche stage back in 2022, Spiritbox took to Download’s Apex stage this year, and they absolutely killed it! Courtney’s stage presence and crowd interaction, causing absolute pit chaos, really added that extra piece of greatness to their amazing performance. The band played some of their biggest hits, such as ‘Circle With Me’ and ‘Holy Roller’ and delivered some personal messages, screaming, ‘This one goes out to all the people I hate’ to introduce their newest heavy hitter ‘Soft Spine’. Their appreciation towards fans and new listeners alike spilled into their passionate musical delivery. Spiritbox were so deserving of playing the mainstage this year, and being able to see the women in metal being so heavily appreciated was a beautiful sight to see. BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE - Neve Saltmarsh Being the second to last act on the main stage Sunday, Bullet For My Valentine sure warmed the crowd up in the best way possible. After finishing the Poison/Ascendancy tour with Trivium, Matt Tuck announced after the first song (Her Voice Resides) that they would be performing the iconic The Poison album one last time, specifically for us downloaders. And so the album was performed, with a lively headbanging crowd to receive. After finishing the album and our voices were a little sore, the BFMV singer said "This is going to be an expensive f*cking song, lets f*ck it up" after going over their time, and blasted out the classic Waking The Demon for one last mosh. Bullet For My Valentine, you legends. MCFLY- Lisa York McFly at Download is a sentence we never thought we would hear. Ending an already amazing day, closing on the Avalanche stage were Pop heavyweights McFly. The Tent was already at capacity, with barely any room, but outside, you could tell that everyone was excited for this set. Ranging from classics which included Stargirl and Obviously, Red and ending with the staple song of 5 Colours In Her Hair. Danny, Tom, Dougie and Harry have never played Download Festival before in their 20 years on the music scene, and this set didn’t disappoint. Amongst the hits, they did a melody with small nods to Metallica and Rise Against to keep the Download veterans happy. WEEZER- Mia Gailey Weezer’s Friday evening slot at Download felt like a mismatch—reliable, but far from electrifying. While they delivered the expected hits (“Beverly Hills,” “Buddy Holly,” “Island in the Sun”), the set lacked the urgency or edge to truly connect with the heavier crowd. Frontman Rivers Cuomo seemed content to coast on nostalgia, and despite tight musicianship, the energy never quite lifted off. A bizarre “Enter Sandman” tease fell flat, and deeper cuts left casual fans restless. For a band capable of weird, wonderful risks, this felt frustratingly safe. At a festival built on chaos, Weezer played it far too clean. BLEED FROM WITHIN - Lisa York Following on from Sweden’s Orbit culture, early afternoon on the Apex stage, enter Scotland’s finest metal band Bleed from Within, full of Chuggy guitar goodness and screams with the blast beats we all know and love. Opening with Levitate, a fan favourite from their past album, to a packed main stage. Scott and the boys bring so much energy to a sun-soaked audience. As Zenith began to play, Scott asked the crowd to get on their feet in a Slipknot duality way and jump up once the riffs came in. The visuals and pyrotechnics were incredible; this was a huge moment for the band in their long career and very well deserved. Closing the set with In Place Of Your Halo from the new album Zenith. SEX PISTOLS - Ben Blissett My word, the age of this band absolutely did not show, with a brand new energy brought by Frank Carter, The Sex Pistols dominated their headline Opus Stage set. Greeted by some rain, you could feel the excitement around the fans, young and old; all came together for a celebration of an incredible album that pretty much everyone knew the words to. The energy from the crowd was pretty overwhelming so much so that Frank tried to get a circle pit around him but it was too chaotic to do so, leading to the crowd becoming animals as one of the best punk bands in history played their hearts out for the Download crowd; this was truly a special set. BOSTON MANOR - Zuzanna Pazola Boston Manor was the 3rd act of the day on Friday’s Apex Stage lineup, and they absolutely did not disappoint. Opening the set with ‘Floodlights on the Square’, they immediately had the crowd jumping, screaming, and dancing along. We got to hear a mix of tunes from their latest album, ‘Sundiver’, and some older tracks, including ‘Halo’ from their 2018 album ‘Welcome to the Neighbourhood’, much to the delight of the hundreds of clearly die-hard fans in the crowd. By the last few songs of the set, we’d witnessed tens (if not hundreds) of crowdsurfers sail past, and there was at least a pit or two happening at all times. Frontman Henry Cox