Chat Pile – Masc
Oklahoma City noise masters Chat Pile are ramping up to the release of their highly anticipated sophomore record with new single ‘Masc’. Delivering one of their most emotionally driven tracks yet, ‘Masc’ refuses to shy away from the horrors of intimacy with other people and anxieties around opening up around even those closest to you with frontman Raygun Busch practically having a psychotic break in front of the microphone. The genius of Chat Pile has always been their ability to use both tropes of traditional rock alongside harsh noise to drag the listener down to their level emotionally; ‘Masc’ combines a punchy rhythm section groove with layered, complex guitar lines to reel the audience in before the deranged vocal performance delivers the emotional killing blow. – Tom Bruce
Every Hell – Bad Cop
New single ‘Bad Cop’ from the heavy hitting quartet Every Hell comes along with the announcement of their eagerly awaited debut EP Vertebrate. The new track tells a story of two gunslingers battling for a town, a reflection of vocalist Will Gardner’s life when fighting for attention within his family. The Wild Western tale is backed by riffs shot from the hip and showcases Gardner’s vocal range. This is rock and roll at its best, soaring guitar licks, thunderous drums, rumbling bass, a song you can move your desert boots to in the dirt. – Adam Vallely
Bicurious – Uncle Kevin
After signing to Big Scary Monsters and not only getting called up to ArcTanGent festival late in the day but playing to a packed out tent, it’s hardly a bad time to have stock in Bicurious. The second single from upcoming album Your Life Is Over Now… is another solid statement of the duo’s ability to push to the next level and not stand still (much like their energetic performances). This new material touches new areas of musical influence like post hardcore legends such as Thrice and Biffy Clyro whilst still holding onto their mathy roots. With the positivity of this new era for the band comes the underlying emotional message of this track, written with difficult family situations in mind and ended with a voice note from a dear friend who is no longer with them, Taran and Gavin want to try to deliver even an ounce of positivity to people going through a rough time and remind them “You’ll never be alone.” – Adam Vallely
Soot Sprite x Muttering – Burn the Leaves
A collaboration that UK emo dreams are made of, ‘Burn The Leaves’ is the first tantalising taste of For Joy, the new collaborative EP from adored scene staples Soot Sprite and Muttering. A wonderful and positively seamless fusion of Soot Sprite’s introspective shoegazing with Muttering’s unfiltered emo qualities, ‘Burn The Leaves’ takes the best parts of these two acts and just compounds them. Bounded by the beautiful harmonies and delicate yearning that characterises each of these acts, ‘Burn The Leaves’ takes the best parts of these two respective bands and amalgamates them beautifully and organically, ultimately ensuring that the final product is one that’s complimentary towards both band’s unique approaches to emo. Collaborative projects can often be bloated and shoehorned messes, but judging from this wonderful track, For Joy is set to be one of the most promising emo records of this year come it’s release on September 6th via Specialist Subject. – Dan Hillier
Fightmilk – No Souvenirs
An indie-pop epic in the key of closure that’s delivered with a sense of restless abandon, ‘No Souvenirs’ see’s Fightmilk tenderly toeing the line between remembrance and moving-on. It’s also the sound of the indie-pop foursome rediscovering their spark amidst tragedy. The title track of their forthcoming record – released November 15h via Fika Records and INH Records – ‘No Souvenirs’ is an indie-pop epic in the key of closure that’s delivered with a sense of restless abandon and the kind of bold and steadfast determination that can only come from confidence in one’s work and knowing how to proceed. It’s definitely a total heartbreaker, especially given the heartfelt wit running inherent, but with Fightmilk’s love for life apparent, this a track that just feels life affirming. – Dan Hillier
Heriot – At the Fortress Gate
