Topping the bill for next year’s festival – which will be celebrating it’s 20th anniversary – are European festival exclusives Good Charlotte. They will also be joined by Sublime playing their first ever UK shows and Taking Back Sunday, who will also be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their career defining 2006 record Louder Now.
Also joining the bill today are an array in some of the finest names in current alternative music including UK metalcore flag bearers Bury Tomorrow, US heartland heroes The Menzingers, previous Noizzefest headliners Unpeople, Canadian legends Cancer Bats (who will also be celebrating 20 years of their debut LP Birthing The Giant) and emo power pop icons Motion City Soundtrack. They will all be joined by the also announced A, Alister, Broadside, Cartel, Dashboard Confessional, Driveways, Goldfinger, Hawthrone Heights, President, Set Your Goals, Stand Atlantic, The Home Team, The Suicide Machines, Tonight Alive, and of course, Zebrahead.
On today’s announcement, Slam Dunk founder Ben Ray says; “When I started the festival 20 years ago, I had no idea it would get to the milestone of 20 years, let alone be the size that it has grown to. I am overwhelmed by the continued support for the event, both from the dedicated fan base who come every single year, to all the bands that keep coming back to play! A massive thank you to all!”
Slam Dunk Festival 2026 will take place at Hatfield Park and Leeds Temple Newsam on Saturday May 23rd and Sunday May 24th respectfully. Tickets go on sale Saturday 27th September here. For the time being, peek the line-up below.
From as early as their inception back in 2022 with their debut When The Drugs That Made You Sick Are The Drugs That Make You Better, Crippling Alcoholism have always loved a good story and each of their songs tells its own. Usually a pretty messed up one, since the band relishes in grounding their music and artistry around the everyday man-made macabre, establishing portraits of thoroughly haunted or disturbed individuals based both off of fiction and real events.
Related : Crippling Alcoholism – CAMGIRL | Album Review
“This album follows Anabelle Victorovna (screen name “Bella Pink”) and her experience in the sex industry. Each song is a different chapter in her life from different characters’ POVs.”
“As soon as we wrote this song, Jonathan (piano/synths) insisted that it be the opener. It sets the tone for the album. It starts with a simple melody on bells (pun intended), then is soon bombarded by a harsh synth bass with a clubby backbeat. Stefan (guitar) wrote this funky guitar line for the beginning that sounds like it is inviting you to the trashiest party. It’s a weird guitar line because if it wasn’t played on panic chords, it could be in a fucking RHCP song. ‘Mr Sentimental’ is supposed to teleport you to Belle’s world. You’re at a club or a rave, you’re letting loose, but something’s off. I was picturing this shitty strip club in Nashua with bright neon lights and a bar lined with deeply haunted individuals. ‘Mr. Sentimental’ is Belle’s first serious boyfriend, Benny. He’s an artsy kid with mommy issues. Belle has visions of the two of them running off to NYC and studying poetry, but this never happens. Benny has a pathological, sexual obsession with his own mother, and one night he shares this with Belle, asking her to wear his mother’s clothing during sex. Benny hopes to transfer his obsession with his own mother to Belle, but Belle is not having it. She recoils and rejects Benny’s offer. Ashamed that his secret is now known, Benny attacks Belle out of frustration, breaking her arm. This is her first encounter with violent men.”
