Hit play and you’re immediately transported to Death Goals‘ world of socially aware, hard-hitting hardcore. “Knife Bouquet” finds them in their usual all-encompassing form, from the soaring melodic chorus to the glitchy overwhelming heavy breakdown that sees the track out Death Goals run the gamut of the various hardcore subgenres to produce a diamond hard song, that delivers energy up the wazoo. Incidentally, if you haven’t seen them live and you like a chaotic, energetic good time, then make sure you go and check them out. For a two-piece they don’t half own that stage. – Rob Bown
There are few bands in the scene at the moment who, on a lyrical level, can go toe to toe with Drug Church. At times scathing metaphor with a dose of unpleasant reality thrown in for good measure, they continue to show that off on ‘Demolition Man’, the second single from the Albany, NY upcoming fifth record Prude. Sonically, it’s more of their blend of 90s alternative rock and barrelling, punky hardcore, guaranteed to inspire some vicious dancing across the globe. Patrick Kindlon’s voice is instantly recognisable at this point, delivering his lines into your ear like a slightly deranged drill sergeant. It all wraps into a tight package that, much like the rest of their music, wastes no time in getting both its point and aural barrage across. – Chris Earl
Raygun Busch’s unmistakeable vocals seem to have taken on a sort of evolution between Chat Pile’s last release God’s Country and the upcoming release Cool World, becoming more tortured and strained on the new single ‘I Am Dog Now.’ The sludgy, off-kilter noise rock is still writ large all over the track, with it eventually devolving into a typical Chat Pile groove-ridden, weed-enhanced mess. The song feels more rounded, which can only be a good thing, maybe a little more depth in the recording process has added additional elements that increase the dark atmosphere that they so easily tap into. Either way, get hype for more beat poetry sludge, because as usual, it slaps. – Rob Bown
Cardiff based rising stars of post-rock FORT return with their dramatic new single ‘Three Of Swords’, blending airy guitar-led ambience and tense, technical riffs inspired by the very best of the UK instrumental rock scene. Steadily building up across a relatively restrained runtime, ‘Three Of Swords’ finds a perfect balance between the understated atmospheres of Caspian or Explosions In The Sky and the climactic, over the top guitar work of And So I Watch You From Afar or Russian Circles. With just enough urgency to keep the tension rising before snapping in a driving, bass forward breakdown, FORT demonstrate why they’re a name to keep an eye on through their immersive songwriting on ‘Three Of Swords’. – Bruce
Pigs Need Feeding is the first single from new UK supergroup The None (featuring members of Cassels, Youth Man, Frauds & Bloc Party) and its intensity matches that from their headline tour earlier this year. Wearing their fandom of The Jesus Lizard firmly on their sleeve, The None is more than the sum of each of the members. The guitars clang and vocalist Kaila Whyte’s apocalyptic cries are a ruthless frenzy. With a London headline show this Wednesday, and a tour supporting Metz later this year, EP Matter is going to rip through any speakers you give it to. – Mia Thunderska
Straddling the thin line between child-like giddiness and quiet reflection in a way that that only this band are capable of, the new single from post-rock stalwarts is downtempo ditty in the key of bittersweet nostalgia. The third track to be lifted from the band’s eagerly anticipated new LP Megafauna – released August 9th via Pelagic – ‘Years Ago’ revists the cheery textures that bounded All Hail Bright Futures and Heirs whilst intertwining them with the sentimentalism that clearly lies centre of their upcoming record. With it’s loops and classic call-and-response dynamics, this is classic ASIWYFA, albiet in a way that harkens towards the growth the band have experiences over the passing years that mature one and all. – Dan Hillier
The living definition of “dudes rock” are back with their first new music since 2017. It’s Japandroids. If you’ve heard them before you know what you’re going to get, anthemic tributes to those nights out you’ll never forget in the form of 2-3 minute long songs that are laced with the most potent catharsis. ‘Chicago’ is the first single from their upcoming final album Fate & Alcohol. Just like every night that you’ll never forget, it always has to end eventually. – Mia Tunderska
