Since signing to Church Road Records last year, pagan metallers Forlorn have been teasing something big on the horizon – and it’s finally here. News of their debut album, Aether, was dropped alongside its lead single ‘Funeral Pyre’. A dense, atmospheric piece that encompasses caustic post metal, bewitching melody and a visceral breakdown t0wards its close. About the song, the band stated “Funeral Pyre explores the element of fire and in this sense as a powerful divination tool. We took inspiration from the 1973 film ‘The Wickerman’ and the concept of human sacrifice, in order for things to grow. We invite people to join us as we shed our naysayers and become stronger together.” Forlorn open their circle at Noizzefest on April 26, and they’re sure to be unmissable. – Will Marshall
The news of one of the greatest metalcore bands of all time coming back and performing shows last year brought warmth to the hearts of so many. When news of a new album surfaced, there was a lot of curiosity, especially with the focus on their 25th Anniversary of The Opposite Of December…A Season Of Separation, fans wondered if there’d be a return to their older sound. Instead however, the band have continued their sonic trajectory that was present on their last album The Tropic Rot. Called ‘Trembling Level’, it’s a mix of gritty, slightly southern fried riffs and Jeffrey’s voice is given new life with some Will Putney production. Having just signed to SharpTone, a whole new generation are going to get to witness the greatness of Poison The Well. – Chris Earl
After branching out into sunny shoegaze with their brilliant yet ever so slightly dissentious last record, Deafheaven are back with some downright frosty black metal. The first track to be taken from their recently announced new record Lonely People With Power – released March 28th via Roadrunner Records – ‘Magnolia’ is a punishing return to the withered and ashen black metal roots of the blackgaze pioneers. In fact, not since ‘Black Brick’ have we seen a Deafheaven track this downright harsh and oppressive. However, with the new record set to contain one or two new surprises, including contributions from members of Boy Harsher and Interpol, this shouldn’t be seen as something regressive from the band, but rather the introduction to a new era of Deafheaven that will no doubt lead black metal to new exciting pastures once again. – Dan Hillier
Erupting out of Baltimore’s fertile hardcore scene, Jivebomb are a vicious, brawling outfit set to drop their debut album Ethereal on the legendary Flatspot Records this March. The lead single, ‘Survival Ain’t Taught’, is as fist-swinging and pit-starting as they come, and it’s not even 90 seconds long. Vocalist Kat Medeira has a guttural bark that sits atop aggro guitars and punishing drums, almost daring people to try not to mosh. Almost totally at odds with the single, its video takes cues from 90s hip hop videos, which only serves to make ‘Survival Ain’t Taught’ even more deliriously fun. – Will Marshall
The first taste of new music from heavy shoegazers Slow Crush since signing to Pure Noise, ‘Cherry’ is as densely layered and stunning as we’ve come to expect from the Belgian quartet. Luscious melodies are underpinned by deceptively heavy drums, something that’s served them well across their two albums to date. Of the song, the band cryptically say: “wistful longing for something fresh and new, creating a stormy and effervescent anthology. Evoking an almost thematic cascade of noise that echoes the end and bursts into new life. ‘Cherry’ feels like the perfect first single. A new, fresh start. ‘Shed your skin’”. – Will Marshall
Arguably one of the most exciting and authentic names in instrumental music, BRUIT ≤ are back and their timing could not be more perfect. Taken from their upcoming LP The Age of Ephemerality and dropping in a time where the disposable commoditisation of art is becoming more accepted and tolerated, ‘Ephemeral’ feels and sounds akin to a detailed and pained reflection on our collective fascination with exploitive technology and our insatiable urge for progress at the expensive of our own humanity. As classical motifs shift into eroding noise and half-time percussion that feels like a marching beat to oblivion, it’s impossible not to hear the emotion emotion and handmade craft that has gone into creation of this song. As always, BRUIT ≤ not only remain one of the most ingenious names in post-rock, but one of the must important musical acts in an era of passive complicity – Dan Hillier
