Dan Hillier
They’re back swinging. Taken from their yet to be unveiled new record, ‘Oldest Daughter’ see’s Philadelphia’s The Wonder Years returning with yet another instant classic that hints towards the band entering their finest chapter yet. The conceptual sequel to their 2013 track ‘Madelyn’, the single documents that no matter how hard you try, it’s sometimes impossible to save those determined on self-annihilation. It’s an impassioned exploration of the subject, one that showcases their continuous evolution in storytelling through song and one that’s delivered with a balanced sound that mares the more matured alt-rock sound within 2018’s Sister Cities with the pop-punk bounce of their career defining effort The Greatest Generation. Truly, it sounds like the band have complied all the best aspects of their sound into one cohesive effort here. With their upcoming record being produced by Steve Evetts – the same producer of the aforementioned The Greatest Generation and 2011’s Suburbia I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing – it’s absolutely undeniable that The Wonder Years’ next record is going to be yet another hallmark courtesy of the band that revolutionised pop-punk for the better. – Dan Hillier
Celebrating their recent signing to Church Road Records, metal troupe Ohhms have released the first taste of new music since 2020’s excellent Close. ‘The Mephisto Waltz’ not only features striking artwork but something of a shift in emphasis from the band themselves. Where Close and predecessor Exist looked at a broad range of topics, including the harrowing subject of animal abuse, ‘The Mephisto Waltz’ pays homage to the 1971 horror flick of the same name, where a musician sells his soul to the devil for fame and fortune and the band have opted, after the horrors of the past few years, to simply focus on writing fun songs and enjoying the ride. Eschewing the slow burn post metal of their earlier work, there’s a far bluesier, but still sludgy feel to ‘The Mephisto Waltz’, along with a hefty dose of rock’n’roll swagger. It’s a bold step forward into new pastures for the band rather than stagnating or wallowing in the mire of the pandemic, resolutely injecting a sense of fun into their new sound. – Will Marshall
Crossover thrash metallers Cage Fight have released the latest single taken from their upcoming self-titled debut, the vicious ‘Killer’. Featuring their by-now trademark of frenetic guitar and vocalist Rachel Aspe‘s spleen-venting roar, along with a brief but no less vicious breakdown, it’s another slab of aural brutality taking aim at those that wrong others. Bassist Jon Reid explains, “‘Killer‘ is a release of anger and fury directed at anyone that has caused wrong and is a rallying cry to those that feel pure visceral rage and need a soundtrack to that pure emotion. The song’s intensity is based in a simple remit, if you have wronged… you better start running…”. The accompanying visual shows the creation of the album’s artwork as a visualiser, with the band’s logo being tattooed onto a client’s palm, strapped down given how painful the area is to tattoo and perfectly captures the band’s own blend of aggression. – Will Marshall
Striving to dance around an agonising spiral into the depths of the unknown; the Sandgrownian alternative rockers Boston Manor kick off the post-Desperate Times, Desperate Measures era with the distinct essence of peculiarity with their latest single ‘Foxglove’. With its groove based instrumental beckoning listeners into a full scale swing factor, it’s lyrics detail a much darker tale of the penultimate moments into an unavoidable mental nosedive, that feels eerily familiar when casting our minds back to the various instances of assumed lived experience through psychological battery, which are laid to rest within the fine lines of some of their most haunting additions to their discography. With the band currently touring North America, as well as gracing a sprinkling of stages across Europe before landing back in the UK for their stint on the Main Stage at 2000 Trees; you would be mad to miss the chance to see these contemporary rock revivers thrash it out to an adoring crowd, especially with such a banger added to their set list. – Bennie Osborne
