Brontide – Mineral
After a decade without a new release UK based instrumental math rock trio Brontide have returned with their monumental new single ‘Mineral’. With the band’s last release, 2014’s Artery, being considered required listening for any young fan of experimental rock Brontide have set a high bar for themselves with their long-awaited comeback, one that ‘Mineral’ clears with confidence and grace. Balancing dramatic And So I Watch You From Afar style lead guitar lines and delicate MONO-like atmosphere across a gargantuan 8 and a half minute runtime, Brontide haven’t lost a single step during their extended hiatus. With the release of ‘Mineral’ and an exclusive set at this year’s Arctangent festival math and post-rock fans are truly experiencing Brontide summer. – Tom Bruce
Opeth – §1
Swedish progressive death metal legends Opeth haven’t had the most well received ride over the last few records of their career. Since dropping the edeath metal element from their sound (notably Mikael Alkerfeldt’s growls straight from the bowels of hell) it could be said that they lost some of their momentum, despite their more progressive records being fantastic in their own right. ‘§1’ (a radio edit, meaning the eventual album version may differ) arrives ahead of their Bloodstock headline date and it’s their first piece of new music in five years. Released ahead of the new concept album The Last Will and Testament due out 11th October, it’s a wonderfully adventurous slab of music. Over a pounding drum tattoo and some luscious atmospheric guitar work, the band take you on a journey like few others can. Of course, the triumphant moment where the death growls come in is a highlight, but Mikael’s cleans should never be understated, as they maintain their beauty here. This is a track that will have fans simply salivating over the prospect of the upcoming record, and even more excited for the band to take the stage at Bloodstock. – Chris Earl
Better Lovers – A White Horse Covered In Blood
It’s been just over a year since Better Lovers dropped their first track and made the lives of everyone missing ETID and TDEP instantly better. The blend of fierce, punky metalcore riffs and Greg Pucatio’s legendary deranged bark was a match made in heaven. Their debut EP and subsequent high energy live performances cemented them as an incredibly exciting act, and having just announced their debut album for release in October, they show no signs of taking things slow. ‘A White Horse Covered In Blood’, is their first single from their upcoming debut album Highly Irresponsible. Aside from its ridiculously hard title, the song itself is also a certified rager. Greg sounds his usual deranged self, forcing melody into twisted hooks while Jordan Buckley and Will Putney conjure frantic, driving riffs that flow like adrenaline through the bloodstream. The record also features a suitably graphic and slightly baffling piece of artwork that will surely be seen on t shirts around the world come the end of the year. – Chris Earl
Boston Manor – Horses In A Dream
British alt emos Boston Manor continue to build excitement and momentum for their upcoming record Sundiver. The third single from the record is a hypnotic, almost dream-pop number titled ‘Horses In A Dream’. Described as a song about deep emotional connection and raw human intimacy, there’s a sultry, almost sexual energy that throbs underneath. It’s a track that conjures fingers fumbling at buttons, hastily bitten lips and breathless murmurs as one of you tried to find the light switch. Surely destined to be an intense, arms in the air moment live, this shows the band at their most invigorating and exciting. – Chris Earl
False Advertising – Don’t Ask Me
The long awaited return from Mancunian alt-rockers False Advertising, ‘Don’t Ask Me’, much like all great art forms, comes from one the most inspirational of places – The Simpsons. But regardless of its inception, the track see’s False Advertising analyse the nature of self-autonomy amidst a culture where control cannot be wrangled from our monotonous way of living. It’s a brilliant track, one that sees the band embracing new grooves and beats and one that is animated with its respective self-shot video, where the central theme of control is imprinted on the fate of a store bought lobster. “After watching the episode of The Simpsons where Homer keeps a lobster as a pet, I always wondered what would happen if you actually did that,” states Jen Hingley on the track and video. “Although it’s difficult to know for sure, as obviously we didn’t want to cause any real harm to real lobsters when making the video.” – Dan Hillier
Cainhurst – Their Eyes Were Watching God
The emo-violence quartet Cainhurst have become a prominent part of the Bristol DIY heavy music scene since their formation in 2022. Taking inspiration from the likes of early 00s bands such as Orchid, pg.99 and Jerome’s Dream, Cainhurst successfully blend their harsh vocal performances with dissonant to share the personal struggles and experiences as proudly queer individuals. A year after their debut EP release, A Ceremony, new single ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ arrives with a chaotic bass riff to set the tone of what listeners can expect from Cainhurst. The instrumental section shortly follows it in a high-powered, staccato, syncopated unison of sound. In the midsection, it is clear that the band aim to showcase the talent of the vocalist, Ewan Benwell, as their songwriting takes the forefront. The song’s climax reaches with Benwell’s screams “This body is mine, but it will never be home”. It proclaims the experience of identifying as transgender and identifying outside of the gender binary, which each member of Cainhurst experiences. This section leads to a return of the full instrumental section with powerful non-lyrical screaming and pure emotion. – G Garland
Swamp Coffin – Know You’re Worthless
From the putrid bog of Rotherham, something stirs. The first track to be exhumed from Swamp Coffin’s second record Drowning Glory – released September 27th via APF Records – ‘Know You’re Worthless’ is six minutes of revolting hardcore influenced sludge delivered with genuine disdain, disenchantment and all-round malice. Sounding akin to Mastiff drowning in a fetid swamp not unlike that poor horse from The Neverending Story, ‘Know Your ‘reWorthless’ see’s Swamp Coffin taking grief and general feeling of being cursed and condemned in a cold and uncaring world and using it as fuel and inspiration. It’s the sound of a band who have been flogged, beaten and battered by life, but continue out of a combination of hardened termination and spite. If you want something legitimately vile, then look no further. – Dan Hillier