We’re now just a month shy of Heriot releasing their hotly-anticipated debut album Devoured By the Mouth of Hell, and latest single ‘At the Fortress Gate’ is another bruising slab of industrial metalcore following earlier singles ‘Foul Void’ and ‘Soul Chasm’. The band say of the song, “’At the Fortress Gate’ explores the experience of being trapped within a regime, battling against overwhelming forces, feeling powerless, and reflecting on the immense suffering endured by humanity.” That’s reflected in their ever-uncompromising sonic approach, doling out furious death metal riffs with a beefy, chainsaw guitar tone while vocalist/guitarist Debbie Gough’s mosh call “the devouring mouth of hell demands your forgiveness” has already been whipping up pits across the summer festival season. You shouldn’t need any more telling that Heriot are onto something special indeed, but ‘At the Fortress Gate’ is a violent reminder. – Will Marshall
Overrider – black wings
It’s been a bit of time since we’ve last heard from autonomous cyberpunk duo Overrider. Judging from ‘black wings’ though, it’s clear that the passage of time has not blunted their mission statement of releasing brilliant jolts of post-genre futurism. Coded in the key of acts such as Aphex Twin, whilst carrying the spirited rush of names such as Alpha Male Tea Party and Three Trapped Tigers, ‘black wings’ once again shows Overrider’s heady approach to a type of music that many could dub as being cold, lifeless and void of that human spark. Those who have heard the band’s fantastic yet criminally under-appreciated work thus far will know what to expect here, but for those new to the digital grooves of Overrider’ ‘black wings’ is set to be your lead down a rabbit hole into neon-lit worlds unknown. – Dan Hillier
The None – Cheap Cloth Soon Frays
Underground noisey ‘supergroup’ The None release their second track from their debut EP Matter due out next week. A heavier affair than lead single ‘Pigs Need Feeding’ with a higher tempo, urgent shouted vocals from Kaila Whyte and scratchy, raw punk riffs from the off that lead into a bass lead groove. A quiet hush comes over to build tension before exploding again, each element of the band bringing as much noise as possible. The quartet showing why they are ones to keep an eye on and well worth catching at their headline show in London, supporting Metz later in the year or imminently at Supersonic Festival. – Adam Vallely
Hamartia – Is This It?
If you’ve had your finger on the pulse of the UK’s thriving alt-rock scene then Bristol’s Hamartia are bound to have already made a strong first impression, supporting bands like Mallavora, Dream State and Orchards around the South West. Now the four-piece are back with their first new single in several years, in the form of ‘Is This It?’. Clashing together graceful vocals from vocalist Sophie Smith and thunderous, urgent riffs, ‘Is This It?’ represents the next step in Hamartia‘s musical journey with an instant sense of momentum and hard-hitting, uplifting lyrics. If Hamartia weren’t already firmly on your radar then ‘Is This It?’ should make enough of a splash to keep eyes firmly fixed on their next move. – Tom Bruce
Leech – Infernal
Windsor, Ontario’s Leech are back with an exciting and brutal new single titled “Infernal”. Bringing a more metalcore sound to their heavier deathcore approach, Leech seems to be confident taking slight risks on this single and it paid off completely. New age and old school meet perfectly with this one. With lyrical content aimed clearly towards religion and the church, vocalist Brandon Blake absolutely delivered on the mic and made these lyrics really pop while the accompanying instrumentals were absolutely crushing from the very beginning. If you like the nostalgic feeling of old school deathcore then “Infernal” is definitely for you. – Nathaniel Maure
Pendulum x Joey Valence & Brae – Napalm
Pendulum are a staple within the drum and bass genre and are highly praised for their fusion of electronic sounds and heavy instrumentation. Their new track ‘Napalm’ featuring rising stars Joey Valence and Brae yet again shows their talent and why they’ve become a mainstay in modern hip-hop. ‘Napalm’ opens with a guitar riff influenced by the syncopated, staccato elements of modern metalcore. This is then echoed by electronic instruments to introduce their other classic sound. Pendulum are truly masters of their craft and demonstrate their ability to create peaks and build-ups within this track by adding instruments one by one, textural crescendos and rising chromatic scales. The inclusion of Joey Valence and Brae’s Beastie Boys-esque lyrics and vocal expression brings a different twist to what one may expect from a typical Pendulum song. However, their use of repetitive lyrics and unique style makes this song memorable even from the first listen. – G Garland
CRUELINTENT – Primal Abyss
