Taken from the group’s upcoming record For Self Defence which releases this Friday via Human Worth, ‘One Day None Of Us Will Be Here’ sounds like rust made audible. It’s harsh, angular, sharp and probably very detrimental to one’s health if consumed in too large a quantity. But given the circumstances, it’s to be expected and even celebrated.
Sounding akin to a circular saw chewing though a patched denim jacket with a hide so crusty it resembles concrete, the track is a barrage of hardcore-orientated sludgy noise in the key of coming to terms with previous traumas for a better tomorrow amidst the end times. It’s absolutely brilliant, incredibly authentic and truly the sound of musicians who have spent real time grafting within the UK DIY noise scene; none too surprising given how Pascagoula boasts members of Charlottefield and Trencher in it’s collective lineup.
“For me the song is about past traumas/bad relationships and the scars they leave and how that affects and influences our present day lives”, states Ross Sargeant on the track. “It’s about trying to grow and break away from habitual modes of thinking that entrap us into repeating the same mistakes.”
Pascagoula’s new record For Self Defence is released July 5th via Human Worth Records, with 10% of all proceeds going towards War Child UK’s Gaza Emergency Appeal. Pre-order the record here and watch the video for ‘One Day None Of Us Will Be Here’ exclusively below.
Proudly positioned as one of the most influential and groundbreaking metallic hardcore bands of all time, it’s been a long time since Poison The Well graced a stage in this part of the world. Formed back in the late 90s, few bands have their influence showing as strong in today’s scene as them. Fresh off their You Come Before You anniversary shows in America, the Florida natives haven’t missed a step since they made their live comeback. It wouldn’t be the biggest shock to see members of your favourite bands in the pit for iconic tracks like ‘Nerdy’, ‘Crystal Lake’ and ‘Botchla’. With this set not being advertised as an album one, expect the greatest hits to be pulled out, bodies to be flying and seeing grown adults screaming along in tears and ecstasy. – Chris Earl
For years, Despize have been one of, if not the name that comes to mind first when talking about the UK hardcore scene. Unashamedly heavy and rejecting the notion of trend chasing, there’s a good chance you’ll have heard the name but now is the time to see what all the fuss is about. Be warned though, that the stage during their set may be one of the most dangerous places of the whole weekend. Proudly representing Scotland, the Glaswegians are making their return to Outbreak after a phenomenal 2022 set. Like many Glaswegians, they don’t do things by halves and relish in creating an air of violence in their music. With their new full length Scotland’s Hardcore being released to rave reviews earlier this year and a wealth of material from their EPs and demos to call upon, their set promises to be one of the most brutal sets of the year. – Chris Earl
Joining bands such as Basement and American Football in the “bands that will make you cry without getting punched in the nose” category, Hot Mulligan are one of, if not the most fun pop punk bands around right now. With their MySpace era song titles, cut-to-the-bone lyrics and incredible stage presence, the Michigan scamps are no strangers to these shores and end up leaving with more fans every single trip. Sure, the sound of chunky chords and incredibly addictive choruses may not be for everyone at Outbreak, but that’ll be their loss. The band have a deep catalogue of sing-along anthems, upbeat pop-punk body shakers and lighters in the air ballads. Keep an eye out for the wonderfully dry, self depreciating stage banger of Nathan Sanville who will no doubt relish the occasion of winning over people who are only there to throw fists and feet. – Chris Earl
One of the most exciting young bands in the British heavy music scene in general, not just metalcore, Killing Me Softly are not to be missed this summer. Having released their debut album, Autumn Lost In Silence at the tail end of 2023 via underground heroes The Coming Strife, the band have made appearances across the continent supporting the likes of Cauldron and Cruelty. With a sound that harks back to the likes of Skycamefalling and first album Killswitch Engage given a modern flourish of heaviness and violence, you wouldn’t be surprised to see them being grouped in with the likes of Foreign Hands soon. Having recently been one of the sets of the weekend at Donfest, you’d be an absolute fool to not take your chance to see them because with any luck, they’ll be tearing up the States soon with their ferocious breakdowns and violence inciting panic chords. – Chris Earl
One of the hottest, most hard-working bands in the UK scene today, Graphic Nature continue to tease their upcoming second full-length with another scorcher of a track in ‘Human’. It’s more of the band’s now trademark sound, pure distilled aggressive emotion set to a nu-metalcore backdrop, given extra life by the raw, bone-cutting lyrics from Harvey Freeman. A track detailing his struggles with mental illness and how it can often lead to selfish behavior, it’s yet another reminder of how he remains one of the most honest, down-to-earth musicians in the scene today. Not an easy listen, like most of their work, but a worthwhile one that will be the final taster before the main course, Who Are You When No One Is Watching releases on July 12th. – Chris Earl