It’s been a whirlwind couple of years for Militarie Gun, with last year’s Life Under the Gun propelling them to huge heights. ‘Thought You Were Waving’ marks their first new music since, and captures their 90s slacker rock influences perfectly. Propelled by Ian Shelton’s unmistakeable voice, it captures feelings of helplessness; in its music video the band sit and stand around listlessly while arson, kidnapping and murder goes on around them. It’s their first single of 2024 and as ever, it’s a belter. – Will Marshall
The long wait for an Alternative artists triumphant return to the sound waves after several years of near radio silence is finally over, come the beginning rumbles of their independent fan funded mystery project; it has been nearly 4 years since the Devonshire Indie Rockers Black Foxxes, graced the scene with their exquisitely layered self-titled third studio album, and since the wrap up of that era fans were left on tender hooks, thirsting for more of their vulnerable offerings. Thankfully, this latest single ‘I Can’t Be Left Alone With It’, assumed to be the first of many singles produced as part of their upcoming fourth studio album – The Haar, paints a beautiful yet harrowing picture of depressive spiralling with its stripped back piano lead ominously ambient aesthetic, accompanied by Mark Holley’s sullenly retrained vocals delivery which creates a truly powerful saddening note that is almost impossible to ignore. If this is an indication of Black Foxxes direction as far as musical prowess is concerned, we’ll be positively transfixed to their socials, ready and waiting to consume all they have to offer. – Bennie Osborne
Lifted from the duo’s upcoming record Brick By Brick – released 30th August via APF Records – ‘Legion’ see’s brothers Ryan and Elliot Cole serving up five muteness of Sabbathian doom, gloom and groove aplenty. Directly inspired the 1999 Stephen King miniseries Storm Of The Century, the track brilliantly demonstrates why WALL have become a crucial load-bearing fixture in the UK’s underground doom and sludge scene, especially given it’s filthy Iommi-worshipping riffage and cheeky thrash breakdown within the conclusion. Should anyone be a fan of the aforementioned Brum’s finest, Karma To Burn, Barbarian Hermit or the brothers Cole’s work in their other project Desert Storm, then this is crucial, filthy listening.
“The song title Legion comes from Stephen Kings tv mini series ‘Storm of the Century’”, states drummer Elliot “The 4000 year old Wizard that unleashes evil on a small island in Maine, that goes by the name of Andre Linoge… Linoge an anagram for Legion (demon)
– from the Bible (Luke 18:26-39) that reads – And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss. Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
Both me and Elliot are huge Stephen King / horror movie fans, so that is the meaning behind the title to the song! The video was put together by the talented Graham Bywater, and the song is just a usual Wall jam where I’ll come up with some riffs & Elliot will lay down the beats. I’d say the song has heavy Sabbath, Karma To Burn and Rage against the machine vibes…but with a faster tempo thrash moment to spice things up at the end!”
Brick By Brick is released August 30th via APF. Pre-order the record here, and watch the video for ‘Legion’ exclusively below.
Lifted from the band’s freshly released LP debut I Wish You Every Success – out now via Human Worth – ‘Steve Lamacq’ stands as the brilliant and unsantised embodiment of Fashion Tips. The noise-rock equivalent of a bootleg party popper go off into your eyes point blank, the track is an overwhelming bombardment of entangled streamers in the key of electroclash, noise rock, sasscore, queercore and riot grrl. There’s no subtleness to be had here, especially with the track featuring what can only be described as pummelling bass grooves smashing overworked and smoking synths into oblivion to the sound of hysterical vocals, but such is to be expected. This is the sound of a band who take the sasscore flag and run with it into the grotty underground, a place inhabited by bands such as Gender Warfare, Model/Actriz, Irked and Melt Banana. It’s brilliant, lurid, uncompromising and truly gets across how much of a wanker your boyfriend is.
‘“Steve Lamacq’ is a strange little song about hating your mate’s boyfriend”, states vocalist and programmer Esmé Newman. “Fiona (Samples, Guitars, Vocals) filmed the video in and around our practice space, and the house that three of us share, in Gateshead, North East England. The basic idea for the clip was to make it “zine-like”, handmade and scrappy but charming and intimate. The footage was then mangled into technicolour imperfection by our guitar player Jorden.”
I Wish You Every Success is out now via Human Worth, with 10% of all proceeds going towards North East Autism Society to help with their crucial work assisting those providing autism care for those in the North East region. Purchase the record here, and watch the video for ‘Steve Lamcq’ exclusively below.
