Emerging from the mystical terrain of Umbria, where tremors of the earth meet the whispers of saints, Italian experimental duo Folwark return with their most immersive work to date. All Shadows Stretched is a six-track odyssey recorded in the belly of an abandoned mining site, an origin that feels as intentional as it is symbolic. Balancing tectonic weight with spiritual sensitivity, the record unfolds like a landscape you slowly realise you’ve been standing in for ages. Where 2019’s VIMĀNA sketched Folwark’s otherworldly ambitions, All Shadows Stretched paints them in vivid, haunted hues. The band—Francesco Marcolini (guitars, synths, vocals) and Tommaso Faraci (drums, theremin, vocals)—shape sound into terrain, building out a realm where doom-laden riffs, ambient mantras, and ritualistic rhythms pulse as one living, breathing entity. The opener, 'To Plough the Waves', rises from stillness into a storm, layering drones and tension before crashing into jagged rhythmic peaks. There’s a feeling of something ancient being unearthed here, less like a performance and more like an invocation. The guitars churn and spiral while drums shift between steadiness and collapse. 'The Depths' swells with dread and sacred stillness. Ghostly vocals hover above sparse, deliberate beats and grinding textures. Folwark don’t force catharsis. They shape space for it. Every note feels like it was unearthed rather than written, the emotional landscape unfolding through patient, unhurried movements. 'Amygdala', with its nervous, twitching energy and cathartic outbursts, plays like the emotional centerpiece of the album. Named after the brain’s fear- processing region, it feels like a transmission from deep within the psyche. Guitars roar and pull back. Drums erupt like panic attacks. The theremin’s eerie glissando carves holes in the air. The track becomes a sonic embodiment of emotional fragility, each instrument not merely accompanying the voice but speaking directly in its own dialect. 'Vacuum Dancer' introduces a more rhythmically direct energy. Though still heavy, there's a driving groove here that pushes forward with ceremonial intent. It's a song that carries you in its motion. Less aggressive than entrancing, it moves like a heartbeat syncing with something larger. Folwark’s looped vocal mantras and spiraling rhythms create a trance state where repetition reveals more than it repeats. 'Oval Night', the longest track at over nine minutes, sits in a space of suspended darkness. Guitars weep and pulse in waves, synths glimmer dimly beneath layers of low-end grit, and the vocals come in like distant chants. There’s a hushed reverence here. Bleak, yet strangely affirming. It’s the kind of song that feels like memory: shadowy, imperfect, but filled with meaning. Closing with 'Agartha', the duo steps into a sense of resolution. Named after the mythic underground city, the track merges glacial synths and post-rock elegance with flashes of quiet triumph. This is not a climax but a resurfacing. Something has changed, though you may not be able to name it. Folwark leave you with the residue of the journey rather than a final proclamation. With mixing and mastering by Lorenzo Stecconi (Amenra, Ufomammut, ZU), the record strikes a delicate balance between rawness and clarity. Every tone breathes. Every sound has a pulse. The production lets atmosphere and emotion lead without sacrificing force. All Shadows Stretched is an experience built from introspection and restraint. Folwark speak through their instruments with a kind of emotional precision that transcends language, channeling tension, wonder, grief, and release in equal measure. This is music that listens back—quietly powerful, patiently transformative, and rooted in the spaces between. Score: 8/10 All Shadows Stretched will be released on April 18th 2025 via Octopus Rising. Words: Jason De Mendonca Photos: Folwark

Closing in on a decade as a band, The Pale White are returning with their hotly anticipated second album, The Big Sad. The Geordie trio, made up of brothers Adam and Jack, and third member Tom, are slamming back onto the alt-rock scene with their scorching new album full of heavy riffs and labyrinthine baselines and vocals. This rhythmic triumph of a “self-produced and self-confident” album will help cement The Pale White as firm favourites in the alt-rock scene of 2025. Kicking the album off, ‘Lost In The Moment’, starts with a nostalgic sounding beat accompanied with building, almost ethereal vocals bursting into a solid drum beat as the song springs into life. Introducing who The Pale White are, ‘Lost In The Moment’ feels very reminiscent of early 2000s indie rock, and with that brings around feelings of summers spent growing up and finding yourself, then losing yourself and it is a belter of an opening track. Some of the vocals do tend to get lost in the power of the instrumental, and with vocals from frontman Adam Hope, that is not something you want to happen. Sticking with the stripped back, easy listening feel, ‘Lost In The Moment’ fades really nicely into the next track, ‘Final Exit’. Once more exhibiting Hope’s vocals in a way that feels significantly different from their 2021 album, Infinite Pleasure. His vocals feel more realised, like they fit with the music being made. The twinkly yet heavy, almost Bowie-esque feel of their sound, truly compliments Hope's vocals. The lyrics focusing heavily on personal change and how that can get lost in the repetition of everyday relationships, hit home for listeners on an album Hope described as “an album of honesty and purity.” This is particularly evident on ‘Final Exit’, that fades into an outro you can’t help but rewind to hear again and again. Fueling a genre shift, part way through the album listeners are greeted with ‘There’s An Echo’. Immediately springing into action, the song begins with an eerie beat going straight into a dirty bass groove that you can’t help but move your head along to. Moving into the chorus, the mood lifts slightly with the addition of a light guitar riff and a strong beat from the drum skills of Jack Hope, which all add to the complexity The Pale White were hoping to add to this album. As one of the longer songs on the album, ‘There’s An Echo’ allows the listener insight into where the band were when they formed this album, you can hear all the musical textures they purposefully added and you can feel the passion behind the music. Experimentation can work wonders, especially on a second album, as a band will have already made who they are known. It can allow them to take slight risks. The 53 second track, ‘Interlude’, feels like The Pale White’s experiment that hasn’t truly landed. It feels too electronic, too produced against the dreamy, melodramatic nostalgia the rest of the album evokes. The addition of the conversations in the studio are great, they allow an insight into the band as people and it brings the music to life, it just feels like it would be better added to one of the songs already on the album, rather than separating it out as a track. The album comes to its natural conclusion with the title track, ‘The Big Sad’. Focusing heavily on the 60s inspired flourishes that weave their way throughout this album, ‘The Big Sad’ flirts once again with the idea of the mundane and this idea of being down but not choosing to focus on it, all encapsulated with whimsical feeling synth notes. As a closing for an album, ‘The Big Sad’ leaves you wanting that little bit more. It doesn’t feel like the album ends where it should, and leaves you wanting more but not having that sense of satisfaction that it’s finished. With The Big Sad, The Pale White have set out to accomplish something ambitious, and while some tracks can feel slightly misplaced at times, we feel that they have achieved something that is musically invigorating. Capturing an essence of hometown music, with a feeling of big, loud alt-rock, The Pale White have created a sophomore album that lives up to the hype of their sound, and it is an album they should be boasting about. Score: 6/10 The Big Sad will be released on April 18th 2025 via End of the Wall Recordings. Words: Emily Bancroft Photos: The Pale White