had impeccable vocals throughout the set, and the entire band were super tight from start to finish. LOATHE - Amy Smyth The Apex stage early in the day is debatably one of the hardest spots to play, many times it causes delays and cut sets, as well as having to play to fans that may not be there for you. But of course, Loathe brought the pit to life with their midday set. Lead singer Kadeem sauntered around the main stage even though it was their first ever time playing it, and he rocked the crowd with his infectious dance moves. The band took every moment they could to thank everyone for being there, despite the early set time, the pit reciprocated with brutal mosh pits and crowd surfers. They left the stage with fans chanting for one more song after their set was unfortunately cut, but they did not waste one moment on stage. DAYSEEKER - David Waites Powerfully beautiful” is how we would describe Dayseeker’s set. This was their first time at the festival and their first time in the UK since 2015, and they left their mark - permanently. Opening with their latest single “Pale Moonlight” got the crowd hyped up, and from then on it was an incredible transition of emotions. Songs such as “Without Me” and “Homesick” (dedicated to Rory Rodriguez’s late father) were soul-stirring. Their cover of “My Immortal” silenced the crowd to stand in awe. They ended with “Neon Grave” just to show how much of an impact this band will have on the Metal Scene. The way they infused metal-core and the melodic harmonies left the crowd in a somewhat dream-like state. GRAPHIC NATURE - Neve Saltmarsh Graphic Nature, the hardcore-handbanging-face-stomping stanking band, made the Dogtooth stage explode for 25 minutes. Kicking off with the killer track Locked In from their 2024 album Who Are You When No One Is Watching, the crowd came alive and a sea of thrashing skulls and bodies before vocalist Harvey Freeman could open his mouth. Continuing onto the song Sour, this band never failed for a single moment to get every person in the tent bouncing. Keep an eye on this band, because I know that much more will be coming, and it is not to be missed. VENGABOYS - Libby Percival If you were fighting your way to the Avalanche stage for Busted in 2024, you’d have thought it coudn’t get more chaotic, but then Vengaboys were added to this year's lineup. Campers flooded into District X on the Thursday night to see the unexpected yet highly requested addition performing in the overflowing Doghouse tent. The set was complete with pop up buses with ‘Vengabus’ on the side brought by a group of attendees, confetti and giant colourful balloons while they played their popular hits including “We Like To Party”, “Up and Down” and “Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom” as well as their take on some popular rock songs. DEAD PONY - Claire Elizabeth Glasgow’s Dead Pony truly lit up the Avalanche stage with an undeniable stage presence. I turned up to the set only really knowing the name of the band, and due to it being an earlier set on the Friday, I didn’t know what to expect, but Dead Pony did not disappoint. Lead singer Anna Shields didn’t just sing, but she danced, bounced and owned the stage with her vocals and charisma. The entire band's energy pulled the crowd in and owned the stage. The riffs and beats feel very Paramore meets Nirvana, equalling a powerhouse performance with some fun mosh pits and huge cheers. Definitely a surprise highlight of the weekend and easily one of the most fun sets to watch. AMIRA ELFEKY - Zuzanna Pazola Hailing all the way from the States, Amira Elfeky did an amazing job warming up the crowd inside the Avalanche tent on Sunday. For those unfamiliar with her sound, think Evanescence mixed with Deftones and Lana Del Rey - beautiful and haunting, with some heavier instrumentals that had the crowd hyped. Amira opened her set with ‘Take Me Under’ from brand new EP ‘Surrender’, showing off her stunning vocals and setting the bar high for the rest of the performance. Near the end of the set, we got to hear hits like ‘Will You Love Me When I’m Dead’ and ‘Tonight’, which of course garnered a huge reaction from the crowd; it felt like every single person in that tent knew all the words. It was, unfortunately, quite a short set but it still had the room to be completely mesmerising. ARCHERS - Amy Smyth If you were lucky enough to be in the arena early Saturday and catch Archers, you may have discovered one of the most underrated bands on the lineup. After their EP 'Temporary High' was released on Friday, they took to the Dogtooth stage just before midday. The energy was overly present, despite the early set, and rockers still recovering from their Friday night antics. They had half an hour to show Download what they're made of and they brought their A game, being their first ever time playing in the UK, lead singer Nathaniel paraded around the stage as is