Ontario’s music scene never seems to miss a beat when it comes to amazingly hard hitting music the last couple years. That being said, Ontario deathcore project CRUELINTENT have stepped up to prove just that. “Primal Abyss” starts out with some throat singing before slamming into some solid intrumentals that closely resemble the lines of Shadow of Intent. Starting out strong and only getting stronger as the nearly five minute track progresses, CRUELINTENT clearly means business. With the help of Luc Chaisson on production, this track was set up for success from the very beginning. If the rest of the tracks on the next CRUELINTENT album hold up like this one, deathcore fans are truly in for one heck of a treat. – Nathaniel Maure
RedHook – Pyromaniac
Aussie shapeshifting alt metal outfit RedHook only released their debut album last year, but they’ve been drip-feeding singles since and have unveiled its follow-up Mutation with lead single ‘Pyromaniac’. Still staunchly independent at home, it’s releasing internationally via Adventure Cat Records (home to sci-fi stargazers FOXCULT) and is set to be their most eclectic, exploratory work to date. Its video is rooted in the rich symbolism of 1986 movie The Labyrinth, while the song lyrically is as heart-on-sleeve as always with vocalist Emmy Mack singing openly about “making an urgent decision to get professional help with your mental health. It soundtracks this brutally catalytic moment – standing alone in the wreckage of your past mistakes and desperately resolving to change before it kills you. To figure out the root of your self-destructive patterns so you can finally break them. It’s about reflecting on every bridge you’ve ever burnt and asking for help to figure out how to not burn anymore.” With its punchy, pop-meets-metalcore approach, it’s sure to be another firecracker in their live arsenal too. – Will Marshall
Giant Walker – Time to Waste
Purveyors of big riffs and even bigger melodies, the Newcastle-based prog band Giant Walker are preparing for the biggest release of their career so far. With their Church Road release just around the corner in September, their latest single ‘Time to Waste’ is another taste of what the band have been cooking, opening on a mighty riff that threatens to crack your floorboards before the hypnotic, enthralling vocals of Steff Fish float in. There are few singers in music today with the presence and power of the Geordie and she even manages to maintain a powerful presence on the track despite the backdrop being mountainous guitar work and stomping drums. Simultaneously sounding like a 70s arena band and an underground sensation, the upcoming album looks to be one that will make the band a force to be reckoned with. – Chris Earl
Host Body – The Mountain
One for the chaos-inclined, this; though not something surprising given the band’s credentials. Released just released just prior to their set opening ArcTanGent Festival last week and with the band sporting members of The St. Pierre Snake Invasion, Ilenkus, Lightning Sharks and Ogives Big Band, ‘The Mountain’ see’s mathcore noiseniks Host Body scaling a soundscape that’s in perpetual rockfall. With just the right amount of noise and black metal influence to keep things sounding thrilling and downright dangerous, ‘The Mountain’ is a furious piledriver of bedlam that harkens back to the days where mathcore sounded new and genuinely dangerous. Those familiar with the band’s debut single ‘Mouth’ will know what to expect here, but for those new to the fray, try to imagine Botch and The Dillinger Escape Plan kicking the shit out of each other and a grotty harsh noise show. – Dan Hillier
Trash Boat – Better Than Yesterday
The faces of modern day British pop punk, Trash Boat continue to build up hype for their upcoming October release Heaven Can Wait with yet another single. Perhaps the most introspective release so far, ‘Better Than Yesterday’, it’s a track that on a lyrical level, deals with the notion of comparison being the death of joy. Showing off frontman Tobi Duncan’s voice and range to its fullest, it’s a slower number that features plenty of moments that will surely be sung along to live. The band seem incapable of putting out a track that doesn’t sound absolutely massive at the moment and though they’ve released nearly half the record so far, the anticipation for the rest of the album is at an all time high, especially since they seem to be channelling bands like The Menzingers and Spanish Love Songs. – Chris Earl
Killing Of A Sacred Deer – Devotion (Feat. Jess Nyx)