Gama Bomb return with Necronomicon Automaton, a four-track whirlwind of classic thrash chaos, clocking in just under 15 minutes. Despite its conciseness, this EP packs a serious punch, offering everything fans have come to love from the Irish crew: high-speed riffs, off-the-wall lyrics, and a tongue planted so firmly in cheek it’s almost trying to burst through. While these tracks were initially written during the sessions for 2023’s BATS, they’ve been refined and repurposed into a tightly-wound, standalone release that never once feels like an afterthought. Opening track ‘Nunchuks!’ is a feral, fast-paced tribute to martial arts weaponry, kicking the door open with shredding guitars and absurdly brilliant lyrics. Lines like “I bless you in the name of the nunchaka-ka-ka-ka!” are delivered with pure conviction, as frontman Philly Byrne barrels through the track like a mad prophet in a dojo of thrash. It’s everything great about Gama Bomb distilled into two-and-a-half minutes: fun, frenetic, and gloriously unhinged. ‘Intror the Deceiver’ follows with a dramatic introduction that sets the scene like a VHS-era horror trailer. It’s short, but not throwaway; more like a chaotic invocation, inviting the listener into the bizarre world that lies ahead. Gama Bomb has always embraced theatricality, and this track adds a layer of dark camp that ties the whole release together. Third track ‘Necropanzer’ turns up the heaviness, rolling out a tale of mechanised destruction and undead warfare. It’s arguably the most aggressive moment on the EP, channeling classic thrash tropes through the band’s uniquely warped lens. There’s a slight edge of menace here, but it’s never too serious, Gama Bomb know exactly when to smirk and when to shred. Closing with the title track, ‘Necronomicon Automaton’, the band dive headfirst into Lovecraftian horror and retro sci-fi mayhem. Twisting riffs and machine-gun drums power a song full of arcane texts, cursed tech, and mechanical monsters. The name itself, ‘Necronomicon Automaton’, is an intentionally ridiculous tongue twister, perfectly summing up the band’s love for absurdity and theatrical flair. If you can say it three times fast, you’re probably possessed. Production duties fall to guitarist Domo Dixon, whose mix balances raw aggression with clarity, giving the EP a livewire energy that captures the band’s signature chaos without sounding muddy. The cover art, by horror illustrator Graham Humphreys, features the band’s skeletal mascot Snowy in a séance inspired scene that looks ripped from a Victorian fever dream, an aesthetic that fits perfectly with both the EP’s bizarre themes, and Snowy’s progression from yeti, to vampire, to ectoplasmic entity. All in all, Necronomicon Automaton is a compact but complete offering that showcases Gama Bomb’s enduring knack for fusing razor-sharp thrash with ridiculous storytelling and irreverent humour. It might be brief, but it’s loaded with character, and it only reinforces their position as one of the most entertaining and unpredictable forces in modern thrash. Score: 7/10 Necronomicon Automaton will be released on April 18th 2025 via Prosthetic Records. Words: Vee Richardson Photos: Gama Bomb

After a decade of silence, shoegaze heavyweights Superheaven are back with their new self-titled album. Recorded and produced by the band’s own Jake Clarke and Zack Robbins, alongside the iconic Will Yip, the album is a natural evolution of their signature mix of post-hardcore grit and thick, melancholic fuzz. Known for bridging the gap between ‘90s alt-rock nostalgia and modern heaviness, Superheaven’s comeback feels both timely and timeless—an album that embraces their roots while pushing their sound forward. Formed in 2008 and known then as Daylight, the band released a handful of EPs before their much-celebrated debut album Jar in 2013, quickly followed by a name change. Though they never officially disbanded, the band all but ceased to be following the release of 2015’s Ours Is Chrome. A handful of one-off shows and secret sets followed in the next few years, culminating with the release of the single ‘Long Gone’ in November 2024. The band’s first release since 2015. Superheaven’s self-titled return wastes no time, instantly reminding us what we’ve been missing—and craving—throughout their absence. The album opener ‘Humans For Toys’ checks all the boxes and sets the bar for a record stacked end to end with future classics. Shoegazey, fuzzy riffs, and Jake Clarke and Taylor Maddison’s immediately recognisable vocals hit like a long-awaited homecoming. ‘Numb To What Is Real’ continues to raise an already lofty bar with a huge anthemic chorus and soaring vocals. This is a band that is not just finding its footing again but is fully hitting its stride. There’s enough growth and experimentation here to propel Superheaven into their next chapter while still maintaining the unmistakable DNA that made them cult favourites in the first place. It’s a comeback that feels both assured and necessary. Other standouts from the album include ‘Sounds Of Goodbyes’. This track leans heavily toward the band’s roots, which longtime fans will really connect with. It's a track that wouldn’t feel out of place on either Jar or Ours Is Chrome, yet still feels fresh within the album’s more expansive palette. Meanwhile, ‘Long Gone’ —the first track fans heard following the band’s return—still hits just as hard, serving as both a bridge between past and present and a reminder of Superheaven’s ability to make heartbreak feel anthemic. Superheaven is a triumphant return for the Pennsylvania five-piece. This record feels less like a comeback and more like a seamless continuation of everything they do best. After a decade away, it’s genuinely impressive to see the band slip back into their sound with such ease and confidence - it’s truly as if they never left. There’s no trend-chasing or heavy reinvention here that you may come to expect with a band returning from such an extended hiatus as Superheaven has. Instead, they’ve simply doubled down on what made them so special in the first place. This album isn’t just a return to form—it’s an outstanding reminder of Superheaven’s enduring influence on the heavy shoegaze and grunge revival scenes. If Jar was their arrival and Ours Is Chrome their refinement, Superheaven feels like their reaffirmation. A bold, confident statement from a band who’ve always known exactly who they are. Score: 9/10 Superheaven will be released on April 8th 2025 via Blue Grape Music. Words: Andrew Nile Photos: Superheaven