‘Reverse the Curse’ is the second single to be released from Alexisonfire’s upcoming album Otherness. It’ll be the band’s first studio album in 13 years and see’s them embracing uniqueness and individuality. It even has an interesting history too, with George Pettit saying “Some riffs stick around for a while until they make sense. ‘Reverse The Curse’ has existed in one form or another since Crisis. There was even a version that we used as the original ‘Young Cardinals’ but that one wasn’t meant to be. It found its way to creation during our covid rehearsals and I’m glad it’s finally coming to light.” Regardless, with it’s bluesy Southern Rock style, the song holds as much groove as it does charm with the usual melodic swoon of Dallas Green and growling snarl of Wade MacNeil. The song further cements the sound that band have crafted that comfortably incorporates the Alexisonfire tropes of old and newer textures and layers. There is still a sense of urgency and raw vulnerability to their sound too which brings the listener right back to what sets Alexisonfire apart. For those that have waited 13 years, the album is certainly living up to the hype and expectation so far! Otherness will be released June 24th via Dine Alone Records. – Jac Holloway
A companion to lead single ‘It Dwells’, ‘Rot’ is the latest single from Conjurer‘s hotly anticipated second album Páthos and flips the narrative. While lyrically it deals with the same concepts of anxiety, fear and dread, it instead gives voice to those feelings and in doing so, plumbs the most disgusting, depraved depths of the band’s sound. Cavernous roars, dissonant guitar and slow, pummelling drums form an aural battering ram of horrors. ‘Rot’ shows the band continuing to explore and develop the fringes of their sound; still identifiably Conjurer but with more grime, more rot and a sense of formless, shifting horror that seeps out of its every pore. The band comment, “Rot looks at the same topics of anxiety, fear, and depression that feature in ‘It Dwells’ and flips the perspective/narrative. We wanted to hone in on the most visceral and disgusting parts of our sound when we were writing it and, along with the lyrics, play with the idea of giving that fear and dread a voice. (It’s not very nice.)” – Will Marshall
Metalcore titans We Came As Romans have teamed up with fresh deathcore blood Brand Of Sacrifice to re-create their single ‘Darkbloom’ in a brutally heavy fashion. We Came As Romans affinity for high production value, backing their songs with darkened electronic noise, combined with the intense brutality of Brand Of Sacrifice’s beatdown guitars and demonic vocals truly turn this song into a colossal creature of grandeur. The seraphic tones of the strings juxtaposed against the hellish intensity of the bands creates a heaven and hell-like duality that escalates this re-imagined version of the song to unfathomable heights. The song’s finale reaches its peak with a breakdown that rivals the most primordial, guttural bands in the genre, even Lorna Shore would be jealous of this one, more like this in future please? – Elliot Grimmie
Opening with quaint piano keys, one would be forgiven in thinking that the tech-death unit are taking a dramatic new approach with their new single. That is, of course, until ‘Lilac’ combusts into what can only described as musical napalm. Harkening thoughts of the likes of After The Burial, Rings Of Saturn and even Aussie deathgrind pioneers The Berzerker, the latest effort from Monasteries is a complete musical ravaging that sidewindes around franticly inmappable fretwork, inconsolable bellowing, sporadic mid-tempo riffs and breakdowns so absurd they mirror the feeling of weightlessness. Monasteries have already developed an ardent reputation in desolating unpredictability – with some even referring to the band as the The Dillinger Escape Plan of UK tech-death – but even for them ‘Lilac’ is an unprecedented, bedazzling and harrowing experience. – Dan Hillier
Following his recent signing to Xtra Mile Recordings, ex-Straight Lines frontman Tom Jenkins has unveiled his anthemic new single ‘Magic Mushroom Island’, featuring Phil Campbell. The song comes out of left field particularly for longtime fans that are used to Jenkins’ indie folk croon and are instead treated to a high-energy rugged rock anthem. The song was intended to “…slightly break the singer-songwriter mould and go against the indie-folk sound of my first album.” says Jenkins and it absolutely does just that. Slow winding guitar riffs and beautifully intricate verse structures pave way for Jenkins to lay down his earnest vocal delivery all whilst entering new sonic territory that is as fresh as it is familiar. Lyrically the song is “a celebration of strangers in the depth of lockdown.” says Jenkins as he cites the story of random people showing up and scouring the fields of his South Wales Valley farm after word getting round that these fields were rich in magic mushrooms. Between previous single ‘Back Roads’ and now ‘Magic Mushroom Island’ fans can clearly expect an album (which will hopefully be announced later in the year) that is true to Tom Jenkins signature sound but also pushes the boundaries musically and lyrically. – Jac Holloway