From visceral metallic hardcore to modern heavy metal anthems, the journey of British stalwarts Employed To Serve cannot be understated. Having evolved so naturally yet never missing a step along the way, the band’s fifth album Fallen Star has just been announced for April 25th and what better way to launch your first single than by having one of the best extreme metal vocalists in the world on as a guest. ‘Atonement’ contains a guest spot from Lorna Shore frontman Will Ramos, who lends his growls and gurgles to a backdrop of modern metal stomp. From the three way vocal assault (Justine sounding as powerful as ever and Sammy’s melodic vocals once again continuing to grow and impress) to the fierce riffs and stomping drums, it becomes more and more clear why Employed To Serve are the standard bearers for UK metal. – Chris Earl
Brighton’s best boppers are back. Taken from their freshly announced second LP Bicker – released March 28th via Big Scary Monsters – ‘Groan’ see’s Orchards marring their mathy pastel pink indie-pop sensibilities with gritty and grounded lyricism focusing on the non-linear nature of self-improvement. In comparison to their previous work, there’s an evident level of darkness here, but as always, it’s that dichotomy between splendid pop songwriting and bittersweet themes that makes Orchards just so irresistible as band. “I was going through a really tough therapy session and my therapist said why do you feel the need to fix this,” says vocalist Lucy Evers on the track. “I didn’t have an answer for her. It’s built into my wiring. I want to help, I want to fix it, and she said ‘you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink’ and it hit me like a tonne of bricks. The only person who can really fix something is you! But growing and healing isn’t linear. You can be ‘getting better’ whatever that fucking means and still be scream crying in the bath.” – Dan Hillier
London noisey duo Cassels have teamed up with one of Noizze’s favourite labels Human Worth to announce new album Tracked In Mud. A perfect combination with the values shared between all involved as this record looks at humanity’s disconnection from nature. After locking themselves away in the studio for two weeks, brothers Beck have emerged with a bleak lead single to preview the record. ‘Indigene’ shows a more heavier and harrowing side to previous work. Darker, sludgier, dirtier tones alongside Jim Beck’s pained vocal delivery and Loz Beck’s hard hitting, tight drumming style paints apt picture for a gloomy time in history. – Adam Vallely
Launching alongside the news of the dual De Toorn and Tooth & Claw EP releases coming this March, ’Heden’ is the newest track from one of Belgium’s bleakest bands. Featured as the opening cut of two from the De Toorn EP, stylistically this is said to be wrapping up the compositional and philosophical motifs from Amenra’s last full length album release, 2021’s De Doorn. Said to be “delving deeper into the raw emotions of grief, wrath, and transformation”, at over fourteen minutes long, ‘Heden’ is a deliberate and indulgent slow burn. Meticulously sculpting a detailed soundscape that is drenched in a disquieting somber atmosphere, lighter instrumentals and spoken word vocals beckon the audience to get lost in the almost ritualistic nod of the track. The inevitable makes itself known, crushing the listener under the full weight of suffering when Amenra’s particular brand of caustic post-metal throttles in full force late into the track. – Harry Shiels
Quite literally setting the scene for their collaborative album The Film, the four creative minds of poet and punk rocker Moor Mother and the ever inventive heavy trio of Sumac have conjured the first single from the LP ‘Scene 1’. A soundscape of abrasive and industrial tones overlaid with Moor Mother’s voice modulation and fierce delivery adding an evil and terrifying layer. Seemingly a commentary on the state of the world this piece of art shakes deep to the core and is only a slice of what is to come from the collaboration, which is also set to play two shows in at Roadburn and in Berlin in April. – Adam Vallely