With Back From Hell, Caliban are reborn. After more than two decades at the forefront of European metalcore, the German heavyweights have returned swinging with an album that doesn't so much reassert their legacy as redefine it. Musically tighter, more streamlined, yet as emotionally raw and pummelling as ever, this is Caliban at their most condensed and brutal. The album doesn't waste time knocking on the door, it barrels straight through it with no apologies. 'Resurgence' simmers like a storm on the horizon, the perfect introduction to an album of pure metalcore, before erupting into the non-stop fury of 'Guilt Trip', featuring Mental Cruelty's Lukas Nicolai, adding extra venom to the track. It's clear that Caliban are operating with laser-like precision and newfound focus. The riffs cut deeper, the drums hit harder, and every shift in intensity seems deliberate. There's a renewed accuracy to the songwriting that we haven’t seen before. Each track hits like a calculated explosion; feral in impact, but engineered with precision. A noticeable part of that renewed clarity comes from the addition of Iain Duncan on bass and clean vocals, who slots into the lineup so naturally it's hard to believe this is his first album with the band. His presence is immediately felt, not just in the low-end and rhythm, but in the emotional heft he brings to the choruses. 'I Was A Happy Kid Once' is a particular standout, not just for its emotional resonance, but for the way Duncan's melodic vocals are so seamlessly integrated into the chaos. His voice doesn't just soar, it aches, carving out space in the track's dense, punishing landscape. It's a perfect display of Caliban's dualism: haunting vulnerability colliding with devastating heaviness. What's remarkable is the fact that the band are capable of moving forward and showing intense progression without abandoning that which made them so excellent. The riffs still drop like slabs of concrete, the breakdowns still leave craters in their wake, and there's no shortage of fury in Andreas Dörner's vocals, but there's so much more depth this time around. Dörner's vocal effort is nothing short of transcendent, the work he’s put into elevating his skill is visible, and the result is a rawness that cuts straight through. His delivery is the emotional anchor of the record, and the rest of the band falls in behind him like a well-oiled machine. Songs such as 'Back From Hell' (with Jonny McBee of The Browning) and 'Dear Suffering' (with Joe Badolato of Fit For An Autopsy) increase the pace without descending into chaos, highlighting a band who are well aware of when to let go and when to rein it in. The band tread the path between brutality and restraint with comfort. 'Overdrive' bursts in like a runaway freight train; urgent, relentless, and built to get a pit going within seconds. Its groove is infectious, locking into a rhythm that all but dares you to stay still. Görtz and Schmidt play some of their most pinpoint accurate and inventive guitar work to date throughout the album, balancing razor-sharp riffing and eerie, melodic undertones that lend the bedlam real depth. Whether it's the vertiginous layering of 'Glass Cage', the nerve-jangling dissonance of 'Insomnia', or the battering hooks of 'Solace In Suffer', the chemistry between them is undeniable. No less vital is the drumming of Patrick Grün, precise, pounding, never overplaying. Every fill and blast beat is like it's been waiting for its moment and explodes like a bomb. 'Till Death Do Us Part’ hits with emotional venom, a slower burn that festers under tension before ultimately erupting. Closer ‘Echoes’ draws it all together: a perfect finale that melds melody and aggression in equal measure, and one of the finest examples of Caliban's new-found balance. What distinguishes Back From Hell is not just how heavy it is, but how realistic it sounds. These are not just songs built for pit destruction, they're built from scars, loss, trauma, and resilience. There's history on this record. There's growth. There's survival. Caliban haven’t just made a great record. They've made a statement: evolution doesn't need to equal erasure. That you can be heavier, sharper, and more ambitious without sacrificing who you are. Back From Hell is a new high point in an already storied career. Score: 8/10 Back From Hell will be released on April 25th 2025 via Century Media Records. Words: Vee Richardson Photos: Caliban

The U.K. heavy music scene has never been more back! Heriot are a band that don't fit in any single genre (they just siege!) they brought the very best of U.K. hardcore across the country with them. London’s finest False Reality opened the show and had limbs flying everywhere from the first note. Releasing their debut album a year ago has put False Reality on a path from the underground towards stardom in the U.K. hardcore scene and beyond. Their debut album 'Path of Self Destruct' released in April of 2024 to great acclaim and the crowd proved that in the year since it came out the hype has not died down in the slightest. They were a perfect choice to open the night by shaking the room with their colossal hardcore sound. Closing the set with their song Opposites Attract rounded out a fantastic set that brought the energy and left the crowd eager for the next band Grove Street. False Reality are ones to watch in the hardcore scene because they will be making big waves. Hailing from the south coast Grove Street brings the best of hardcore and thrash mixed together into a high energy sound. Having recently released the single 'Ultimate Penalty' with Josh Middleton of Sylosis, it shows that they are a band who are destined for greatness. The release of their LP 'The Path To Righteousness' in 2023 has brought in a wave of fans for the band and they've capitalised on this excitement by forging a name for themselves as one of the must see up and coming live bands in the heavy music scene. By their own words they are a band who want to make sure the crowd has fun and value that most of all. Vocalist Ben ‘Sully’ Sullivan encouraged the crowd to move in and make sure that the whole crowd had fun. With the band looking as though they're on the lead up to a new album it's definitely worth keeping an eye on them as they're onto big things. Heriot are a band that have been rapidly building a big fan base since their self proclaimed “relaunch” in 2019 when they added vocalist and guitarist Debbie Gough to the lineup. Embarking on this headline tour across the U.K. after dropping their album Devoured By The Mouth Of Hell there was huge excitement to see how they could bring the sound of the album to live shows. Heriot are a band whose sound is like a wall of destructive noise hitting you with unrelenting force at their heaviest and an ethereal dreamscape in other parts. The shared vocals of guitarist Debbie Gough and bassist Jake Packer is the perfect dynamic to suit their unique style. Bone crushing riffs are ripped through by the sound of Debbie Gough’s cacophonous high screams and Jake Packer’s discordant low growls. Opening their set with the mighty 'Sentenced To The Blade' brought riffs that could be felt to the very core from the opening seconds and a snare drum that is probably still reverberating through the bones of everyone in the room. There was no moment to let the energy die down when