Don’t call yourself a sports fan if you don’t know the main man Eric. Written in homage to the very-real naughties skateboarding icon Eric Sparrow, the latest single from US luminaries Hot Mulligan is a shivering, cathartic and nostalgic flip of post-emo that’s so emotionally lose it sounds like it’s held together with discarded grip tape. Complete with frantic sidewinding riffs and genuinely brilliant screams courtesy of vocalist Tades Sanville, the track’s inherent emotional battery is delivered with a sense of real urgency that can only come from one not being able to shed the weight of angst from teenage years. It’s essentially the peak Hot Mulligan expereince in regards to this, and ‘End Eric Sparrow and the Life of Him’ is no doubt going to the catalyst for some tears this summer once Hot Mulligan hit the festival circuit. – Dan Hillier
Bristol’s most exciting alt-rock trio Blank Atlas are bidding farewell to their debut album Dawn Chorus with one final bonus single ‘Hope’. With their unique blend of hefty riffs, catchy hooks and three-part vocal harmonies Blank Atlas break free of toxic masculinity and celebrate positivity for the future. As a new closer to Dawn Chorus ‘Hope’ gives the album’s emotional rollercoaster a confident and uplifting ending where the original closer ‘Give Up’ takes it in a more melancholy direction. The climactic breakdown on ‘Hope’ is a great way to end the Dawn Chorus album cycle, going out on a moshable high, Blank Atlas’s fans will be left on the edge of their seats waiting for whatever comes next. – Tom Bruce
Prog-pop trio Exploring Birdsong have unveiled another mesmerising single in ‘Turntail’. Underpinned as ever by Lynsey Ward’s enchanting voice and piano arrangements rather than guitars, it follows February single ‘The Collapse’ and while there’s no definite sign of what’s on the horizon, it points towards a very bright future for them. With perhaps one of their strongest choruses to date, it’s propelled by dreamy melodies and feels distinct from both previous EPs to date. The band sum up why quite simply; “We wanted to experiment sonically before heading into full-length album territory, which is why we think it feels different to anything we’ve released previously.” – Will Marshall
After almost a decade as the vocalist of North Wales-based psychedelic doom band MWWB (formerly Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard), Ball forged her own path with EYE gothy, synth-infused mix of moody atmospheres, fuzzed-out riffs, and ethereal melodies. Forming EYE as a trio alongside her partner and drummer Gid Goundrey, Ball used the project as a creative outlet and escape during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
On hearing Dark Light it’s obvious that Ball was channeling an entirely different set of influences to those heard in MWWB with a more intensely personal, introspective feel than the sci-fi tinged doom of her previous project. To really examine the story behind the album, Ball revealed her first early explorations in music by saying “I think the things that I’ve been influenced by have sort of snowballed as I’ve gone along. I started doing actual music when I was thirteen, that’s starting from learning folk on an acoustic guitar and then I studied contemporary jazz guitar for three years so that was a different world of influence and emotion from that.” From there she explains “in my teens I started getting into heavier music and that moment of discovery has always stayed with me through my whole life while other influences have come and gone. Then being in Mammoth Weed [Wizard Bastard] was sort of the heavier end of the spectrum for me and Eye was sort of reflective, emotive side of that heaviness.”
EYE is the first project where Ball has been able to lead a band as guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter; shedding light on the differences working in Eye and MWWB she says “So with Mammoth Weed, which is what I like to abbreviate it to, there’s a different dynamic, Dave [Paul Michael Davis] the guitarist would write the riffs and structure and I would put my vocals over the top, that band was more of a collaborative effort,” whereas she explains that in EYE “it’s been my songs that I’ve written and collected over the years and then the other members have come in and put their parts over that”.
The first track to be lifted from the duo’s forthcoming second record The Future Is Not So Bright, ‘Binaries’ witnesses Arms & Hearts progressing their sound wonderfully. By retaining the earnest gentle defiance found within their acoustic-orientated first record whilst embracing a more fleshed-out sound that harkens thoughts of acts such as Spanish Love Songs, Chris Farren and Iron Chic, the track just radiates a sense of air of both charm and resilience as Steven Millar (Guitars / Vocals) narrates their experience in being non-binary and the culture war being waged against trans people at large. It’s this newfound approach that allows Arms & Hearts to articulate themselves with a newly bolded charisma, one that will no doubt be heard and heeded by those may be feeling frustrated, anxious yet ultimately defiant to those who wish to dictate how people live simply live their lives.