It may be a slow, glacial record bound by years worth of longing, but the new record from slowrock shoegazers Outlander certainly manages to kick the forlorn mind into quick overdrive. But such is the nature of this brilliant albeit ashen band. Formed of Daniel Jones (Bass), Ian Grant (Vocals, Guitar), Jospeh House (Guitar) and Jack Davis (Drums) and hailing from the concrete-clad corners of Birmingham, the foursome present long form music that is the musical equivalent of staring blankly beyond the window of a silent barren bedroom.
Their new record, Acts of Harm, embodies this. It’s isolationist, introspective, and quite frankly, proper miserable. But it’s also brilliantly authentic and strangely cathartic. No other record this year was quite managed to mirror the quiet solitude that characterises mundane modern living quite as potently as this. It’s sure not a record for those seeking a swift dopamine kick, but it it’s one that will sure leave an impression long come it’s end.
With that in mind, and with Acts of Harm out now via Church Road Records, we got in touch with Outlander to break down the record, track by track.
Related: Outlander – Acts of Harm | Album Review
“Acts of Harm came together over a four year period, with the first tangible demoing happening during lockdown 1 in 2020. We’d had Sundowning/Unconditional done for a while at that point and had prettymuch agreed that the logical next step was an album. We were aiming to do something more stripped back and natural sounding in comparison to that record and tone down the heaviness somewhat – focus back in on the loud/quiet thing and just make the whole listening experience a little more varied and kind of nod to a wider range of the influences we have as a band.
The writing process was vastly different for this record as I’d just moved a couple of hours away from the rest of the band and obviously the pandemic made it tricky at the best of times to get together for a couple of years. Normally we’d just take an idea into a room and jam for hours until it resembles a jumping off point, but these limitations meant the only way we could work for a while was in front of the laptop with a guitar and a tinny. We were keen also to diversify the instrumentation on it – we were a little bored of just being a guitar band, so finding ways to add new textures was a big focus for us.
The recording process was somewhat broken up, with a lot of time between sessions. We did a week in January 2022, a week in May 2022 and a few extra days in August 2023. It was nice to let the songs breathe a little, which helped us figure out exactly what was missing and plan for the sessions. The record was pretty tricky to make and there were times when it seemed like we were at an impasse and the album just wouldn’t ever get finished, but after a lot of planning, it really came together during the final session.”
Taken from their freshly announced new record Edit Undo – releasing September 27th via Alcopop! Records – the dearly beloved indie-punk duo Happy Accidents are back with not only their new single ‘Infinite Possibilities’, but the promise of a lot more. Thematically exploring how our brains falsely interpret events and often leave us feeling incorrectly boxed in within a wide open world, ‘Infinite Possibilities’ doesn’t just harken a new record, but a total new era for the band. In an age where music is often seen as a disposable commodity, here, Happy Accidents invite fans to enter a whole secret world centring around the record, with hidden clues and content being hidden behind artist profiles on streaming services. However, to partake, you’re going need to rightfully pre-order the record. “It’s partly about looking at ways to challenge the ‘flash in the pan’ nature of releasing music nowadays”, state the band on the project. “It feels like with digital distribution, many small scale releases are here today gone tomorrow, and everyone immediately moves on. This is sort of an experiment in digital liner notes, trying to do something interesting within the streaming space without losing the convenience of how we all listen to music in 2024.” – Dan Hillier
One of the most unique bands flying the hardcore flag today, the banjo-toting Show Me The Body have turned the dials all the way up on new single ‘It Burns’. Blending dark, sinister electronic elements with crunching riffs and bass, the track is driven by the almost corrupt preacher-style vocals of Julian Platt. It may unsettle and even drive you a little crazy, but the industrial thumping fuzz is incredibly addictive, sounding like Aphex Twin in parts. Never ones to go with the crowd or, for that matter, sound like anyone else, Show Me The Body continue to push the limits of their sound and if this is just a taste of what’s to come in the future, then you genuinely don’t know what to expect. – Chris Earl