they moved onto playing Enter The Flesh from their 2022 EP 'Profound Morality'. Moving into the lead single 'Siege Lord' from Devoured By The Mouth Of Hell showcased the craft that went into the new album and allowed the band to prove just how perfectly in sync with each other they are on stage. The song ending on a monumental breakdown that sent the moshers flying around the room. The set was a perfect blend of letting the fans hear the gargantuan sounds of the new album while also playing old fan favourites like the wildly popular 'Demure'. The slow build up of the song gave time to split the room in half and left a moment to breathe in anticipation of the thunderous mosh pit erupting when the crushing riffs hit. Closing the set with 'At The Fortress Gate' got the crowd to bring the energy for one last audacious mosh pit that was absolutely full of bodies and limbs flying in all directions. The tour was an overwhelming success with multiple sold out shows in some of the most iconic underground venues through Scotland and England which culminated in Manchester’s exemplary venue Rebellion. Heriot are a band on an unstoppable rise through heavy music and this tour proved that there are countless reasons to keep them on your radar. Words: Alex Long Photos: Mia Gailey

The long anticipated ‘Unholy Trinity’ tour visited their one UK stop in the O2 Brixton and to say it was spectacular would be an understatement. The eternal queue was full of fans painting each other's faces and showing off their jackets, it truly seemed like a perfect place to meet new people before the unholy ceremony. Rotting Christ being the first on the bill began the trinity in the unholiest way possible: glorious head banging and celestial lighting whilst referencing the reformer statue. This angelic performance livened the crowd for a night of sin, the cheers were as electric as the guitar as each member showed off their devotion. Playing classics such as “Like father, Like son” and 666 they were a perfect stater to the much anticipated night. With a 45 minute set, Saki Tolis commanded the audiences devotion with an atmosphere steeped in shadowy mystique and relentless darkness as they responded fists in air. The crowd erupted in cheers and chants, not a single fist wasn’t pounding up high, Rotting Christ once again proved they know how to start a show. Having not played the uk since the early 2000, having played in Brixton last supporting Pantera, it was a long awaited return for the Norwegian legends that are Satyricon. Satyr joked that the last time he was in Brixton, audience members on the balcony beside him kept demanding he sit down, he encouraged the balcony to stand up and bang their heads. It was during Satyricon we saw the crowd increase as many were still queuing during Rotting Christ, they played in front of a backdrop of dark birds in a stormy sky which set the stage for this dark and majestic set. Satyricon immediately captured the crowd with their 9 song set featuring classics such as Mother North and The pentagram burns. Each song took a new life and engaged the audience, the mystic green lighting truly brought everyone to a fantasy world. The crowd banged their heads as Satyricon played K.I.N.G, the second song featured on the album ‘Now, Diabolical’, as it approaches its 20th anniversary it’s clear that it’s truly a staple album in black metal history. The lights dimmed as the audience roared, it was time for the infamous Polish band Behemoth. As usual with Behemoth tours there was yet another petition against their ‘satanic nature’, this dark and mystical band were about to bring the heat (literally) to Brixton. The stage was hidden by a white sheet which displayed visuals such as a wolf running through a forest, as soon as the sheet dropped it was time. The band black metal legends began their set with a new song ‘The Shadow Elite’, already from the vibe of just this one song alone it was clear it was going to be an audio and visual spectacle. The set list continued on into the new songs including the title track ‘The shit ov God’, with roaring flames shooting from either side, there wasn’t a single person on the barrier not sweating whilst banging their head. Behemoth is a band which has great audience interaction, with each member arising onto platforms at various parts and leaning into the audience, you truly feel alive and part of the worship. Mid-set the vibes shifted and slowed to the beautifully eerie tune that is Bartzabel, as the lights became brighter, illuminating Nergal’s painted faces, he lifted his hand, perfectly encapsulating the essence of a renaissance painting. Whilst Behemoth kept to primarily recent releases there truly was a song for everyone, Cursed of Doom notoriously being a classic, causing the audience to roar upon the first note. the crowd was vibrant, the visuals were stunning and everyone could see how iconic this band has truly become. Many audience members came with their father, it was clear to see a vibrant rise in a new era of black metal in the making. Words and photos: Lizzie Jones

Back for its sophomore edition, Noizzefest is quickly cementing itself as a staple of the UK alternative music calendar. Noizzefest is taking over Cardiff’s Fuel Rock Club and Clwb Ifor Bach on April 26th for an evening of underground heaviness, genre-defying innovation, and boundary-pushing bands. Here are ten unmissable acts lighting up this year's bill. UNPEOPLE Exploding onto the scene like a pressure valve blown wide open, Unpeople are the alt-rock newcomers with serious talent behind them. With a debut EP that's been gaining a stir through its blend of pure chaos, razor-sharp hooks and vocal gymnastics, their Noizzefest set promises a whirlwind of frantic energy and riff-based release. If you like your melodies skewed and your mosh pits sing-along, don't miss out.# KNIFE BRIDE Knife Bride's theatricality and gothic sensibility, coupled with their dramatic songwriting, make them one of the most visually and aurally arresting bands on the bill. Equal parts theatrical and thunderous, their sound is akin to stepping into a twisted fairytale, where haunting melody crashes into ravaging riffage. Their live shows are intense, immersive, and harrowing, and their Noizzefest set is guaranteed to leave jaws dropped. FORLORN If you like your metal steeped in folklore and your atmosphere so thick you can cut it with a knife, Forlorn are not to be missed. Performing their debut album Aether from start to finish, this is a one-off and special event; a vertigo-inducing brew of pagan imagery, sweeping soundscapes and neck-snapping brutality. Expect to be completely transported to their world. Bonus points if you rock a flower crown and a thousand-yard stare. ORCHARDS For those requiring a dash of light amongst the darkness, Orchards provide groove-infused math-pop overflowing with colour, humour and surprise depth. That being said, don’t be fooled by their sunny outlook. Beneath the sparkling guitar work and springing choruses beats an emotional heart that packs as much punch as the breakdowns elsewhere on this bill. A masterclass in dynamic songcraft, their set will be a breath of fresh air. HIGH REGARD Charging ahead with irresistible force, High Regard fuse alt-rock urgency with melodic clarity and a bite of post-hardcore grit. Having gained serious momentum over the last