The Future Is Not So Bright is released October 10th via UTB Manchester (UK), Mt Crushmore Records (US), Never Meant Records (IRE) and Thousand Islands (CAD), with further musings on identity, injustices and strictly hypothetically killing your boss already promised. Pre-orders will go live shortly, but in the mean time, watch the video for ‘Binaries’ exclusively below.
Completing their transformation from twinkly emo darlings to a Dark Souls referencing, eldritch God-slaying prog powerhouse, Connecticut five-piece The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die (often abbreviated to TWIABP) return with their grandiose new single ‘Auguries of Guilt’. With soaring vocals lamenting late-stage capitalism through a grimdark fantasy lens from vocalists David Bello and Katie Dvorak, booming percussion, and swirling, intertwining guitar and synth lines this new single feels right at home with the band’s dramatic, genre-bending 2021 album Illusory Walls. With one of the most intense level-ups in music history, TWIABP have dug a new niche with a blend of melodramatic prog-rock and angsty anti-capitalist emo for a one-of-a-kind combination. – Tom Bruce
“Before the tragedy, no one ever thought this band was going to exist without Trevor”, states Brain Eschbach on this new track. The original guitarist and current vocalist doesn’t mince their words, but neither does this single.. The first release from the melodeath legends since the tragic passing of frontman Trevor Strnad in 2022, and the first cut to be lifted from the band’s forthcoming new record Servitude – released September 27th via Metal Blade Records – ‘Aftermath’ is a lacerating onslaught of barbaric death metal that bares all the charisma and forward thinking intelligence that the The Black Dahlia Murder are globally renowned for. There’s no delicate tenderness to be found here, just the sound of a band who have persevered through tragedy via the love for their craft. – Dan Hillier
After releasing the first two tracks of their forthcoming LP All Hell, the UK’s first and only emo band Los Campesinos! are back with single number three in the form of ‘0898 Heartache’. A bonafide shout-along belter in the key of languished love lives and a soundtrack ideal for everyone’s personal pity party, ‘0898 Heartache’ is the true Los Campesinos! experience; it’s miserable, sardonic but ultimately joyous in the way it celebrates collective wallowing. Much like the way this band originally resonated with us millennial types all those years ago with their giddy first record, given universally relatable tracks like this it’s absolutely no surprise that Los Campesinos! have suddenly found a newfound sense of popularity amongst today’s disillusioned youth. Regardless of one’s generation and respective age, it’s clear that we’re all feeling like shit; but with Los Camp! thankfully back with us again, at least we can feel like shit collectively. – Dan Hillier
Musically meeting at the crossroads of viscerally raw screamo and immaculate sparkling emo, the new single from London’s Incaseyouleave is a heady and poignant outpouring of poetic emotion that highlights this band’s position as the cream of the new emo and skarmz crop, and not just because of their approach to musical chemistry. Documenting the complexities of navigating survivors guilt in the wake of wide-spread violence towards those marginalised, ‘Arrhythmia’ is an intricate, intimate and simply haunting reflection upon the violence that many have ultimately become numb to amidst of the new digital age. This genuinely is not a pleasant listen at times, especially given it’s lamenting approach and delivery, but it’s one that glistens with a sense of genuine and urgent purpose that must be heeded. In an age where desensitisation to bloodshed has become a societal norm, this is crucial listening. – Dan Hillier
A fun and fruity love song to the places and people that And So I Watch You From Afar call home, the new single from Ireland’s finest post rock export is larger-than-life romp filled with a sense of humour and ingenuity that most of their peers can only dream of obtaining. The respective opening track of their upcoming new record Megafauna – released August 9th via Pelagic Records – ‘North Coast Megafauna’ feels akin to the sounds of math rock, free jazz and left-field post rock being made incarcerate as great, gurt beasts. There’s just a wondrously playful sense of carefree playfulness to this track, and whilst some of their peers in the post-rock scene may try to domesticate their sound to the point of being politely docile, ‘North Coast Megafauna’ once again see’s And So I Watch You From Afar letting their collective imagination run rampant and free. – Dan Hillier