Fresh off signing a brand new record deal with Blue Grape Music and having just departed our shores following an incredible UK run, GEL have a new track to share with us. The title track from their upcoming August EP Persona is out now and much like ‘Mirage’, it’s a step into a more melodic and expanded sound for the New Jersey crew. Don’t take that as the band going soft though, because that is certainly not the case. The raw aggression and barely contained fury of Sami Kaiser is still there in force and is backed up by a furious, two-step inciting backdrop. There’s a reason that GEL are one of the most exciting bands in hardcore and this track is simply another prime example of honest, take-no-prisoners modern ‘core. – Chris Earl
Vower are creating a lot of fuss in the scene at the moment, and very rightly so. Their latest single ‘False Rituals’ seamlessly blends angsty metal on the verge of breaking out, and melancholic crooning to distill a finely poised three-and-a-half minutes of intrigue. As the track builds to its finality the metal finally comes to the forefront, bringing to mind the huge progressive sounds of Between the Buried and Me, soaring, triumphant, with vocals that drown any leftover space in despairing screams, it’s not bold to suggest their upcoming release might be one of the best this year. – Rob Bown
Never ones for subtlety, UK thrash-worshipping hardcore stars Grove Street have dropped a standalone track ahead of their late summer/autumn tour dates. With their 2023 debut full-length still packing a hell of a punch, ‘Divided Kingdom’ is born from the band’s experience of touring and the reaction of the rest of the world to their Britishness. Addressing the stark and frankly dangerous divides in our country and being ashamed of where you’re from, it’s naturally a fast, no-bullshit track that continues to blend deadly hardcore with those thrash riffs the band is so legendary for, chock full of groove and deadly breakdowns. With the country in the state it’s in, expect it to strike a chord with fans across the country when they make their way across the UK in July and August. – Chris Earl
It’s been a hot minute since we’ve had some new music from Soot Sprite, but the trio are cresting the scene again with their brilliant new single ‘I Went Swimming’. Dropping just prior to a run of dates – some with Sweet Pill and Suds, some with Regal Cheer – ‘I Went Swimming’ see’s Soot Sprite melding heartfelt indie with shoegazing introspection to offer up something that’s as emotionally deep as the pelagic depths and as pulling as the greatest of tidal swells. Regardless if you’re already well immersed in the bands’ work or just dipping your toes in for the first time, this is indiegaze well worth diving into. – Dan Hillier
Darkwave synth duo Zetra ooze effortless cool not only visually but musically too. Their latest single ‘Shatter the Mountain’, from the upcoming self-titled debut album continues that vein of spacey synth melody paired with ethereal vocals. Opening with a soaring synth line, it’s a mid-paced but no less ascendant piece from the mysterious duo. With their last single they recruited Svalbard’s Serena Cherry to lend her ferocious screams; this time, they’ve enlisted Sólveig Matthildur of Icelandic avant-garde post punk trio Kælan Mikla and she lends an extra dimension to the already-stunning arrangement. Cryptic as ever, Zetra simply say of the new song, “Join us on a journey into the mind. Dream of a world. Become the creator. The old must be destroyed before the new can arise. Shatter the mountain. Begin to know.” – Will Marshall
The latest track to lifted from their upcoming LP Hello, Boil Brain – released 13th September – ‘Gammons’ is a certainly a strange listen in thanks to it’s gorgeous vocals, oscillating keys and general sense of disjointed unease. However, it’s Sans Froid; it would be weird if this wasn’t a bit off-kilter. Superbly displaying their home-brewed approach to progressive art-rock whilst lyrically decrying the kind of passive misogyny that’s lies centre of the cultural rot that’s eating away at our societal foundations, ‘Gammons’ is the peak embodiment of this wonderfully weird band; it’s strange yet inviting, wholly authentic and absolutely crucial. Some listeners may be quick to abandon this in part to it’s strange delivery, and structure but truly, the way in which ‘Gammons’ articulates a crucial subject in a way that’s uniquely arresting just shows how crucial this band are. – Dan Hillier
Lifted from their freshly announced new record Hymns For The Hopeful – released July 20th via Drongo Records – ‘Hot…Hot…Hotter…Gone’ is the peak embodiment of this band; it’s flailing, feral, full of fat riffs and just rad in everyday possible. A product of anxiety stemming from nuclear weapons, here, Rad Pitt take that sense of panic and infuse it into their already utterly wild take on mathy post-hardcore, resulting in something that’s authentically off-the-cuff and frantic. Just imagine someone like ‘68 having an existentialist breakdown after watching Threads.
‘Bleakly, the song is about my fear of the world going under a ‘Fallout’ style end”, states vocalist Reece on ‘Hot…Hot…Hotter…Gone’. “A fear of us not being able to work things out as a species. I’m a pretty positive guy, but I get scared easy, haha!”
As aforementioned, ‘Hot…Hot…Hotter…Gone is taken from the band’s upcoming record Hymns For The Hopeful which drops July 20th via Drongo Records. Pre-order the record here and watch the video for the single exclusively below.