year, this trio are on the cusp of something huge. Expect a tightly honed set packed with catchy choruses, snarling riffs, and the kind of confidence that makes you want to throw your drink in the air and scream along. MASTIFF Enter the void: Mastiff are here to crush everything in their way. With the weight of sludge, the speed of grind, and the ferocity of hardcore, their sound is nothing but aural torture, and their live shows are like surviving a breakdown intact. Grim, brutal, and utterly merciless, this is the set for anyone who wants to be sonically destroyed. Just don't forget your earplugs. EL MOONO Mixing post-hardcore soul with grunge soundscapes and frenzied intensity, El Moono make chaos cathartic. Their recent record The Waking Sun found them stepping into their own as a true force, both sonically and thematically. Live, they shift seamlessly between introspective and berserk, layering riff-based aggression with sections of unnerving quiet. Expect to be drawn in from the very first note. HIDDEN MOTHERS Hidden Mothers aren’t just playing music, they’re tearing open emotional wounds and stitching them shut in real time. Their blend of screamo, post-metal, and atmospheric intensity builds like a slow-burning panic attack before crashing into breathtaking release. If you’re the kind of person who cries in the pit (respect), this is the band for you. Bring tissues and prepare to feel your feelings. COPSE There's a bleak beauty to what Copse do, a raw, sorrowful swirl of post-black metal that sounds enormous, cinematic and deeply human. They balance brutality with moments of soul-scorching clarity to create a live performance that's immersive and unsettling. If you need to gaze into the void while someone shrieks prettily beside you, Copse are a necessity. LOVE RARELY Blending math rock intricacies with alt-emo sincerity, Love Rarely make music that feels like shrieking your innermost feelings into the abyss. Their music feels complex but never calculated, emotional but never melodramatic. Guitars twist and tumble over one another as vocals hit with disarmingly honesty. Catch them now, because this is the kind of band that people start cults over. Words: Vee Richardson

When news broke of a new alternative festival in Sheffield, it was clear that Shreddler would be an unmissable event. This all-day festival, in collaboration with Festivile and expertly curated by Loz Taylor of While She Sleeps and Christian Carlise from BBC Introducing, took over Peddler Warehouse on a sunny Saturday, showcasing the vibrant live music scene of Yorkshire. Starting off at the beginning of 12 hours of incredible live music was energetic metalcore band INDEVTH, whose heavy bass and early circle pits set the tone for the day ahead. Brat metal band Eville followed, giving Arch Enemy and Scene Queen vibes, getting the crowd to warm up and get to moving around a bit. Throwing in heavy vocals alongside even heavier riffs, vocalist Eva showed us that even in a cutesy crop top and butterflies on your guitar strap, the girls were ready to take Shreddler festival by storm. By the time ‘electro gaze’ band Angel Number took to the stage, the crowd were ready and waiting. The first of the softer sounding bands of the day, the band brought in a more melodic, dreamy feel, with heavy drums and riffs from the five piece. Angel Number Still In Love brought the first hardcore sound to Shreddler, and along with it, a crowd of already dedicated fans, singing along. Vocalist Nick, who confessed that the band are not one to be labelled, let us know that he just ‘needed to get some shit out’ which led to writing their new album songs like “Sober” which they smashed out, with the crowd really feeling every word. Graywave's ethereal vocals and dream gaze sound, reminiscent of Cultdreams, captivated the crowd with a mix of distortion and gentle vocals. This, teamed with massive riffs, meant the crowd were ready and waiting for what the rest of the day had to offer. Graywave Drawing even more of a crowd was Leeds band Bodyweb. With an impressive grungy post-hardcore sound, that seemed to evolving with each song, and added live effects, making a more nu-metal echo, it was difficult to keep our eyes on just one member of the band, as they all brought a different kind of energy to the stage. Giving a shout out to the ever-growing Sheffield music scene was hardcode band Rough Justice. Personally, we love when you can really hear an accent in vocals and there was no absence of that with their set. From endless circle pits, to climbing on shoulders, to vocalist James getting up close and personal with the crowd, especially for their final song, an obvious fan favourite, Rough Justice showed those of us not from Sheff just what they had to offer. Rough Justice Three-piece band Tropic Gold blended together a nu metal and electronic sound that wouldn’t be out of place on a movie soundtrack, whilst asking ‘Are you sick of everything?’. They brought their soundscapes to the Shredder festival crowd, which was received with open arms. Blending together grungy, atmospheric, Hundreth vibes with notes of shoegaze were Oversize. With clear Deftones influence, Oversize were another key band that drew a crowd and kept it. Heavy on the guitars and joined by perfectly timed drums, this band were a perfect addition to the day. Oversize As we headed into the evening, the small in numbers but mighty in sound Sick Joy took to the stage, ready to impress the crowd with their dark, ‘heavy pop’ energy. Vocalist Mykl sings their sharp-edged lyrics with a mix of sadness and determination in his voice, drawing the crowd in with each song. The penultimate band of the day was alt-metal duo Lake Malice. Giving the crowd their all with their dark, electronic metal sound, the crowd gave it back through loudly singing the words back at lead vocalist Alice, along with impressive circle pits and a lot of jumping. They got everyone ready and in the mood for final act of the night, Delilah Bon. Lake Malice As a self-described Rage Queen, Delilah Bon was ready and willing to get the last ounce of energy from those still standing after a long day of loud, animated and dedicated bands. Hailing from just up the road in Barnsley, Delilah brought rage anthems galore, with her hip hop influenced, nu metal ‘brat punk’ style. This is not your mother’s feminism; this is feminism for the TikTok age and that is no understatement. From the 'evil hate-filled female' lyrics to the girly pop dancing, Delilah Bon’s set was rowdy and the crowd matched her energy with every song, ending the day with a reminder to all ‘Dead Men Don’t Rape’. Delilah Bon From our standpoint, the first Shreddler fest was a triumph. It showcased the diverse spectrum of alternative music and reinforced Sheffield's reputation as a hub for live music. We can’t wait for the festivals return next year. Words: Lou Viner Photos: Anna Goley