Another well produced emo-rock banger from Canterbury’s Fountain Island, the band’s third single begins to show their penchant for emotionally rife hook writing, echo-ing with elements of classic bands in the genre like Taking Back Sunday and Blink 182. Being a UK artist, this homage to a more American style of vocal output could easily go awry, but frontman Alex Porro pulls it off with a natural execution, backed by twinkly pop production, and backing vocal distortions, the band have really tapped into an instantly familiar sound that any alternative person growing up through the late nineties – early noughties will find comfort in. – Elliot Grimmie
After their bassist Eddy MacKenzie’s stint as a beloved TV personality on Jimmy Carr’s ‘I Literally Just Told You’ show, Scottish politically charged three piece Pandacar have unleashed a ferocious new single; ‘Get Out’. Lead by a steady, classic punk bassline the track builds and builds until it explodes in a fuzz-riffed apex of intense noise, harking back to the classic sounds of The Clash, the bite of vocalist Nick‘s discontented lyrics resound with modern post-punk noise comparable to the likes of JOHN and IDLES. With the recent success of similar bands like Fontaines D.C., Yard Act and Wet Leg, Pandacar could well be on their way to being the next breakthrough UK band. – Elliot Grimmie
Georgian metalcore five-piece Vatican roared out the gates in 2021 with their signing to UNFD and have kept up that momentum into 2022, releasing latest single ‘Reverence’ and announcing their new album Ultra. Taking aim at the ultra-rich who have unimaginable wealth and the damage they cause to the vast majority of people, ‘Reverence’ packs bruising riffs, furious screams and a pit-ready attitude all into three and a bit minutes of rage. Capturing the essence of modern metalcore, there’s crunching verses and choruses that soar without losing any of the song’s bite. The accompanying video pushes this further, with post-apocalyptic vibes, tight shots and plenty of action including swordfighting and hand-to-hand combat. Subtle, or for apologists of wealth hoarding, it most certainly is not. For all those sick of ruthless exploitation, it certainly is. – Will Marshall
Subtly referencing both Pavement and Kississippi within it’s luscious grunge inspired melodies, the latest single from NYC grunge group Momma is a breezy, airy and Spring-scented amalgamation of fuzzed out 90’s guitars and the spellbinding nostalgia of adolescent love. Taken from their forthcoming record Household Name – released July 1st via Lucky Number – and released following their recent run with Wet Leg, ‘Speeding 72’ is a wonderful and free-spritied establishment of both the band’s idyllic sound and well-versed ethos. Emitting elements of Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana and The Breeders, here Momma utilise the sound of the halcyon days of youth and infuse it with heavenly dream pop. Much like this pastoral single attests to, this is the sound of a band that have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the music that harkens the days of springtide and one that are well on their way to making their own imprint within the world of music that birthed them. – Dan Hillier
Reminiscent of the melodic-hardcore pioneers from the start of the millennium whilst still carrying the ingenuity and innovation of the bands ushering in the new wave of the genre, the latest single from We Struck Gold is bladed and impassioned modern angst at it’s most agreeable. The third single in a trio of tracks released thus far this year, ‘Dark Days’ is a continuation of the band’s key themes of perseveration, persistence and positivity that’s delivered with delicate rhythm, sleek melody and striking impact. Just going from this track alone – yet alone their ever expanding discography – it’s crystal to see why We Struck Gold have already become the subject of devotion following in just a short span of time. Regardless, if you’re yet to become acquainted with the band and have a penchant for artists such as Lastelle, Casey and Acres, this is a band you need to encounter. – Dan Hillier