With inspiration hailing from a possible realisation about their own difficult relationship with their mental health; the Alternative Rock duo Nova Twins, implore fans to seek an understanding of self, in order to maintain the internal emotional equilibrium before catastrophe sets into the psyche with their latest post-Supernova era single ‘Monsters’. In pairing hefty riffs, poignant vocals and haunting lyrical interpretations of inner turmoil, for the true depth and breadth of fear surrounding our inner world. This most recent addition to Nova Twins’ expansively powerful discography, is a welcomed anthemic PSA for all who seek a chance at liberation from their ruminations. – Bennie Osborne
It’s rare that a band become as influential as Atlanta based emo trio Michael Cera Palin without ever having released a full length album. Their latest single ‘Wisteria’ comes alongside an announcement of their long-awaited debut album, titled We Could Be Brave after a decade together. ‘Wisteria’ takes the band’s long-established mix of delicate indie and dynamic punk rock and polishes it up for a familiar yet refined sound full of chunky basslines and subtly elaborate guitar flourishes. On ‘Wisteria’ Michael Cera Palin prove that, despite some time away, they’re still full of the same youthful energy that made their early EPs cult classics. – Tom Bruce
Championing their Māori roots, New Zealand based thrash metal trio Alien Weaponry have risen from humble beginnings to become one of the most important heavy bands still performing, their latest single ‘Mau Moko’ continues their tradition of crushing metal combined with booming vocals in their native tongue of te reo Māori. With a blisteringly fast pace driven by drummer Henry De Jong’s ferocious beats and frontman Lewis De Jong’s galloping guitar riffs, ‘Mau Moko’ keeps Alien Weaponry’s upward momentum going in anticipation of their upcoming third album Te Rā. ‘Mau Moko’ once again brings Alien Weaponry’s rich culture to the forefront of their sound, showing off their Māori heritage through the universal language of huge thrash metal riffs. – Tom Bruce
New York’s esoteric, avant-garde abyssal gods Imperial Triumphant return with another new mind-melting track alongside the reveal of their new album Goldstar. Featuring unsettling spoken word vocals from legendary Meshuggah drummer Tomas Haake, it’s everything you’ve come to expect from the unexpected trio. Easing in with a dreamy guitar melody that slowly turns sour with dissonance; sickening churns and rhythmic shifts, chaotic melodies, phenomenal musicianship and boundary pushing jazz infused blackened death metal. The accompanying video is a visual treat, seeing the band take to upper levels of the art-deco icon in the form of Chrysler Building in New York City (something not often allowed for most folk, let alone experimental metal bands). The historical significance of the location paired with the dizzying camera shifts and editing perfectly reflect the chaos and sense of unease the band sew in their music. Goldstar is shaping up to be another spectacular trip through a world inspired by American opulence from another time when it drops this March. – Harry Shiels
Part of a select group of bands who helped pioneer the original deathcore boom and are still not only making music, but have looked to evolve and expand their sound over their career, Whitechapel are back and they sound pissed. Nearly twenty years in and fresh off two critically acclaimed albums that saw them delve into softer territories, it appears that the upcoming album Hymns In Dissonance will take things to darker and much heavier territories. Harking back to the sound from Our Endless War, the title track is a ferocious blast of insidious deathcore, as always lead by the demonic belches of Phil Bozeman and Ben Savage’s frantic yet memorable guitar work. Amidst the brutality there will lie a story of a cultist gathering members for a cult and tracks regarding the seven deadly sins, which all sounds like perfect material for an absolute behemoth of an album. – Chris Earl