The winter is coming to an extremely welcome end and the sun is starting to shine upon us once again, and for the music fans among us this can only mean one thing, festival season is fast approaching! The UK’s biggest parks and venues will once again be tense with ticket holders' anticipation for their favorite artists to grace the stage, and what better way to ease into that summer feeling with a guide on the must-see artists on Slam Dunk Festival’s insane line up for this year. The UK’s biggest one-day rock festival is back with a bang in 2025 with a jam-packed line up with the likes of A Day To Remember, Electric Callboy, Neck Deep and many, many more. If you are sitting there questioning your itinerary for the day, then this article will give you an idea of the top ten artists to see to quench your thirst for a good old-fashioned headbang. 10) HOT MILK Taking the tenth spot on the list is Manchester-based rock band Hot Milk. Formed in 2018, the band causes complete anarchy wherever they go and blur the lines between genres with their well-spoken lyrics that often address issues that are facing the world today. If you're looking for a good scream to release those pent-up emotions, Hot Milk will be there to help with that! 9) DELILAH BON Snatching up spot number nine is the queen of causing riots in the pit. Delilah Bon. Formerly the frontwoman of South Yorkshire-born rock band Hands Off Gretel, Delilah Bon has forged her own chaotic path and is certainly a force to be reckoned with, a definite must-see for Slam Dunk 2025! 8) WARGASM Sitting steady at the eighth spot is Wargasm, an electronic rock duo originating from the UK’s capital who know how to put on an absolute rager of a performance. Sky-rocketing in popularity after the release of their second album ‘Venom’, they are no strangers to breaking glass ceilings with their energy. Wargasm eagerly describe their own music as ‘Angry songs for sad people’ so if this sounds like you, they are well worth a watch at Slam Dunk 2025! 7) LESS THAN JAKE This next band have been smashing on the ska-punk front since the mid nineties, and their light-hearted music is still just as upbeat and infectious to this day. Sliding into spot number seven is none other than Less Than Jake, and if you’re up for a good laugh, their comedic timing during their shows will have you rolling with laughter, not to mention their high-energy tracks will get your blood pumping and their ongoing fixation with Pez sweets will have you feeling pretty nostalgic. 6) NEW FOUND GLORY Snagging the well-deserved sixth spot is New Found Glory. They’re a legendary force in pop-punk, bringing a high-energy, nostalgia-packed performance that’ll make you feel like you’re back in the early 2000s. Their catchy tracks and upbeat riffs are bound to get the Slam Dunk crowd singing along, creating an electrifying atmosphere. 5) A DAY TO REMEMBER In fifth place, we have none other than A Day to Remember, a band that will throw you back to a time when band tees were overflowing your wardrobe and your bedroom was more posters than actual wall. This band surely needs no introduction, so make sure to catch them as the headliner at Slam Dunk 2025! 4) SOUTH ARCADE As we approach the top three, an honourable mention needs to be given to Oxford-born band South Arcade as they snag the fourth spot. Creating music since 2021, South Arcade have been making it big over the last two years, releasing a large number of singles and EP’s and even brought out their debut album last December. Make sure to give them your loudest cheers from the pit! 3) NECK DEEP In third place, we have everyone's favourite pop-punk group from scenic Wales, Neck Deep. This band for sure had you moshing on in your bedroom as a teen, and this is your chance to show your appreciation for their music in real time! 2) MOUTH CULTURE Deserving of their spot in second place is none other than Mouth Culture. Fresh out of their debut Download performance in 2024, they are back and more than well-equipped to handle the rager that is festival season and are ready to blast their brand new EP that they released late last year to tens of thousands of hyped-up fans. 1) ZEBRAHEAD And now, the top spot has been snatched up by a band bringing insane riffs from across the pond and have been going sensationally strong for a whole 29 years. Number one on the list of must-see artists at Slam Dunk Festival 2025 are Zebrahead. If you have not seen this band live then it is a bucket list-type venture, their stage presence and performance quality are second to none and there is no doubt that they will be shredding those strings better than ever on stage in May 2025! Well there you have it, ten artists that you need to add to your undoubtedly packed festival itinerary for the year. Slam Dunk Festivals’ line up for 2025 is looking to be one of the best yet, so we better see you there in the pit having the time of your life! WORDS: Becca Wheeler

With their appearance at Outbreak just around the corner, here’s our thoughts on every Knocked Loose album and EP - in detail, because it's hard to stop talking about the biggest band in hardcore! 5) A Tear in the Fabric of Life - EP, 2021 Something has to go to the bottom of this list, and the process of elimination has placed Tear in the Fabric of Life here this time. As the full precursor to You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To, the artistry present in the animated film for the EP is phenomenal; the portrayal of grief through its skeletal beings as a never ending journey of horrors and derealisation. The scene of the roots taking hold within Forced to Stay is as haunting as it is beautiful (the whole section is a highlight of the animation), and as the lead begins to morph into the chaos they were running from, the moth motif is both poignant and crawls upon the skin while the final shot of the castle is artwork we wish was on a poster. Mangnus Jonsson deserves all his flowers for Tear in the Fabric of Life as Bryan Garris deserves his for seeing this concept. As for the tracks: God Knows is a masterclass in the Knocked Loose breakdown, from the opening instrumental three act structure to “Loathing/caused by the weight of the/ terror” scratching the itch in the hardcore brain. The death wails at the end deserve a shoutout too, notwithstanding the chaos that is the final minute afterwards, and this track has also made for some of the best merch they’ve made (personal opinion). Return to Passion manages to over deliver within its minute and a bit runtime with that small low guitar/bell ride riff at its beginning before launching into the frankly dirty breakdown that makes up the rest of its bars. So why last? As mentioned, it's not for the shortcomings of A Tear in the Fabric of Life but for the success and place in the hearts of other projects that other outputs have within the fanbase. Tear in the Fabric of Life set off the spark for what was to come in their artistry rather than ignited a flame, though the importance of this EP to the Knocked Loose evolution cannot be understated. Highlight Tracks: God Knows, Return to Passion 4) Laugh Tracks - LP, 2016 It is hard to rank Laugh Tracks as the worst of the three Knocked Loose LPs because it infers it is lesser than its successors - if this ranking was based on personal opinion it would be much higher. As the album that started it all, each of its tracks will rank in top 10s and 5s in a given crowd of Knocked Loose fans, with singles such as Billy No Mates (featuring Counterparts) being a personal highlight of their commercial offerings. As for album tracks, fan favourite Oblivion’s Peak is an instant standout; its theme of enacting revenge on the fraternity that rejected a friend of the group due to his being gay is a comfort to the queer hardcore scene and contains honest reflections