“As the mayhem of ‘Mr. Sentimental’ends, the depressing guitar of ‘Saran Wrapped Cash’ is supposed to bring you back to your comfort zone. This is one of those songs that is loosely based on a real story, but that’s all I’ll say about that. Belle’s father is a mid-level cocaine dealer who keeps his professional life mostly hidden from his children. Belle’s mother left when Belle was very young and subsequently died of an overdose. Her father, despite having some issues, showed his children compassion, support and stability. The first time Belle gets a glimpse of her father’s profession is when he’s digging up coke money from the backyard that he has enveloped in saran wrap and buried months ago. Unfortunately, he didn’t seal the cash very well and the backyard elements have deteriorated about thirty thousand in cash. Belle’s father tries to restore the cash by wiping the dirt away and drying each individual bill with a hair dryer, but he starts to cry as he realizes this is a fool’s errand and that he might have put his family in irreversible financial ruin. As Belle watches her father at the kitchen table, violently sobbing and trying to restore coke money with a hair dryer, her world starts to piece together in front her eyes. The verse and chorus of this song were also written to be catchy, but not as clubby as some of the other songs, more “belt-your-heart-out alone in the car” type of catchy. Stefan added a bunch of overdrive to the chorus to make it hit harder. The ending of this song is the first part that we wrote with Alyce (guitar/backing vocals/synths). She had literally joined the band that week, and we were writing this song in Jonathan’s bedroom. The ending of this song is very Alyce. It’s got these really bittersweet synth voicings, with Alyce’s monotone spoken word, which detail Belle’s childhood memory, and then booming 808s that fight with the Twin Peaks synth chords for your attention.”
“This was a weird song because Stefan and I wrote it in about 2 hours, over the phone. I was watching the movie 22 Jumpstreet and I heard an LMFAO song in the spring break scene. I immediately called up Stefan and said “Yo what if we made like an LMFAO song, but it’s completely fucked?” and he said “It’s 1am”. I had a brief outline of the kinds of sounds I was hearing, and then I had the chorus vocal melody. I gave that to Stefan, and then he wrote the rest of the song while still on the phone with me. This is a central club song on the album, with arguably the catchiest hook in the chorus. This song introduces the main antagonist, Antoine. This is a guy Belle starts seeing on and off her senior year of high-school. He’s over ten years older than her and is the one who convinces her to get into camming, under his management. The chorus of this song «You don’t need no man, do your dance» is deceivingly uplifting. Antoine is pretending to empower Belle by insisting that she can be fully independent. But of course his goal is not to help her become self-reliant, but rather fully reliant on him. This is the dark irony of this song. Juliet from Luxury Skin does falsetto vocals on this song that add a sort of 70s disco vibe to it. It’s supposed to capture Belle and Antoine meeting at some shitty rave, dancing together, snorting molly, fucking in the alley, all a good time, but there’s this sinister energy where you feel Antoine’s scheming begin.”
“William is a financial quantitative analyst from NYC and an avid enjoyer of live cam girls. He doesn’t like pre-recorded porn because he can’t tell the women what to do and try and humiliate them in real-time. He becomes Bella’s first super fan, spending more than her other followers combined. He enjoys the fact that he has money and she doesn’t. He relishes the notion that a random financial imbalance has coerced her into giving him sexual attention. In any other circumstance, she wouldn’t give him the time of day. Rather than depress William, the notion of this reality excites him, as he feels it reflects the underlying brutality of nature itself. This is one of the uglier songs on the album, with much more metal inspired instrumentals. The main riff is a chug-chug panic chord deathcore style riff, but played on clean guitars with reverb and chorus. Instead of using distortion in the drop, we combined a bunch of overdriven bass synths to really bring out the vileness. Stefan and I added some overdriven guitar leads to try and make it more evil sounding. Jonathan added these really nice spacey organ chords in the middle of the song, which we then demolish with even more overdriven bass synths. This is a very deranged song, which is supposed to maintain the clubby energy and momentum of the previous three songs, but take the listener down a much harsher path. The ending is supposed to show William completely unravel as he confronts his own daughter and explains that watching snuff films is a spiritual experience, and it’s completely natural for people with money to use weak people for food.”
“I would describe this song as “Happy Depression”. After visiting the completely deranged world of Colter in ‘Pay Pigs’, we meet Mitchell; a lovable drug dealer with some deep self-image issues. One of the earlier drafts was called ‘Manages an Applebees’ because that’s what I pictured the character doing when we first wrote it. Mitchell is a slightly overweight Applebee’s manager who goes out to the parking lot during his break to sell acid out of his minivan. He’s on and off with Belle, and she’s drawn to him because he shows her kindness, ironically similar to the kind she experienced with her father. The problem is, Belle doesn’t feel worthy of the attention Mitchell gives her and furthermore she finds his bouts of depression and self-loathing extremely unattractive. You can hear her asking herself «How many times did I try with you?» At the end, sung by Allison Rittweger.”