As Living Arrows – Our Meridian
Sitting dead centre of a Venn diagram composed of Deafheaven, La Dispute and Envy, the latest single from As Living Arrows (FKA Dead Bird) is the sound of fragile emotion being delivered with apocalyptic force. Both tender and throttling in equal measure, here the post-hardcore quintet take the skramz formula and infuse it with a sense of genuine urgency that can only come from a mind desperately searching for catharsis, regardless of the wanton destruction left as collateral. Those with an interest in the bands aforementioned or with a love for fellow bands such as Chalk Hands, Cainhurst and incaseyouleave will find plenty of adore here, and it appears As Living Arrows are on track to release one of the best screamo-adjacent records come the release of their new album Hope And Ruin on September 27th. – Dan Hillier
Happy Accidents – Dog Day
Written across a bleak February weekend in collaboration with Cheerbleederz’ Sophie MacKenzie, ‘Dog Day’ is a measured, quiet and dare say lethargic rumination on feeling past your prime and peak. A bleak proposition indeed, but like the rest of the work of this indie-punk duo, this is by no means a miserable listen. Filled with that earnest and bonafide chemistry that lies at the crux of Happy Accidents’ output and taken from their coming record Edit Undo, ‘Dog Day’ may be a more restrained listen, but it’s one that’s host to the real and tangible beating heart of this brilliant act. “I think we were all feeling a bit low and it felt so good to channel this energy into writing a song together”, states Phoebe Cross on the track, “I had words written down in my notebook, and the melody came to me whilst listening to Sophie and Rich playing their instruments. I think I really drew from a lot of my favourite artists for this song especially. By the end of the day we were all so energised and it turned out to be one of our faves on the record!” – Dan Hillier
Bicurious – Acrylic Fences
Bicurious have completed their elder approved journey from mostly instrumental to fully fledged vocal driven math rock and celebrate with the release of ‘Acrylic Fences’, a new track which sees their signature jubilant bounce accompanied by a newfound aggression and vocal vigour. Opening with a typically catchy guitar hook accompanied by pounding drums, frontman Tarzan Plouzane delivers a fiery analysis of relationships and how difficult it can be to break down the walls found within them. With their newfound voice and razor sharp production courtesy of the legendary Tom Peters, Bicurious are still finding new ways to punch above their weight and make a riotously relatable racket that belies the duo’s compact footprint. – Tim Dorning
downcast – your band sucks anyway
Divinely inspired by the likes of Blink 182 and carrying that contemporary edge enjoyed by acts in the vein of Junior, the last single from Bristolian pop-punkers downcast is a reactionary kick of angst that mares nostalgia with a subtle sense of progressivism not commonly seen within the pop-punk sound. Whilst nostalgic hooks in the nature of the original genre pioneers may be the defining feature of this track, it’s the tracks’s more grandiose breakdown and bridge that harkens towards something that’s more than just a rehashing of the same formula that’s been flogged by pop-punks for decades. The genre may have largely grown stagnant over the years, but with bands like downcast, it appears there’s still organic life still to be found within pop-punk’s waters after all. – Dan Hillier
Foxing – Greyhound
Foxing announced ‘Greyhound’ with a hilariously dry and poorly attended press conference which also serves as the video for the 8 minute single. While the band members managed to stare blankly through their lengthy and grandiose return, we find ourselves unable to resist the hooks and grooves on offer. While no longer a textbook emo band, Foxing continue their remarkable musical evolution with this wonderfully sculpted slice of nostalgic, dramatic indie pop. Wavey, 80s flavoured synths and drums provide the backdrop for a spellbinding vocal performance loaded with earworms and bridging the gap between delicate croons and impassioned screams, backed by increasingly erratic synth screeches and a fuzzed-out rhythm section. We’re treated to a glitchy and mangled wall of noise leading into a beautifully chopped and sliced vocal to close things out. Typically disarming and ambitious, this is peak Foxing and a classically bizarre choice of lead single that leaves us desperate to hear the upcoming album in full. – Tim Dorning
Undeath – Brandish the Blade
It may only have been about two years since the frontrunners of the new breed of death metal Undeath released their last album but it was so bloody good that new music simply couldn’t come quick enough. Having more than a healthy love for the sound of the 80s Florida scene and a smidge of modern heft, the New York crew will be unleashing More Insane on the world this October. The first single, ‘Brandish the Blade’ is, simply put, a contender for song of the year. A mix of dirty, powerful riffs, throat shredding growls and an almost NWOAHM solo thrown in for good measure, it’s everything good about death metal and more. The breakdown screaming the track name is also face twistingly satisfying, with the band showing even more of their crossover appeal. Also, if you haven’t seen it, their album white longsleeve is one of the best looking pieces of merch of this year. It’s time…to listen to Undeath. – Chris Earl
Iron and Wine – Never Meant (American Football cover)
American Football’s iconic ‘Never Meant’ gets the Iron and Wine treatment as part of the 20th anniversary of their iconic self-titled debut. Reimagined as a tranquil and bittersweet acoustic ballad, the familiar achingly universal ode to heartbreak finds new life within Samuel Beam’s gorgeous folky haze of guitar and intricately harmonised vocals. It’s a bold departure from the mathy and meandering original, but the song is all the richer for being caressed into a more concise structure. The twinkly guitar lines that made the song so beloved occasionally step forward as a nod to the original, but the whole song has been melted down and reforged in the Iron and Wine mould, making this essential listening for not just American Football fans but anyone that’s ever had their heart broken. – Tim Dorning