he owned it while the rest of the band supported with the same fiery energy. MOTHICA - Libby Percival Mothica made her mark on the Avalanche stage, kicking off the set strong with ‘Casualty’, a catchy and upbeat song with a powerful message to get the crowd hooked. We were also treated to Mothica’s own version of Bring Me The Horizon’s ‘Can You Feel My Heart’ and the set concluded with a cover of ‘All Star’ by Smash Mouth, both great additions to the setlist for those unfamiliar with Mothica as it meant everyone could feel involved and sing along as well as adding humour. The set was extremely well-rounded and perfectly captures the range of what you can expect from an artist like Mothica. SPLIT CHAIN - Mia Gailey Split Chain stormed the Avalanche Stage, delivering a visceral blend of nu‑metal grit and shoegaze atmosphere that filled the tent with emotional intensity. Though still early in their journey, the Bristol quintet commanded the crowd, ripping through new cuts like “bored.tired.torn” and “I’m Not Dying To Be Here” with urgency and conviction. Frontman Bert Martínez‑Cowles paused mid-set to thank the audience for their time and support, forging a genuine connection amid the chaos. It was a bold, cathartic set—proof that Split Chain aren’t just gaining traction; they’re carving out their own path, fast and fearlessly. HOUSE OF PROTECTION - Claire Elizabeth House of Protection kicked off their Avalanche Stage set with a wicked rendition of ‘Pulling Teeth’, setting the tone for an intense performance and one of the most energetic of the weekend. They hit the stage with pure ferocity, which continued into the crowd, resulting in one of the biggest mosh pits nearly taking over the majority of the tent. At one point, frontman Stephen Harrison leapt into the pit, microphone in hand and screaming alongside his fans made pure chaos and an unforgettable experience. Alongside Aric Improta’s explosive drumming, raw aggression and connection were delivered in equal measure. Closing with ‘It’s Supposed To Hurt’ left the crowd hungry for more, definitely a great introduction to the band! UNPEOPLE - Libby Percival Unpeople rocked the Avalanche tent playing their self-titled EP in full, all members confidently commanding the stage. Alongside this was a newer release, ‘The Garden’, which came out late last year; this concluding song also saw guitarist Luke Caley jump into the crowd whilst still performing, evidencing the trust and control the band have with an audience. The band may only have six songs to their name so far, but with their talents and powerful stage presence combined, Unpeople will soon be playing bigger stages with many hits under their belts. STATIC DRESS - Ben Blissett Despite starting at ELEVEN O CLOCK IN THE MORNING, Static Dress pulled in a pretty impressive crowd with even more impressive mosh pits; opening with ‘face.’ they made sure to waste no time getting into the nitty gritty of this set, with only a short 20-25 minutes they packed a punch, showing them to be the little band that could, equipped with pyro, incredible energy and an amazing performance it made for a great set. TROPHY EYES - David Waites It was clear to see when the first notes of “Blue Eyed Boy” were played that high energy and chaos ensued inside the Avalanche tent. This set wasn’t just for the fans — it was a statement: Trophy Eyes belong at Download, and the Aussies proved that. “Enmore” and “Kill” tore through the speakers, with newcomers and die-hard fans alike, everyone was locked in — the tent was unified. Belting every lyric like it was tattooed to their bones. It was raw. It was real. It was everything this band stands for. Thirty minutes flew by, and before you knew it they were waving goodbye to the fans, and honestly, it felt criminal to cut it off there. With a back catalogue like theirs, they could’ve owned that stage for an hour easy. Like so many others packed into that tent, I walked away searching the dates for their next UK tour - desperate for more of that Trophy Eyes energy. VENUS GRRRLS - May Pierce This Leeds-based five-piece showcased their trademark Romantic sound and Riot Grrrl influences in a performance dripping with theatrical allure. Lead singer, GK, was a magnetic presence, shifting between sweet melodies and guttural growls with effortless command. VENUS GRRRLS might as well have cast a spell over the crowd. Their hypnotic vocals and cascading riffs are sure to capture the attention of the first-time listeners gathered under the Avalanche stage on midday Saturday. With the eerie crows cackles from their latest single, Eighteen Crows, haunting the tent, these Witches left the audience well and truly enchanted at their Download debut. ARTIO - May Pierce “It’s a short set, so let’s make it fucking count” - alt rock four-piece ARTIO commanded the Dogtooth stage on Saturday morning. With a solid turnout despite the 11AM slot, their cult