British sludge band Urne returns with a new single and mesmerizing video for ‘Be Not Dismayed’, the opening track from their eagerly anticipated third album, Setting Fire to the Sky, scheduled to be released on 30th January 2026, via Spinefarm Records. What strikes you immediately about this song is the band’s bold choice of a new direction, venturing deeper into the realms of progressive and tech metal. This compelling evolution can be attributed to their collaboration with none other than Justin Hill from Sikth. Bassist and vocalist Joe Nally reflects on the inspiration behind ‘Be Not Dismayed’, stating that he penned the lyrics after “spending a few summers playing some of the best metal festivals around and seeing the buzz that fans would have by being there”, echoing very much his feelings as a music lover and avid concert goer himself. ‘Be Not Dismayed’ resonates as a powerful anthem made for tiny basement venues and big arenas, as you will be able to see it for yourselves as they will be part of Orange Goblin’s farewell tour in December. – Nessie Spencer
Everyone’s favourite ‘cum metal’ band are back. The first taste of the band’s upcoming record Conflict DLC – released December 11th via Loma Vista – ‘Ordinary Loss’ is pretty much an authentic mirroring of just how insufferably bleak the future we were once promised actually is. Mechanically penduluming between thumping industrialist and chugging beats, ‘Ordinary Loss’ is a fatally dark and diesel stained ode to humanity’s inherent need for destruction and the grief it leaves in it’s wake, especially the track’s whispered sweet nothings about the fact we are all destined to be nowt but dust in the future. Equally miserable and seductive, it’s HEALTH at their best. – Dan Hillier
Releasing earlier than originally announced, California based math rock icons Covet return with their first new material in two years on their new single ‘Denouement’. In collaboration with Japan’s Lite, the trio led by guitarist Yvette Young take their virtuosic instrumental style in a more laid back direction with bedroom pop production and lo-fi vocal samples, making their technical mastery feel effortless. Throwing in subtle electronics and subtle rhythmic changes to keep things fresh ‘Denouement’ shows off Covet at both their most experimental and accessible with a sound that’s bound to keep the math rock crowd transfixed without scaring off those new to the genre’s more outlandish tendencies. – Tom Bruce
Taking aim at ableist rhetoric and behaviour still perforating contemporary society; the Bristolian alternative metal rising stars and Noizzefest Alumni Mallavora, funnels their righteous anger for a cause that’s close to home with their latest furious single ‘Smile’. Taking inspiration from the 30th anniversary of the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act, as well as lead singer Jessica Douek’s lived experience of Fibromyalgia and accessibility activism within the heavy music community. ‘Smile’ takes no prisoners as they fight for the needed change within a truly disabling world, that for a long time has resisted minorities calls for communal betterment that will benefit all citizens. Not only is this latest single unrelenting in its advocacy, its sound is also emotionally charged and ceaselessly vehement. It is a needed emphatic rallying cry for all who seek progressive development for true disability justice, support and inclusion. – Bennie Osborne
Born out of a tumultuous time for the band as they lose a number of people close to them, Aussie hardcore bruisers Speed’s upcoming EP All My Angels‘ first single ‘Peace’ is their tribute to those friends. Bursting out the gates immediately with their classic, frantic hardcore, the song barrels along with Jem Siow’s raucous bark and Speed’s irrepressible energy before a seismic groove takes over partway through. Of the song, Siow says, “Amidst this devastation I was overcome with a deep sense of clarity and peace. Because, despite the abyss of questions of why and how, my clearest sense of calm lay in the certainty that the time we shared and invested in one another was underpinned by unfiltered honesty and unconditional love.” – Will Marshall