tunic don’t mess about. The first single off the upcoming record, ‘Eyes Crossed Out’ is a dissonant, post-punk nightmare through the streets of Winnipeg. tunic have a knack of always sounding artfully out of tune, the opening to the new track is no different before it drops into a section driven by one of the most disgustingly fuzzed out bass sounds we’ve ever heard. It sounds like the speak has been blown out of whatever device is being used to play the track, whilst David Schellenberg pounds out the lyrics like a distant Canadian cousin of Unifrom. The track rounds out with the fast strumming of a chord that doesn’t really sound like a chord as the song’s title is shouted over and over again creating a sense of cacophonic lunacy. We’ll be covering the new record, hopefully the rest of it is this madness inducingly good. – Rob Bown
Slung do a few things really well with their latest single ‘Laughter’. One of them is riffs; ‘Laughter’ is riddled with them, they’ll worm their way in and stay stuck in that brain matter for days at a time. The other is memorable vocals, ranging from gentle warming highs, to shouted punk drenched anger and screams of a metal band (they do cite Mastodon as an influence). Sometimes vocalist Katie Oldham sounds harsh and sharp like fellow Brightonian electro punks CLT DRP, other times she’d be at home in a smokey late bar signing over a piano. Either way the guitar section and drums juxtapose themselves against this audio barrage by supplying endless interesting riffs, and a slowed down section of proggy drudgery to round out the track, hopefully they never stop the laughter, and never stop putting up a fight. – Rob Bown
Arguably the most accessible thing Coheed and Cambria has ever released, ‘Someone Who Can’ see’s everyones favourite prog-emo band reflecting on the past whilst simultaneously looking forwards to what may be their most pivotal record of their career. The latest track to be taken from their new record The Father of Make Believe, ‘Someone Who Can’ stands as a sunny callback to the carefree halcyon days of youth that mares thoughts of the band’s 2002 debut LP with the skill and achievements they have built in the 23 years since that record. It’s impossible not be lifted by the upbeat pop sensibilities of this song, and as vocalist Claudio Sanchez states, the meaning of ‘Someone Who Can’ comes from embracing the unknown and uncertainty that carry on from youth. “When you’re growing up, you’re perpetually trying to understand the world that’s changing around you. Over time, it’s comforting to reach the conclusion that you’ll never truly have things figured out.” – Dan Hillier
With 2024 now complete and forever etched in the annuals of time, it’s time to look towards this brave new year. And what a year it’s set to be. Between festivals like 2000 Trees, Outbreak, ArcTanGent, Damnation and Portals boasting arguably their best lineups thus far and with some of the biggest names in our musical realm set to release new records, there’s no ambiguity regarding how big of a year 2025 is set to be for music.
However, what is ambiguous is who will be this year’s biggest breakout stars. Just who are the names that will go from best kept secrets to dotted scene staples? Well, we have a hunch or two. With that in mind, here’s the 20 artists you’re going to want to keep an eye on this year.
Sounding akin to Body Void attempting to exercise a demon from Lingua Ignota that’s taken the form of Julie Christmas, Mrs Frighthouse are a terrifying prospect. But such is the point. Specialising in crafting industrial-metal soundscapes that could also double as field recordings from the depths of the void, the Glaswegian wife-and-wife duo’s approach to audible horror is ghastly, disinhibited and dissonant. But this isn’t a cheap nor superficial spookshow. By incorporating a gothic aesthetic into their work, Mrs Frighthouse terrifying work serves as an authentic portrayal of life under the male-gaze and how women are still viewed as a commodity in an age of industrialised mysongy. This is what makes the duo so terrifying; they are a genuine mirroring of the horror half of humanity have to face on a daily basis. – Dan Hillier
Hamartia are an alternative rock band originally from Cornwall and later relocating to Bristol. After a quiet 2024, Hamartia are gearing up to release new music that is likely to show lyrical growth, depth and vulnerability alongside the band’s already established ability to craft infectious hooks and melodies. Hamartia take melody and emotion and blend it with grit and power which makes for a captivating sound. With new music on the horizon, they are sure to make a positive dent in 2025. With one headline show announced in Cardiff in February we hope this is just the beginning of what will be a defining 2025 for Hamartia. – Jac Holloway