A brand new band from World of Pleasure/Serration/Mortality Rate‘s Colter, Killing Of A Sacred Deer set out to blend the metallic hardcore he’s known for with deathcore influences, to make one of his heaviest projects yet. Debut single ‘Devotion’ features World of Pleasure/Mortality Rate co-conspirator Jess Nyx, and their pairing is as fruitful as ever. Colter’s delivery is unhinged, switching between deathcore grunts and mid-register roars, while Nyx brings her vitriolic bark to bear. The snare is that dodgeball/trashcan sound that all the best new -core features, throwing out blastbeats alongside slower slams and frenetic double kicks. In under three minutes, Killing Of A Sacred Deer make one hell of an impression and establish themselves alongside the likes of PSYCHO-FRAME as potential leaders of the new breed of modern deathcore – nastier, uglier and even more feral than before. – Will Marshall
Jack Ellis and the Contraband – Sweets
Making a strong first impression, dirty blues rockers Jack Ellis and the Contraband fly out the gate with their debut single ‘Sweets’. Chronicling a messy night out in frontman Jack Ellis’ hometown of Cardiff, ‘Sweets’ blends together Arctic Monkeys style storytelling with rough and ready, bluesy lead guitar lines and a hearty dose of old school rock and roll sleaze. Offering a varied sonic experience without ever losing momentum ‘Sweets’ brings an upbeat modern twist to the classic rock formula ready to appeal to younger folks experiencing vintage rock and roll for the first time and their parents remembering the hits of their youth through rose-tinted glasses. – Tom Bruce
Reminitions – Say My Name
California deathcore squad Reminitions are back, bringing with them an insanely heavy track in the form of “Say My Name”. Coming in hot and only getting hotter, the single blends classic deathcore styles from bands like Whitechapel and mixes it with newer sounds like that of fellow Cali act Spite. A non stop barrage hits viewers eardrums as guitars and percussion blasts from the very start. And if listeners love breakdowns, this track will definitely appeal to a broad audience as it’s filled with some of the most stinkface inducing breakdowns of the entire year so far. California has never been short on talent and Reminitions are the only proof you need in 2024. – Nathaniel Maure
Meryl Streek – Counting Sheep
Taken from the freshly announced record Songs For The Deceased – released October 25th via Venn Records – ‘Counting Sheep’ is a cascade of absolute bile courtesy of disillusioned punk troubadour Meryl Streek. A bemoaning of how ultimately futile our lives are in the wake of late stage capitalism and how our political rulers are now nothing more than vampiric landlords hellbent on fleecing us, the track bares the ire and fury of peers such as Bob Vylan, Benefits and Enola Gay albeit in a way that’s unmistakably a product of this fast rising performer. Those made bitter by our broken country and culture will no doubt find plenty to resonate with here. – Dan Hillier
The Number Twelve Looks Like You – Eyes On the Fireworks
Known for their influential take on progressive metalcore, it may come as a surprise to come that The Number Twelve Looks Like You have went in a softer direction on their newest track ‘Eyes On the Fireworks’. Chunky chords, frantic drumming and hummable melodies are the order of the day here, as the band barrel through a politically charged track. Vocalist Jesse Korman pulls no punches as he dismantles the view of America that most still hold, that underneath the flags and patriotism lives a rot of violence, unaffordable healthcare and mass unemployment, to name but a few. The juxtaposition of subject matter with the new found sound of the band is a strange one, but it works. With this being a standalone track (For now anyway) it’ll be interesting to see if the band continue along this path for future releases. – Chris Earl
Coilguns – Generic Skincare
The frantic Swiss noisy punks Coilguns are back and ready to kick your teeth in with another slab of high energy, passionate aural chaos. Having been teased on their last UK tour with Pupil Slicer, ‘Generic Skincare’ is the first track to come off their upcoming November album, Odd Love. An incredibly high energy track, the band continue to evolve their sound by weaving synths and infectious hooks throughout while still maintaining their ramshackle nature for which they’ve become loved. Part of a batch of songs written during the pandemic, they’re finally getting to see the light of day having been worked on for a good few years and it’s even come with a video, something Coilguns do rarely. On their day there are few bands who can match the Europeans’ masterful racket and even fewer still who can blend that with such curious melodies and intriguing lyrics. – Chris Earl