The third single to be taken from their upcoming new record Reptilian Brain and dropping after their fantastic set at last month’s ArcTanGent Festival, ‘Probably Just Hungry’ see’s Alpha Male Tea Party channeling the tiring anxiety that’s become synonymous with modern living. Featuring the band’s usual hefty dexterity and once again vocally driven, the brilliance of this track lies within it’s contrast between hulking riffs and it’s delightful vocal harmonies, a factor that draws upon thoughts of the likes of Press To Meco, Blank Atlas and Unpeople. “’Probably Just Hungry is a lament about how the grind of the everyday constantly gets in the way of doing things you love”, states vocalist Tom Peters. “We all know that feeling of frustration that we’re somehow not fulfilling our potential because we have to divert our energy to make ends meet – this song is about that feeling but also about how we complacently shrug it off as being tired or hungry because it’s easier to do that/impossible to take a risk in your life and make the necessary changes that prioritise your happiness. And it’s a total bop.” – Dan Hillier
If there’s one thing to expect from God Alone it’s nothing but total and utter genre bending bedlam. Which in turn, is something that makes new single ‘Pink Himalayan’ just so brilliant; taken from their upcoming record The Beep Test, ‘Pink Himalayan’ is by far the most accessible thing ever offered up by the Irish noiseniks. Sounding more akin to a fusion of Talking Heads and black midi than anything resembling the madcap math-noise we’ve all come to expect from this band, this single is still a rowdy and inherently danceable slab of left-field noise, but one that forgoes the band’s signature sense of impulsive unpredictability in favour of massive grooves. Goodness knows what direction the Cork lads are going be taking after this with their next single. – Dan Hillier
If you were looking for the next soundtrack for the autumn, look no further than Pertubator’s forthcoming album, Age of Aquarius. James Kent, the éminence grise behind Perturbator, said about this new single, ‘Mors Ultima Ratio’, and the album in general that it’s “more of war as an idea than a concrete event”. The title, which translates to “death is the final accounting,” is an infectious 5-minute-and-change track that blends all the best elements of dark wave, industrial, black metal, and EDM, making it perfect for any movie soundtrack where hackers are trying to save the day against Big Evil Corp™. It’s giving Nakatomi Plaza, weirdly enough, but it feels right and it sounds great. If you needed another reason to be excited for Age of Aquarius, this single might be it – Nessie Spencer
Alt rock duo Origami Angel have been trailblazers of the fifth wave of US pop-punk and midwest emo scene since their formation in 2017, and they return to their spotlight with their second single of this year, ‘Back To Life’. Already having emo cred, earlier this year they teamed up with modern day emo icons The Wonder Years on a cover of ‘I Don’t Like Who I Was Back Then’ taken from the third Burst And Decay compilation. ‘Back to Life’ is a celebration of the genre, combining fuzzy guitars with sing-along choruses, and even some mathy goodness courtesy of singer and guitarist Ryland Heagy. The electronic elements are also a standout and are very reminiscent of 2000’s bands such as Motion City Soundtrack and Hellogoodbye, but Origami Angel are a great example of a band who wear their influences on their sleeve, but modernise the sound synonymous with an era that’s a product of its time. – Ez Luscombe
Guess who’s back in the news; after a summer spent enjoying a festival season most acts can only dream of and weathering a media maelstrom most would consider a living nightmare, Kneecap are back with new single ‘Sayōnara’. A standalone single written in collaboration with Orbital’s Paul Hartnoll, ‘Sayōnara’ is essentially what you would expect from Kneecap; a sidewinding and driving romp of excess driven via Irish Gaelic rap and a thumping beat that just captures the ceaseless drive of this act. Those who caught Kneecap on their festival run will no doubt be acquainted with this single, but for those hearing it for the first time, this a track that help one retain the revelry of summer as we enter the autumn months. – Dan Hillier