following showed up in force, bringing infectious energy to the tent. The lead singer, Rae (they/them), was a force of nature, vocals cutting through with raw power, while the drummer matched every ounce of intensity, driving the set forward with relentless precision. Hit song 'Product of My Own Design'’ ignited the crowd, providing an effective wake-up call for anyone still shaking off the morning haze. With a strong stage presence and connection with the audience, ARTIO made sure to take up their well-deserved space on their first Download stage. Ones to watch? Absolutely. KIM DRACULA - Han Hallett Kim Dracula started as a small musician promoting his original music and cover songs on TikTok. Now five years later, he has performed to a massive crowd on the Opus stage, then straight into an intimate sold-out EU tour! His music cannot be defined as one genre with incorporations of jazz, pop, synth and metal all coming together while also sharing political statements and world views throughout some of his songs such as ‘Make Me Famous’ and ‘Killdozer’ which were both performed along with a cutthroat version of the pop banger ‘Paparazzi’ by ‘Lady Gaga’. We think it’s safe to say he has earned many new fans after his electrifying Download set. LORNA SHORE - Han Hallett Lorna Shore played the Opus stage, and the crowd did not disappoint! They played mostly newer songs along with their newest single, ‘Oblivion,’ which appealed to new and old fans alike. Lorna Shore played the Apex stage in 2023, but a smaller stage to condense the crowd was definitely a great choice this year, especially with the hundreds of crowd surfers showing their appreciation for the band. Despite technical issues resulting in all sound from the stage being cut, frontman Will Ramos remained positive. Unfortunately, due to this issue, ‘Pain Remains II: After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear’ was cut but this just made ‘Pain Remains III: In A Sea of Fire’ even more powerfu,l with the crowd full-sending it for the last song. JIMMY EAT WORLD - Nicola Small Twelve years since their last Download appearance, Jimmy Eat World did not disappoint! Starting things off strong with the anthemic “Pain” had the crowd singing along from the first note. A string of beloved classics followed, including “Sweetness”, “A Praise Chorus” and “Bleed American”, keeping the energy high. “The Middle” was a clear standout (and let’s be honest the one we were all waiting for!) ,leading to a euphoric sing-along on a massive scale. This set left the crowd and the band beaming after a beautifully nostalgic hour of music. LØLØ - Nicola Small A newcomer to Download festival, LØLØ burst onto the stage in the Avalanche tent with high energy, confidence and charm. Her brutally honest lyrics, with themes of mental health and depression delivered in a delightfully upbeat pop punk package, struck a perfect balance for a mid-afternoon set. Opening with “Floor is Lava” (dedicated to the “anxious baddies”) had the tent moving instantly. A highlight was pom poms being tossed into the crowd, creating an impromptu emo cheerleading squad for “Debbie Downer”. As expected, the crowd went absolutely wild for “u turn me on (but you give me depression” and sang along to every word. The whole set was catchy and filled with raw emotion, leaving the tent buzzing. JINJER- Katherine Russell Jinjer destroyed the Apex stage on Sunday, firing up the audience and showcasing exactly why they could never fly under the radar. Tatiana commanded the stage like she was born there, radiating badass heavy-metal fairy energy and delivering impeccably powerful cleans to gutteral screams consistently. Drums, bass and guitar never faltered either, bringing relentlessly strong energy throughout. Tatiana introduced 'Fast Draw' to the crowd with "do you like hardcore?", proceeding to growl the crowd's faces off. An exceptional highlight was 'Vortex', with Tatiana then dedicating 'Someone's Daughter' to the "beautiful women" in the audience. Ending with their new track 'Pisces', it was an awesome end to an impactful set that I only wished was longer (and was in the mosh pit for). Cover Photo: Nicola Small