Librarycore; that’s probably the closest thing to a genre tag that one could attach to Since Torino. Calling the creatively fertile grounds of Sheffield and it’s beautiful surrounding dales home, the South Yorkshire quartet are essentially quiet comfort distilled into musical form. A tall claim, but with their sound taking cues from only the most cathartic elements of slowcore, alt-folk, current wave emo and all things hazy and most gaze-y, it’s impossible for their sound not to lull one into a state of hushed composure. The band’s work thus far and their most single ‘transatlantic flight song’ are irrefutable evidance of this, and with their new EP a long night down to calgary releasing February 7th, Since Torino are set to be a much needed source of quiet relief in what is set to be a chaotic and loud year. – Dan Hillier
Signing up to the Big Scary Monsters roster, a debut album in the making, announced for 2000 Trees (and we hear a few other shows), 2025 is shaping up to be a massive year for the Leeds based math rock(ish) band Love Rarely. Their genre bending sound brings in influences from all of your favourite eras, from 2000s screamo mathcore like The Fall of Troy to more melodic moments in vein of Arcane Roots, all delivered with an infectious energy. Whatever your preferred flavour of alternative, heavy goodness there will be something here for your ears. – Adam Vallely
The aural equivalent to being chased through a hectic abattoir, Newcastle’s Long Goodbye are one of the most violent and dangerously exciting prospects in the British heavy music scene today. Fronted by Patrick Morton, a man who moshes like a UFC fighter and screams like a warring banshee, the rest of the band channel classic, aggressive metalcore into a sound that has crowds baying for blood. With some envious support slots for Wristmeetrazor, Ringworm and God Complex coming up ahead of their Outbreak debut this summer along with hinted at new music in the pipeline, few bands right now can claim as much momentum as Long Goodbye. – Chris Earl
There’s a very good reason why many people are collectivity losing their marbles over this band. A direct counterargument to the false notion that post-rock is a stagnant genre, Overhead, The Albatross essentially overhaul what post-rock actually means. Those who have heard their recent LP I Leave You This will understand such a statement. Taking the core ethos of the genre prior to interweaving motifs of intelligent dance music, trip-hop, spoken word and so-called neo-classical into the mix, this Dublin band essentially rewrite the faded blueprint of the genre that many have relied on over the years. But, despite such dynamism, what makes this band just so special is how organic they sound. There’s no shoehorned gimmickry here, just pure, unfettered human emotion expressed in a language that’s some new yet universally understandable. Despite being a band since 2009, it’s only recently have many taken notice of this band’s slow unfolding of wings. Now, 2025 is the year Overhead, The Albatross truly take flight. – Dan Hillier
Taken from the band’s upcoming record Pylon Cult – released January 31st via APF Records – ‘Burly Haemorrhoid’ is thankfully only one part of it’s delightfully wonderful moniker. The second track taken from it’s respective record following the release of the also brilliant ‘Fear And Loathing In Stevenage’, as one can imagine, this track is a torrent of filth forcibly squeezed forth from a place that could be dubbed as pure evil. It ain’t nice, but with the band’s take on blackened sludge carrying the viscous texture of contemporaries such as Mastiff, Swamp Coffin and Grief Ritual, this is perfect for those who link their metal putrid, revolting and sounding a bit like the musical equivalent of a bad time on the loo.
The music video for ‘Burly Haemorrhoid’ makes all of this quite vivid and visual though. Thankfully void of any representations or imagery related to the track’s title, the video is an intense and claustrophobic play through of the track that features a shirtless vocalist Tom Clements raging like he’s freshly out of anusol. Watch the video exclusively below, and pre-order Pylon Cult here.