Nu-core Metallers Tallah have dropped their new song and second single ‘The Impressionist’ which is off their upcoming release The Generation of Danger. With promise from the band that it will leave you asking what you have just listened to with a heightened craziness level the band really have dialled it up. Relentlessly furious and absurdly heavy ‘The Impressionist’ is a melting pot of blink and you’ll miss moments. Tallah are baring their teeth on this one and unleash their unhinged nature for 4 minutes of (mostly) controlled chaos. There is no let up either with experimentation and small accenting through guitars and vocal styles that are sprinkled through the song. There is so much to take in that you’ll be noticing things for years. ‘The Impressionist’ continues to build the elaborate and horrific story the band have built as they did on their debut album Matriphagy. Fans will be seeing more of this in the coming months leading up to the albums release and can expect more spine-tingling moments of insanity. The Generation of Danger will be released on September 9th via Earache Records. – Jac Holloway
Architects have dropped their brand new single ‘When We Were Young’, a song that see’s the band comfortably step into their arena-sized size 9’s and flex their brilliant blend of melodic metal. Having only released their critically acclaimed album For Those That Wish To Exist last year and fresh off the back of releasing the version of this recorded with an orchestra at Abbey Road, this may have been the last thing fans were expecting, but it’s a welcomed new song all the same. Containing the band’s signature stomp and hard-hitting nature ‘When We Were Young’ wouldn’t be out of place on FTTWTE yet feels like a step forward in terms of the band embracing their newfound sound that has proven popular beyond what the band previously could have hoped for. It’s a song geared towards arena’s with a huge singalong chorus and hooks aplenty. As of yet there are no further announcements as to what we can expect following ‘When We Were Young’ or whether it is a standalone single but the band do start their UK tour on the 2nd May. One thing is for sure, this will go absolutely off when they play it live. – Jac Holloway
South Wales Post-Hardcore outfit Glass Heart have been prolific in their release schedule since their inception. The band have come into 2022 swinging and this week have released ‘Right From The Start’, a heartfelt and hopeful song that delivers a message of positivity that the band state is for their Glass Heart family, those that have shown immense loyalty and love and have supported them thus far. The song is the fourth single to be released since their EP In Opposite which was a culmination of the singles they had released at that time including the likes of ‘Dark’ and ‘Another Day’ that proved popular streaming hits. Since then Glass Heart have released ‘Better Off This Way”, ‘Always On My Mind’, ‘Anything’ and now ‘Right From The Start’. The song itself is an upbeat melodic melting pot with soaring vocal hooks courtesy of vocalist Adamross Williams complete with a catchy chorus, brilliantly bouncy riffs and pop sensibilities that make for a mix that is as uplifting as it is mosh-worthy. With a steady stream of new music the band have also just finished tours with THECITYISOURS and As December Falls, they definitely aren’t showing signs of slowing down yet. Keep a weather eye on the horizon, we predict there may be a storm coming from Glass Heart. – Jac Holloway
The third single from their upcoming record WE’RE ALL GONNA F***ING DIE, a muddy, moody grunge track. This is nothing unusual for Sick Joy, being one of the collective of bands like Fangclub and Dinosaur Pile-Up bringing back that classic 90’s Nirvana inspired grunge sound, but they’re tried and tested stalwarts of this genre now, and serve as proof that the grunge revival movement is better and stronger than ever. The repeated line “Are you talking to me or are you talking to the drugs?” is a little earworm that’ll lodge itself in your ear, short, sweet and catchy, and backed by the deep reverb of the bass and the guitar it all clicks together to become a great little grunge-rock anthem. – Elliot Grimmie
The long awaited return of Nagoya, Japan’s melodic metalcore heroes Coldrain has been an arduous one, but with new single ‘Calling’ the band as we know them are as jubilant as ever, vocalist Masato balancing clean and harsh vocals in expert fashion, as he always has done. This track is a display of Coldrain as we love and know them, high quality metalcore with beautiful clean vocals, big breakdown near the end and heavy set guitars. Hey, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it right? This new single, released to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the band, comes alongside the much welcome announcement of a new album, titled Nonnegative, which will be coming out July 6th. – Elliot Grimmie