on the odds that a want for community can have within a hostile society, while the track itself is almost sultry in the way it swings and gradually increases its chaos. The breakdown refrain “When it’s your time to be judged, you’ll get what you f**king deserve” is a cathartic bar also and cannot be forgotten. Blood Will Have Blood is a bouncy number with a melody that manages to soothe the soul despite the genre it is contained in, then album closer Laugh Tracks is a testimony to the themes of isolation and lack of understanding that characterise this project. The use of the laugh tracks at the end of this album perfectly embody the layer of humour and attempts at charm that oft bookend the display of emotions that Laugh Tracks performs, and this track overall is a perfect closer to the project. The only issue with this album truly, is that the fade outs at the end of ‘Last Words’, ‘No Thanks’ and ‘A Fetish’ all fade out as if they’re the last track, which takes some of the steam out of the project on a cover to cover. But apart from this Laugh Tracks is the darling of the Knocked Loose fan community, but the outer ripples of other projects inch them ahead for the purposes of this ranking. Highlight tracks: Oblivion’s Peak, Blood Will Have Blood, Laugh Tracks 3) Pop Culture - EP, 2014 Knocked Loose’s first EP has a special place in the hearts of those who have been listening to the quintet for a while, and Out of Rage is no exception. Potential emanates from their debut, with the smooth transitions between tracks and its scathingly passionate lyrics about their dissatisfaction with the society presented to them. Separate and Small Victories still hold up as some of the best in the discography; Separate a tirade against the fake with its unfiltered insults perfectly complimenting the punk energy that early Knocked Loose emanated; Small Victories a bouncy yet angsty track of self depreciation that performs a comfort in feeling unlikable that will evolve later as the project concepts do. All my Friends needs not be mentioned with its rerecording in the Different Shade of Blue era and its well earned spot in every tour setlist since this EP’s release, with this fan favourite passing the lips of many when asked what the band's best song is. It is a raw and genuine testament to loneliness and how it seeps into every emotion atop an endlessly hard soundscape which has cemented this song as a pointer for getting into hardcore. This said, of course there are some teething issues that get ironed out down the line. The old gag about Garris’ scream feels fairer in hindsight, and the lack of development in his scream shows in the reliance for spoken word at spots around this project. Nevertheless, Pop Culture is a warm fire of an EP that stands the test of time in terms of its quality and the relevance of its themes. Highlight Tracks: Small Victories, Separate, All my Friends (“Don’t put it past me babygirl/ I’m a wildcard” has a wince of cringe in it that you have to forgive a band in its teens and early 20s for every time you hear it, but Small Victories is still a great song). 2) You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To - LP, 2024 The most recent album and movement of the Kentuckians has launched them into the stratosphere, turning them from a sometimes-debated part of the hardcore furniture to the genre's posterboy for those outside of the scene. Suffocate with fellow scene-exploder Poppy bagged them their first Grammy nomination for best metal single as well as the now infamous Jimmy Kimmel performance (we all know where we were the first time we saw the pig squeal). As for the album itself, it is seminal work. Piece by Piece explodes into the ears on the back of track opener Thirst, not breaking for a second as it hops between the punk influenced hardcore sound that embodies Knocked Loose and pull-no-punches breakdowns that make no place safe from a fan throwing a spin kick just from it playing in their headphones. Don’t Reach for Me is the personal favourite out of the singles from this album, with that looped note that rings out throughout and eerily mellow second bridge compared to the driving rest of the song. “Do you hate me yet/Do you hate me now?” Anyone who hates any of you is a fool. As for the second half of You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To, ‘Take Me Home’ is up there with the standout tracks. The riff that makes up the base of the track is haunting, and this offering has that passive and de-realised edge within its second verse and 20th century sample in its outro compounding it as a nod to Looses Knocked passed.’The Calm That Keeps you Awake’ deserves its flowers here too both for the drumwork at the beginning and that iconic swinging breakdown making up its last minute - there are no other words apart from immense. The music videos for this project (so far, let’s hope) also add the air of maturity and confidence of skill that has felt missing from the in-person outputs of the quinintent from a visual perspective. Suffocate is the obvious example of this: a clear increase in camera quality from the Upon Loss singles while keeping the southern gothic theming makes for the trippy energy and the pit-in-your-stomach feeling of persecution that is part of the addictive nature of Knocked Loose’s music but put to visual. The use of an abandoned church in the Don’t Reach for Me video also deserves an honorable mention, as does the cultish themes of the ‘Blinding Faith’ video. What stops this album from hitting the top spot on this list may be that somewhat midwestern-emo edge that is present within its concept and execution; the concepts and artistry around this elevate the listening and watching experience, but the entrancing nature of these elements does impact how well some of these tracks stand when listened to outside of the project they were recorded for. Despite this, You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To is sure to be the album of a generation, and with the grace of time even the most staunch old work supremacist may change their tune. Highlight Tracks: The Calm That Keeps You Awake, Suffocate and Blinding Faith 1) A Different Shade of Blue - LP, 2019 Putting A Different Shade of Blue feels somewhat contrarian in the wake of You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed to, but it is everything that Knocked Loose has to offer with no breaks of speed. The artwork for a Different Shade of blue is stunning with the figure in its corner and the rips breaking through its colour scale, while the music videos from this era are the first nods of the artistry and high concept that Knocked Loose would come into. The Mistakes Like Fractures video has the trippy body double motif with the themes of consumption in its sterile environment, while …And Still I Wander South has the desolation and arthouse energy that becomes prominent in the later projects covered but here the lyrical dance played on loop is beautifully creepy. As for And Still I wander south, it is the personal favourite of the singles from this bands discography: as a song it feels the most raw out of this project, like the concepts have been stripped back to the feelings that inspired them - as Garris proclaims “I spent most of my life trying to get out/ and still I wander south” it speaks to the frustrations of breaking out of a