The Hyena Kill have returned with a fury which can only be conjured by the devastation of loss. An aftermath fraught with hurdles has imbued their return with a venom. ‘Sly’ pendulum swings from blunt force trauma to the ethereal, from LLNN to Thrice and an endless well of grief which runs deep into the heart of new album Collapse, out November 14th on APF Records. Their sound has taken a menacing turn as the elegance and fragility still exists but its metallic nature rattles the earth like never before. Frontman Steven Dobb’s screams are laced with an anguish only understood by those in the throes of sorrow, drums are an unhinged thousand foot stampede and their only restraint are those fleeting moments of stillness where Dobb manages to compose his trembling voice and channel it into an angelic chorus of soaring beauty. ‘Sly’ is a fierce statement made. – Andy Calderbank
It’s disco summer, or at least it was. Scene Queen (aka Hannah Collins) has shared the second and final instalment, ‘Platform Shoes’, a danceable number replete with metalcore chugs and far more singing than before. Simultaneously channeling bimbocore energy and the hip sway of The Home Team, it’s an oddly uplifting song that carries her signature tongue in cheek humour as well as a message about toxic masculinity. As Collins explains, “I noticed while dating, a lot of men think they want someone who is independent and opinionated. That charisma is something you’re initially attracted to, but as time goes on, a lot of men start to feel insecure that they’re not the “alpha” in the relationship. They’re about equality until it makes them question their masculinity. This song is about not letting men like this make you smaller. And I say all that in the most me way I could’ve, calling those men short.” – Will Marshall
Aussie hardcore is in riotous form with the likes of Speed, Volatile Ways and Terminal Sleep paving a violent way forwards. Outside of that, there’s just as much greatness to be found in more melodic pastures, like with Secret World (who also feature members of Speed). The melodic hardcore outfit are releasing a brand new EP later this month, and the second taste of it ‘Everywhere Now’ is an anthemic, hook-laden singalong that’ll be great to yell back in sweaty venues or festival fields. There’s shades of Militarie Gun shot through it, and an appreciation for simplicity without sacrificing quality. It’s bright, breezy summery hardcore and shaping up to be the perfect late-summer release. – Will Marshall
Crewe based rapscallions Univserity have long been the antithesis to the sentiment that math rock has become a safe, predictable and sanitised genre. ‘Bee’ only exaggerates such a standing. Cut from the band’s upcoming EP YES and releasing just months after June’s debut LP McCartney, It’ll Be Okay, ‘Bee’ is a scrappy, erupting and fantastically adolescent sounding slice of madness that carries the magical feeling that is making rowdy music with your mates without a care for convention or anything of the like. Fans of the likes of Cap’n Jazz and Algernon Cadwallader will find plenty to love here. – Dan Hillier
Arriving on the back of years upon years of standalone singles, extended plays and ceaseless gigging up and down the country, this record ultimately stands as a debut that’s less proof of concept and more proof of longevity. The debut record from Notts emo stalwarts George Gadd + The Aftermath (formed of Ciaran Grant, Dan Hess, Xakarus James and the titular George Gadd) Too Many Ghosts… is the accumulation of over decade of musical and personal development and a recorded that manifests as a body of work abundant with inspiration. Rich with an evident desire to express the emotion that binds it via the most authentic way possible, simply, this record is one that carries the musical and personal lessons learned across the span of a decade of one’s life.
With Too Many Ghosts… out now independently, we got in touch with George Gadd to break down the album, track by track.
It’s a strange way to open an album by drawing a line under something and moving forward. I’m a huge fan of Dragon Ball Z and I feel like this subconsciously influenced the main refrain of “is that all you’ve got?” – I can easily imagine that line being said just before a character goes Super Saiyan and everything goes to 11.
Two of my favourite moments in this song only happened during recording: Ciaran’s piano call-and-response and his lead guitar riff when everything kicks in.
For lack of a better phrase, this song is about feeling completely dehumanised. We first released it at the end of 2016, self-produced by the band, recorded in bedrooms and over the years it’s become a live staple thanks to its raw energy. For the album version, I had more confidence in my voice and decided to re-record it in a higher key. I felt like it has given the song a huge lift and is now a lot more energised.
