When Alien Weaponry burst onto the metal scene in 2018 with their groundbreaking viral single ‘Kai Tangata’, the band members were still in their teens. Since then, the trio (founded by brothers Henry and Lewis de Jong) have released two albums, caused carnage on festival stages around the world, and had a lineup change.
Noizze jumped on a call with bassist Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds to get to the core of their new album Te Rā, what it’s like touring post-lockdown, and raising awareness of Māori history.
‘Covid, for us, and for a lot of people, was like a giant pair of hands pulling you back into the mud and now you’re trying to get out’, Tūranga says. ‘This album now finally feels like we’ve got our foot out of that mud and back on solid ground.’
The record’s title Te Rā is the shortened form of ‘tama-nui-te-rā’, meaning ‘the day’ or ‘the sun’. The inspiration behind the title is one of the most important stories from Māori folklore.
‘On the album artwork is depicted the story of when Maui, our famous Polynesian demigod, gave us the days by slowing down the sun.’ Tūranga explains. ‘So the sun used to shoot out of this pit in the ground and fly around – and you couldn’t get anything done, there was barely any daylight. So Maui took his brothers and they caught the sun in a net and then basically beat the shit out of him until he slowed down. It’s kinda heavy metal – like this dude literally beats up the sun!’
A lot has changed since Straight Girl released their last single. A lot hasn’t changed too; one thing being right-wing extremists using religion to justify violence. Such is the theme of ‘God’, the first single from Straight Girl in half a decade. Releasing prior to their final shows later this month, ‘God’ is a thumping, ferocious and understandably confrontational electropunk big-beat anti-anthem that see’s Straight Girl leaning into the villain role that they’re often branded with. “I’m playing fully into the villain role that the queer community so often gets branded with”, states Straight Girl on the track. “I’ve pushed it to the extreme, as a retaliation against right-wing extremists that use religion to excuse their violent politics. I’m your god now, bitch.” – Dan Hillier
Igorrr has always been such a singular presence in the heavy music scene and their rise to popularity in their homeland of France and then beyond is perhaps just as curious given how challenging and bizarre their music can be. Originally focusing more on mixing breakcore with lyrical, baroque music, Igorrr started incorporating more and more organic metal influences alongside a slew of other improbable influences from across the world and different epochs. New single ‘ADHD’ feels like a wonderful summerisation of that journey, hinting at a return of emphasis on the original breakcore and baroque interminglings, with the songwriting, production, riffs and quirks that have brought Igorrr to headline stages across the world. Igorrr’s upcoming new album Amen will be out on September 19th and promises to continue their legacy of making heavy music as eccentric, unpredictable and fun as they possibly can. – Avrian O’Brien
It’s been 5+ long years since Triumph & Disaster blessed fans’ eardrums, but we finally have the first taste of new music from post rock royalty We Lost The Sea. ‘A Dance With Death’ comes from their new album A Single Flower out 2 July, it’s near 10 and a half minutes of instrumental post rock bliss. Repeated motifs crop up all over it, echoing each other and evolving into an avalanche of sound. There’s moments reminiscent of 2015’s gut-wrenching Departure Songs – certainly no bad thing. It’s only available via their Bandcamp for now (where you can also preorder the album) or with a studio performance video on YouTube, but it’s a diversion well worth your time. – Will Marshall
Dropping just prior to their upcoming European tour alongside Macseal, one might expect the new single from Suds to be somewhat of a bleak experience with a title like that. But misery ain’t the Suds way. Retelling the whirlwind the indie-emo quartet have experienced following the release of their debut LP back in 2023, ‘State Of Everything’ once again see’s Suds radiating the wistful charm and refreshing warmth that made that aforementioned debut just so refreshing. It’s easy to look around at the state of, well, everything right now and despair, but at least Suds remain a source of warmth in a world gone cold. – Dan Hillier
