Never a band to rest on their laurels, east coast prog-emo legends Coheed and Cambria have found time in their busy touring schedule to drop their latest standalone single ‘The Joke’. Taking their dedicated and nerdy fans on a nostalgia trip with a nu-metal inspired track released alongside a video featuring fan favourite villain Al The Killer, Coheed blend their poppy, processed sound that featured prominently in their 2022 album Vaxis 2 with off-kilter synths and janky, dissonant guitar lines. This is one for the true “Children Of The Fence” with no apologies to less nerdy newcomers or casual fans, alongside the track’s B-side, a remaster of the band’s 2011 single ‘Deranged’, originally written to accompany the videogame Batman: Arkham City, long time fans will be left aching for more of their favourite band’s weirdest material. – Tom Bruce
Following their last two singles, ‘Big Blind’ and ‘Letterman’, The Story So Far has released ‘All This Time’, the third single, and opening track, to their eagerly anticipated fifth studio album I Want To Disappear, and it showcases the classic pop-punk sound that the band are praised for, whilst still successfully making their music feel fresh and relevant. Parker Canon’s vocal style shines and is highlighted in the mix of this song and presents a different narrative to what may be expected of the band. The lyrics used are quite gut-wrenching and discuss themes of grief whether that be from a death or a broken relationship, while instrumentation creates a complete contrast to the songwriting as the rhythms are syncopated to craft a more feel-good mood. It could also be noted that the band may have taken inspiration from Canon’s highly praised side project No Pressure as the instrumentation in the mid-section was clearly written with a two-step rhythm in mind. ‘All This Time’ is a perfect display of why The Story So Far is still so relevant within the pop-punk scene and is the quintessential sound to keep their extremely patient fanbase occupied until their album releases on the 21st of June. – G Garland
Death, taxes and new Bleeding Through tracks making you feel like you could single handedly fist fight a heard of wildebeest – the only three certainties in life. ‘Our Brand Is Chaos’ sees the Orange County metalcore OGs staying on top form, delivering a crushing yet oddly beautiful (Marta Peterson’s haunting, gothic keyboards are the star of the show here) slab of unrepentant aggression. Brandon Schieppati has one of the most instantly recognisable voices in the scene and from the opening “fuck with us and find out” he has his hooks into you, as he snarls and growls his way over the aforementioned symphonic elements and frantic drums. Whether this is the precursor to that long-teased new full length or another track to sate the appetites of the waiting, only time will tell, but the sheer heft of this track means you’ll be more than satisfied in the mean time, once your face has unclenched from the breakdown near the end. – Chris Earl
Inspired by the literal blood, sweat, tears and injuries the band have endured over the years, the latest single from Bristol’s Mother Vulture is the sound of a band who are willing to break themselves for their craft. Sounding akin to The Hives after binging the discography of Every Time I Die and further animated by the flair and swagger associated with acts such as Turbowolf and ‘68, the track is just another howl from one of the loudest creatures within the zoo that is the South West’s alternative scene. “’Break Me’ embodies everything this band is about. The never ending battle against ourselves, which constantly leaves us battered and bruised – and we wouldn’t have it any other way”, state band on the track. “This tune has been brought to life by the legend that is Adrian Bushby, and goes hand in hand with our last release, ‘Go Big Or Go Home’. Trying to “make it” in the music industry mostly feels like you are banging your head against a brick wall, and we’ve been doing just that, a lot, very hard. We want the world to know, we’re not going anywhere. Whether that wall breaks first, or we do.” – Dan Hillier
Full Of Hell have been a staple of the extreme music scene for a good fifteen years now, well known for their relentless sound, tireless work ethic and propensity to collaborate at any opportunity possible. The band have five studio albums, five collaborative albums as well as countless EPs and Splits under their belt. The last project, When No Birds Sang in collaboration with Nothing, was released mere months ago in December 2023, yet somehow, the band are already back with their sixth studio album Coagulated Bliss.
‘The last year especially… the faucet was kind of clogged with COVID stuff. We knew the collaborations were going to come out in the beginning and end’, lead vocalist Dylan Walker tells us. It didn’t stop with just the collaborations though, a surprise split came in the summer with underground psychedelic powerviolence innovators Gasp, only available physically whilst the band were on tour: ‘that split was one of those things where those guys are our heroes and we’re like: “fuck it, let’s just ask them”. It wasn’t even a long plan. We’re lucky, it was a cool year.’