This song captures that feeling of butterflies in your stomach. It first appeared on 2017’s Better Shape EP, and I think it really showcases the contribution the Aftermath bring. It’s a testament to how good they are as musicians that we reworked it so early on. I love the night-and-day difference between both versions – the first is gentle and naive, while this one feels more self-assured and mature. At the time, we were definitely obsessed with The War on Drugs. Still am tbh.
I had a pretty bad break-up. Surrounded by fresh trauma, I wrote constantly. There was one week in particular where I wrote 16 songs – this and ‘Little Bird’ are the two that stuck. I don’t think the rest will ever see the light of day as it is just a super depressing listen.
In terms of writing, this is probably the rawest I’ve ever been lyrically. It was one of the first post-‘Better Shape’ songs I brought to the newly formed band, and Ciaran, Dan and Xak really helped take it to a cathartic level. In fact, if you buy the CD or download the Bandcamp version, the bonus track is the original demo I recorded that week. It felt like a fitting bookend to an album that documents such a turbulent period of my life.
In 2023, Ciaran and I went to the North Norfolk coast for a few days to focus on writing. I’d had this riff in the bank for about five years, and after countless iterations, this version just fell out of me. I was thinking about my partner, who’d recently had an unpleasant experience that left her feeling low. It sparked the line, “don’t let the bastards bring you down,” although the song isn’t strictly about that. We came back with about eight songs – this and ‘The Optimist’ made the cut and I’ve started playing some of the others live.
The final section of the song was added right at the end. It felt too short, and while walking the dog I suddenly heard Chris from Campfire Social’s voice in my head. I rushed home and wrote the part. Since we were recording in North Wales just ten minutes from where Campfire Social lived, four of them came over to add vocals. They worked out harmonies instantly and locked in perfectly, elevating the track beyond what I’d imagined.
UK mathcore crushers Pupil Slicer are back and their brand new track, ‘Fleshwork’ is the sound that longtime fans have been waiting for. Blending the chaos of their debut Mirrors with the experimentation and stomp of second album Blossom, ‘Fleshwork’ is an earth shaking piece of music. Showcasing guitarist and vocalist Kate Davies growing vocal range and introducing new member Luke Booth’s backing vocals into the mix, it’s the perfect statement for the bands new era. That era is set to launch officially on the 7th of November when Fleshwork drops, and looks to help the band regain their position as one of the most exciting alternative acts in the UK. – Chris Earl
The London based Trash-Rock outfit Saint Agnes shake our collective consciousness into an overwhelming frenzy with the announcement of their upcoming third studio album – Your God Fearing Days Are About To Begin, alongside their latest dominating single ‘The Father, The Son and The Holy Beast’. Delivering a newly invigorated genre cataclysm, combining epic theatrics, pounding industrialism, anti-devotional sentiment with a distinct sonic mysticism, as front woman Kitty Austen occupies the guiding voice of reason, rebellion and salvation; TFTSATHB is the first twist away from the emotional powder keg-like odes that made their previous era – Bloodsuckers, so devastatingly addictive. In seeking to enrapture their curious flock into an obsession with duality between the heavenly and devilish, their latest audible overload is an encouraging sign of mounting promise as we inch closer and closer to the climactic reveal of their latest eras sonic mastery on All Hallows Eve. – Bennie Osborne
The final single to be taken from their second record Endlessly – released September 26th via Black Acre – ‘Evolve’ see’s Scaler collaborating with fellow Bristolian Tlya X An in what may be their most accessible and melodic work to date. Whilst still a product of Scaler’s unceasing drive to push electronic music into more abrasive pastures, here, the vocals of Tyla X An pacify Scaler’s warped dyanaism in order to create a soundscape that’s consoled yet still in a constant state of flux. “Throughout the creation of this song we were trying to keep the arrangement relatively simple and stripped back”, states James Rushforth on the track. “I was trying to encourage everyone to sit back a little and rely on songwriting more than sonic warfare, a practice we’re not particularly well versed in. We had worked up the lyrics in the verse, evoking confusion and searching for stasis – we had visualised an expansive abandoned cityscape being flooded, a sense of no future or past. It felt like a mental state. – Dan Hillier