Ahead of their tour with industrial metalcore mob Heriot, London crossover crew False Reality have shared ‘Cost Of Spite’ and, as ever, it’s a ripper. In just two and a half minutes, they reaffirm why they’re one of the UK’s premiere crossover acts with churning drums and pulverising guitars. It’s a battle cry against inequality, as vocalist Rachel Rigby comments on the single:”The song is about the inequality there is still out there in the world. Feeling anger when your hard work and passions get boiled down to your gender, skin colour or sexuality. It’s also about pulling away from feeling like you have to shrink yourself down and dilute yourself to make others feel comfortable, instead of being your most expressive self.” Don’t miss False Reality as they tear the UK a new one this month. – Will Marshall
The latest single from the upcoming Fallen Star, ‘Breaks Me Down’ sees Woking wrecking crew Employed To Serve branch out even further than before. Pulsing electronic drums, and Sammy Urwin crooning softly; this isn’t a typical ETS track opening at all. When the groove does come in with Justine Jones‘ ferocious bark, it kicks like a mule, while the chorus sees Sammy utilise gritty singing once more. Metallic hardcore this ain’t – they’ve evolved into a fully fledged heavy metal outfit with the chops to match at this point, synth flourishes even making themselves known in the most interesting release from the new album so far. – Will Marshall
The latest single to be taken from Soot Sprite’s upcoming record Wield Your Hope Like A Weapon – released May 16th via Specialist Subject Records – ‘Days After Days’ animates the title of the record it belongs to. Whilst the track may still be a host to the anxious and layered indiegaze that binds the band’s sound, the track strikes a defiant tone, one that implores all to cherish what light we can find in this increasingly dark world. “It’s about facing the endless horrors of the world and remembering to pay attention to the good. People on the ground, activism, and remembering that we shouldn’t be hardened by everything we witness or we can lose empathy”, states Elise Cook on the track. “And it feels like without empathy we’ll never be able to achieve class consciousness, and lose our sense of community.” – Dan Hillier
Losing a vocalist who was a key part of the band’s identity would be an event that would derail most bands, especially before your first album, but FOXCULT aren’t most bands. Continuing their march as one of the most exciting bands around, they recruited Tiare Ball whose powerful, emotional voice is on show for all to see on the bands brand new single, ‘THE EMERALD GROVE’. Much like the bands previous work, it’s a driving, soulful journey of a track that at times, floats through the air with a sense of curious beauty before grabbing you by the throat for an earworm chorus. Featuring a guest spot by Galleons vocalist Tom Byrne, he fits in with their sound so well, adding a level of bite and grit to proceedings. It hasn’t been an easy road for FOXCULT yet throughout, they’ve never faltered from their vision and beliefs. With this potentially being the first step on the road to the band’s as yet unannounced debut album, it’s time to get to know the band and immerse yourself in their incredible world of lore and music. – Chris Earl
Post-punk? Noise-rock? Dance-pop inspired? Accepted by hardcore crowds and booked for Outbreak Festival? Not that in the modern day we should pigeonhole music into a specific category, but Model/Actriz do traverse many scenes, influences and sounds. Why is that, you ask? Well when you put out a critically acclaimed album like Dogsbody it answers all those questions, and if you haven’t swallowed down that LP you should do so immediately. After gaining a following and the attention of many worldwide, they are set to set 2025 alight with their next album Pirouette. Infectious electronics and floating vocals create an addictive sound with this second single ‘Doves’. A dancefloor filler for 3am, get that disco ball spinning and the light show going off. It’s time to get down. – Adam Vallely
Canadian punk trailblazers Pup are back making waves in anticipation of their fifth full length album Who Will Look After The Dogs?, due to be released this May. Alongside their old pal and modern ska icon Jeff Rosenstock who provides some suitably deranged backing vocals, the four-piece barrel haphazardly through their latest single ‘Get Dumber’, embodying the raucous DIY spirit of their earlier work with a renewed sense of humour over a backdrop of feedback fueled, fuzzed-out guitar riffs. While their more melodic work has made them punk rock superstars, ‘Getting Dumber’ proves that Pup can still get as rowdy and dirty as ever. – Tom Bruce
Although it did seem like they were over when in 2008 they called it a day, since their return in 2016 with the spellbinding comeback album, Lost Ritual, they’ve only gone from strength to strength.
They proved that yet again earlier this month with the release of another slab of raucous groove metal entitled Night Wolf. We sat down with vocalist Dan Cook and bass player Andy Gilmour (also of Hundred Reasons) to chat about the release and what has kept them going for so long. ‘One word… stubbornness’ laughs Dan.