Interested in getting to know a brand new Modern Metal band? Paradis might be exactly what you're looking for! After getting into the grand final of Metal 2 the Masses later this June Paradis are on a roll with the release of their new EP perfectly lining up to help accompany the hype. Formed in 2022, the four piece from London have been exploring what it means to expand the lens of these traditional metal genres. Their very first EP ‘Paradis’ helped them to navigate into the genre of metalcore, but this new EP ‘Forever In Time’ sets the route to their future sounds and what their possibilities are. The 4 track EP opens with ‘Ouroboros’, starting off with electronic reverberations gradually layering to a killer beat drop, kicking off the whole EP strong. As the chorus comes around, the vocals are layered with lead vocalist Jonny's guttural roars overlapping with a more melodic accompaniment, constructing a satisfying duet. The song's beat carries fast as the lyrics explore themes of finding a meaning in the never ending cycle of life. ‘Terraform’ wastes no time in sustaining the metal thrill as it launches the listening head on to a shredding guitar riff and desolate screams. At the minute and a half mark, the song's drum beat switches as ‘Flynn’ shreds on the drums, a guitar solo comes screeching in, singing its way through the midsection before a crashing breakdown later on. The visuals of sweaty mosh pits and battle jacket armoured head bangers come to the forefront throughout this track. Third up on this EP, ‘Void’ opens with a monumental ten-second roar, flaunting the full capability of Jonny's vocals. The track is the darkest of the bunch and is the perfect tempo for head banging, the bass and guitars pummeling through the song together with addictive riffs. This track is our standout of the lot as it decimates the listener from all sides, truly a modern metal banger. Credit: Sergiodgn ‘The End’ follows the metalcore roots more closely, paths paved with synths and electronic elements. The verses still pounding, but the choruses opt for a more melodic vocal, like we heard in the first track of the EP, again with the vocals being enchantingly layered. The lyrics are relatable and traverse the themes of keeping a positive outlook on life and not fearing the end. A track like this is sure to be stuck in your head,d making it an ideal song to close the EP with, leaving the listener wanting more. Wrapping everything together in this EP, it is a great example of just how good modern metal can be when you give the little guy a try. We can't wait to see where these guys head and are sure we'll see sold out shows and more genre bending bangers coming their way. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for their next shows and releases because their momentum is the antithesis of slowing! Rating: 8/10 WordsL Any Smyth

If the world of music can do something with a precision, it’s bringing together talented artists for impressive collaborations. And thus Osmium was born, from the very minds of the Oscar-winning Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, known primarily for heart-shattering film scores (Joker; Tár; Chernobyl), the highly acclaimed musical engineer and producer James Ginzburg, known for his work for Emptyset, the Senyawa’s idiosyncratic vocalist Rully Shabara, who has been known for his very distinctive style, and the Grammy-winning sound designer and producer Sam Slater. The self-titled EP Osmium is far from any mainstream music, as the focus of the album is primarily the questioning of relationships between humans and machines, tradition and progress, drawing from folk, doom metal, 20-century minimalism, industrial, and extreme noise. Since “OSMIUM 0”, the listeners are drawn to think about what they hear, being surrounded by clock-like sounds and Shabara’s bone-chilling vocals, that are present in every song and are representing the robotic sounds, all without using any voice-changing tools. Credit: Camille Blake “OSMIUM 1”, “OSMIUM 2” and “OSMIUM 3” are all very distinctive tracks, again, using primarily Shabara’s voice as the main instrument, while keeping the rhythms with intensely sounding drums. In “OSMIUM 2”, the listeners are met with hauntingly sounding cello, played by Guðnadóttir. “OSMIUM 3” is an intense song, primarily composed of drums as its predecessors, that is reminiscent of war drums sort of. The song contains a quick break, before going back to the same melody. The rest of the tracks, namely “OSMIUM 4”, “OSMIUM 5”, “OSMIUM 6”, and “OSMIUM 7”, do not offer many new features unfortunately, and all the songs sound very similar in their respective styles, making the listening slightly difficult for anyone, who is not proficient in this type of music. The usage of the instruments remains unchanged as well, creating something resembling a big loop, that is not possible to escape. Although the style of Osmium might not sit well with some listeners, it is evident that the members are all very talented musicians, who know their way around the industry and are not afraid to experiment. The self-titled EP is an excellent insight into the minds of its creators, touching on some sensitive topics, that might not be relevant in present, but are still important to talk about. Rully Shabara’s bone-chilling vocals are tying together the whole dystopian atmosphere of the release, bringing up the urgency of the topic. It surely is a piece to listen to while reminiscing about the past and the future that is about to happen. Score: 6/10 Osmium’s self-titled EP is coming out on 20th June via Invada Records. Words: Katerina Stepanikova