The group’s first single in two years, and arguably their most explosive work in double that time, ‘Paranoid’ see’s everyone’s favourite Canadian punk rapscallions PUP return in fine form. A departure from the brilliant but divisive left-field nature of their last LP, the new track from PUP is a call back to piss-and-vinegar youth. It’s scrappy, abrasive and self-deprecating yet still outwardly hostile. There’s little doubt to the scale of the carnage that this song is going to ignite during their tour later this Spring. “My favourite part of this song is the breakdown 1:45 in. Whenever we try and do a heavy breakdown with catchy vocals we end up sounding like the world’s worst melodic hardcore band”, say’s vocalist Stefan Babcock on the track. “But somehow it worked on this song. I think because it’s so intense in that moment that it’s actually kind of funny and a bit hard to take seriously. There’s some humour in that and how it plays against what I’m yelling about in a way I really like”. – Dan Hillier
You wait 13 years for new music from arguably the most legendary post hardcore band of all time and all of a sudden, there’s something every few months. Thursday have been dropping music regularly since last April and with this new track, ‘Taking Inventory Of A Frozen Lake’, the band have made their most striking statement of late yet. A dramatic, sweeping piece of music, it’s driven by the soaring voice of Geoff Rickly, wailing and finding melody in hard places over a stirring backdrop. The years have not slowed down Thursday, nor have they made the band complacent to rehash old ground, instead they enter 2025 with a lease of life reminiscent of their glory days. – Chris Earl
Spiritworld straight up don’t sound like anyone else in metallic hardcore. The country-infused outfit, led by mastermind Stu Folsom and based on a series he’s writing (first book Godlessness collected short stories set during Spiritworld‘s first two albums) have released the second single, ‘Abilene Grime’, from their upcoming record Helldorado and it keeps the rhinestones polished and the line dancers moving. There’s even more of a country twang but that doesn’t mean they don’t still know their way around a big Slayer-esque riff, as its halfway mark proves while it shifts into a galloping, thrashing piece of crossover. Welcome back, you mad cowboys. – Will Marshall
While plenty of actors have musical side projects, few are as bold and chaotic as Daveed Diggs’ experimental hip-hop group Clipping., alongside producers William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes, Diggs has been pushing the boundaries of noise-fuelled, innovative hip-hop since before his breakout role as Thomas Jefferson in the hit musical Hamilton. The group’s latest single ‘Change The Channel’ takes their usual anarchic energy and injects it with a shot of The Prodigy inspired techno punk adrenaline complete with distorted percussion and punchy synth hits. ‘Change The Channel’ marks a distinct step up for Clipping. with clear, crisp production elevating their avant-garde hip-hop sound without taking away from their violently rowdy energy. – Tom Bruce
Building up to their debut album Collapse, due to be released at the end of January, hardcore infused death metal quartet Grief Ritual take their rage at thieving corporations and bigoted, corrupt governments out on their brutal new single ‘Spiral’. With a slower, more deliberate pace than much of their previous work, ‘Spiral’ channels the south-west four-piece’s anger into a chugging thesis against the greed of those who’ve forced themselves to the top of society at the expense of the rest of us. On ‘Spiral’ Grief Ritual cement themselves as one of the UK extreme metal scene’s most important voices, pushing sonic boundaries with a profoundly worded and relevant social message. – Tom Bruce
Announcing an album for August in January is a bit early, but Nottingham pop punks As December Falls have made their entire career off bucking industry trends. Staunchly independent and fan-funded through a Patreon, they’ve been grinding away for years until last album Join the Club truly catapulted them into the spotlight. Latest single ‘Therapy’ comes alongside the announcement of their fourth record, Everything’s On Fire But I’m Fine, and while initially it feels like business as usual for them, there’s flourishes of electronics and some easycore elements that shows them spreading their sonic wings more than they have before, while the lyrics are as heartfelt as ever. Making it to your fourth album is no mean feat, let alone independently, and As December Falls seem determined to make the most of it. – Will Marshall
A psychedelic prog-pop rave rager turn celestial ambient soundscape, the latest cut from HENGE is certainly far out experience. But those familiar with this space faring crew will know what expect, at least in theory. The last track to be taken from the group’s new record Journey To Voltus B – released January 31st via Cosmic Dross Records – ‘Slingshot / Hypersleep’ sees the intergalactic via Manchester band literally explaining how to use the gravitational pull of Mars to utilise a slingshot manoeuvre to launch into deep space prior to detailing the uncanny bliss of falling into suspended animation. However, it’s how this tale is told is what makes this track just so engaging. Narrated via psychedelic funk that turns into creeping stillness as the track falls into stasis, ‘Slingshot / Hypersleep’ is both a wonderful continuation of this band’s boundless creativity and a fantastic introduction to one of the most weird and wonderful bands for those new to the ship that HENGE captain. – Dan Hillier