With winter finally receding and spring slowly blooming, ArcTanGent have announced another belter wave of acts to join this year’s bill. Joining an already colossal lineup topped by acts such as Wardruna, Karnivool, Clown Core and Tesseract are post-rock icons Maybeshewill, grade A mindmelters Frontierer and post-hardcore stalwarts Mclusky. They will also be joined by fellow newcomers God Is An Astronaut, The Callous Daoboys, Waldo’s Gift, Lost in Kiev, Pothamus, Wren, vianova, Swamp Coffin, The Sad Season, The Grey and Lo!. Plus if that wasn’t enough, it’s been announced that Yard, Nordic Giants, AK/DK and JOHN CXNNOR are also set to perform live silent disco sets. And finally, 2 Promoters 1 Pod will also be appearing for another live show down the farm.
On their upcoming set, Maybeshewill states; “To mark our 20th year as a band we wanted to put together a special set that looked back on the whole of our career. Drawing on some rarely performed songs from our back catalogue, we’ll be joined by an ensemble of additional musicians who have played with us over the years. ArcTanGent has always felt like home to us, and it felt like the perfect setting to celebrate this milestone amongst friends.”
As usual, ArcTanGent 2025 will take place at it’s home of Fernhill Farm, Bristol, between the 13th and 16th August. Find tickets and further information here, and peep the new poster designed by Baroness’s John Baizley below.
One of the best underground bands in not just the British music scene, but the world, Burner are back to follow up their stunning debut record. The first new music from the band since 2023, ‘City 17’, is once again a scathing blend of death metal riffs, vocals reminiscent of razorblades in a blender and some uncomfortable yet vital lyrics from Harry Nott, focused again on the CCP and their genocide of the Uyghur people. Never a band to shy away from important lyrical themes, it adds a level to Burner‘s music that few other bands can match. Doubtful to be the last you hear from Burner in 2025, now is the time to discover what all the hype is about and bask in some of the best extreme music of recent times. – Chris Earl
After years of hoping and waiting for a reunion, the day has finally come; this is the return of a band called Adebisi Shank. Originally belonging to the UK and Ireland math rock class populated by other pupils such as Tubelord, Colour, Blakfish and of course ASIWYFA, in retrospect, Adebisi Shank almost encapsulated the giddy excitement of growing in a time where the future looked bright. Of course, the future isn’t what it used to be after the release of their last album in 2014, but ‘Start A Band’ does at least inject some fun into these bleak times. Erratic, animated and fuelled by that boundless energy that Adebisi Shank once emitted, this single, with it’s child like excitement and borderline wholesomeness, almost feels like a return to better days. The world may be in a dark place right now, but at least Adebisi Shank are back to radiate some light. – Dan Hillier
Fresh from their likenesses appearing on some Sheffield Facebook pages for allegedly being involved in a high value theft (which turned out to be a sneaky bit of promo for this track, culminating in a music video featuring Brick Top from Snatch), Malevolence have just announced their fourth album, Where Only The Truth Is Spoken. It contains the previously released ‘Trenches’ as well as featuring the brand new release ‘If It’s All The Same To You’. A hefty slab of their trademark metal and hardcore blend, it captures the band aiming their sights on bigger venues and stages while still having the edge and incendiary riffs they’re known for. With a chorus from Konan that’s sure to stay in your head for weeks, this June looks to be the summer of Malevolence. – Chris Earl
Following on from the release of their fantastic Stitches EP last year, our favourite glockstars Lakes are back with their new single ‘Peach Fuzz’. Once straddling that faint silver line between heavy existentialism and anxious hope via the means of jangly earnest emo in the key of American Football and the like, ‘Peach Fuzz’ see’s the Watford sextet wonderfully documenting that strange sudden moment where you become self-aware of the developmental journey we undertake throughout the course of your twenties. Much like everything the band stick their name to, there’s just something irresistibly lovable about this track; be it the track’s mathy hooks or just that effortlessly radiant sound that’s become synonymous with Lakes as a creative entity. – Dan Hillier
Leeds post-hardcore band Static Dress took the scene by surprise this week when they dropped a video for their feral new single ‘death to the overground.’. Well, new as an official release. If you’ve witnessed a Static Dress show over the last year-and-a-bit, you might have already heard this track. The production on the studio version perfectly preserves the chaos of their live gigs though, with a brutally distorted guitar tone that sounds like a blown-out speaker (complimentary). Where many alternative bands get more melodic as they find mainstream success, ‘death to the overground.’ is one of their heaviest songs to date. Headphones are essential for this one, as there’s a truly vicious panned breakdown that needs to be heard to be believed. – Eleanor Taylor