geographical typecast that those who get it, get. It needs not be mentioned how iconic “God fell silent when I cried out” is as a bar in Mistakes Like Fractures also, but we will mention it for its sheer quality. Within this album there are many gems too. Trapped in the Grasp of a Memory is violently good; focused on its soundscape more than its lyrics the winding riffs from its first movement are complemented by the gorgeous drum rolls from its second before all out chaos ensues for the rest of its two minutes - it is an unrelenting banger. Emma Boster’s (Pounds of Flesh) feature in its follow up ‘A Serpent’s Touch’ is another standout of this project too, rounding off a personal favourite perfectly. When By the Grave hits within this project the reasoning behind why this place first becomes apparent. Its swelling intro before takeoff sets the tension wonderfully which is maintained throughout the rest of A Different Shade of Blue; the subsequent pickup in tempo in ‘In The Walls’ and it's haunting themes of someone whose left never quite leaving, with the PT radio broadcast at the end feeling chillingly real in this context that adds a terrifying layer to lyrics screamed. The standout songs from this project come in (almost) one after another: Forget your name ft Keith Buckley (Every Time I Die), Route 23, then Denied by Fate. Forget your name juggles its titanium hard soundscape with a dancey feel that is captivating for every second, while the spoken word elements of Keith Buckley’s are haunting - “Brother in arms, amputated” as a lyric sticks in the brain for weeks. Route 23 begins with the sickly sweet sample from 1990’s Misery then transforms into a thrash masterpiece within its 2:21, pausing only for a short breath before a screaming testimony of torture. …And Still I wander South follows, then slips into the most danceable of this power block in form of Denied by Fate.The groove is strong throughout this track with its treble breakdown that is just as easy to shake hips to as it is to throw glass - Kevin Kaine’s drumming has much to do with this, a listen just to focus on it is a treat. All in all, A Different Shade of Blue encompasses all of the best of Knocked Loose, from the punk-infused hardcore of their early days to the high concept artistry of their current creative output. The lyrics remain raw throughout their discography, but in A Different Shade of Blue the growing pains of a band about to break into superstardom captivate in a different way. The tracks go hard, stay hard, and stay on the brain more than any other project. Highlight Tracks: Forget Your Name, Route 23, Denied by Fate Honourable mentions) Split - EP, 2015 Split is a joint EP with Damaged Goods, with Knocked Loose covering the first three songs. These honestly aren’t so memorable, but buried in this EP is D.T.A.H; arguably one of their most underrated songs. From the first “Did you…” to the final “the Tree of Life bears no fruit, unless it’s rotten/ to the f**king core” the door-to-the-face swing of this song hits the listener in the face, breaking only to pull off a bell ride breakdown at breakneck speed. This track alone is a crown in the jewel of the Knocked Loose discography, and Damaged Goods’ half of the project is worth its runtime. Upon Loss Singles - EP, 2023 Deep in the Willow/Everything is quiet now is the proof of concept that became their most recent project, with its accompanying music video/short film being a testament to Garris’ ethos of “pushing hardcore into places it doesn’t quite fit.” This is literal within the short film - the plot of persecution and the juxtaposition of this persecution in a warmly lit affluent home - and through the integration of hardcore into an arthouse concept. This final primer for You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To is a great listen, and it is good to see the quintet get used to taking an on screen role. Words: Julia Brunton Catch Knocked Loose at both Outbreak Manchester and London this June.

Wednesdays are always better accompanied by a good music, so it was no surprise to see the Camden’s famous KOKO filled with fans, who were there to celebrate Divorce’s big milestone, as they finally released their debut album Drive to Goldenhammer on March 7th. The alternative four-piece from Nottingham, who is not afraid to go beyond the expectations of their audience, consists of the main vocalist and bassist Tiger Cohen-Towell, co-vocalist Felix Mackenzie-Barrow, drummer Kasper Sandstrøm and the lead guitarist Adam Peter-Smith. The London concert was the last stop of the ten days long UK tour, as the band continues their promotions in mainland Europe. They were supported by DUG on the home-country run. Before DUG started playing, they were introduced to the audience by a little clown performance by Mackenzie-Barrow’s mother, which was a funny little detail, that the audience was very happy about. Right after that the Irish-American duo came onto the stage with their banjo and bass and captivated the whole auditorium with their talent. Blending together Irish folk music with American folk music, DUG features a plethora of different songs and instruments. The members Lerkin O’Reilly and Jonny Pickett were teasing the listeners throughout the set, as they were surprised by the audience’s enthusiasm and attention to their songs. At the very end of the set, just before playing the song ‘Cumberland Gap’, Pickett went into the crowd and started explaining how to traditionally dance to the song they were about to perform, only for the audience to perform this throughout the whole song, ending the short set with a beautiful memory to keep for themselves. As the time was running, it was clear that Divorce is taking over the stage very soon. Introduced by the funny clown performance again, the band immediately won the fans attention as they started off with their song ‘Fever Pitch’. Continuing with their curated setlist, they played a lot of songs from their newest album Drive to Goldenhammer, but at the same time did not hesitate to include their older songs, which were always met with the audience’s approval. Enchanting the auditorium with Cohen-Towell’s breathtaking vocals, that sounded like from another world, especially paired with Mackenzie-Barrow in harmonies, the band was getting through their final UK set for this tour run like nothing. Sandstrøm was breaking the drums like it was nothing, producing the most insane sounds, that were worth focusing on, meanwhile Peter-Smith was showing off how multitalented he is, switching between guitar and synth, producing a mesmerising sound that was definitely tying the whole experience together. After giving the fans, the most emotionally charged performances, the band ended off their set with two encore songs, both performed with the duo DUG, that were a wonderful departure to the band. The whole concert had an amazing atmosphere that was kept throughout the night, and it was obvious that the fans enjoyed every second of it. The support act was a great choice, as they did exactly what they were supposed to and more, and it was hard to say goodbye to both bands after the phenomenal performances. Divorce keeps surprising with their music every chance they get, and it is obvious that the new album is just the beginning of their well-started journey. Words: Katerina Stepanikova Photos: Cate Neves