Artwork has always been an incredibly important part of Full Of Hell, whether album art, liner notes, tour posters or show flyers. The band’s collaborative ethos spills over into all aspects of their presentation: ‘So we approach art in the same way, we have been at least for about 10 years. The thing for me that’s most important [is] we don’t hire an artist and tell them exactly what to do’ Dylan asserts. ‘Something I’m figuring out over the years and I’m pretty firm with this nowadays, is I don’t want to be super hands on on every little detail. I think that’s going to ruin whatever I’m trying to make. Maybe that makes us a little easier to work with? Usually when we hire the person we’re not asking for revisions, it’s not really our thing’ he says with a grin.
‘For the last bunch of records that Mark McCoy did, the entire process was giving him the lyrics and telling him what the record is about. That’s it. What he made was what the art would be and fortunately we’re huge fans. The album cover that everybody loves from our discography is Trumpeting Ecstasy- ’, for good reason. A striking monochromatic high-concept painting from Mark McCoy of a nun with fire in place of their face. It has become an iconic piece album artwork in the extreme music scene since 2017: ‘When I saw that album cover I didn’t like it. My first 30 seconds was like “fuck, this is not us at all!”
A shocking revelation when that artwork is now so intrinsically linked with the bands image, but Dylan clarifies his initial reasoning: ‘I hate on the nose anti-Christian stuff, it’s just so fucking wack. Nobody wants to hear a band like Full of Hell be like “Fuck Jesus” because it’s a big deathcore thing and like we’re not Deicide. If I want to hear some actual satanic shit, I’m gonna listen to war metal or some really nasty, actual satanic shit. I didn’t want Full Of Hell to be on the nose like that, because we’re not. I [personally] never would have made that decision ever, but it was such an important decision that we stuck with it in retrospect. I found my own interpretation in it. I think it’s important to involve these people to help us figure out who our band even is, you know? We got to a moment with Full of Hell where we felt like it was time to move forward in a completely new way’.
A statement that has clearly manifested in a multitude of ways, but expressly obvious when first seeing the new artwork for Coagulated Bliss. ‘Brian [Montuori, Coagulated Bliss album artist] was super important. With Brian, I’d known him since early Full of Hell, we played some shows with his old band. He’s a prolific painter, I’ve always loved his style. I’ve really liked how it turned out’. A wholehearted embrace of colour and vivid imagery, in a way it’s almost overstimulating in its visual chaos and clearly intended as he confirms: ‘Oh, definitely, that’s a big one. That’s a really important theme on the record, overstimulation and overindulgence’. It makes for a drastic difference from the bands previous artwork choices for studio albums, yet just as striking and visually indicative of the metamorphosis the band have undertaken.
Dylan continues, elaborating on his relationship with Montuori: ‘I remember early on having a discussion with Brian on the phone, just excited that we were finally working together after all these years. He thought, since I was entering fatherhood and we’re in our 30s… it was time that I came home and wrote a record about where I’m from. We didn’t know what to expect with the art panels. He had the lyrics and photographs of where we grew up and he just ran with it. I live in Pennsylvania, which is more like the Appalachian Mountains. The rest of the band all live in Ocean City, Maryland. They’re born and raised, that’s very unique, classic beach town vibes.’
‘I think he got particular inspiration, as did I, from our drummer and his family. He’s just had a really unique upbringing. There’s just certain iconography that came from where he lives. His grandfather was a sculptor and he made these crazy sculptures in their yard. Big ones. He passed some time ago, but those sculptures are just kind of mouldering. It was never going to be dreamed up. It was just so perfectly tailored for our band’ he tells, punctuated with a subtle chuckle. ‘It’s pretty personal art. It’s really stuck with me and kind of gave me an electric jolt of inspiration. I felt like, “Why hadn’t I done this with more intention in the past?” These are things I know so much about, I don’t need to try to tap into a thing for this’.
In the week before the album’s release, the band unveiled the title track as the next single alongside a music video that feeds further into the thematic vibes of Coagulated Bliss, presented like flashes of a home movie distorted by nostalgia and time. ‘That video was made by a friend of ours that I’ve known forever [Shot/Directed/Edited by Will Mecca]. He’s the coolest person. He loves a lot of the same media that we like. We’re really into Harmony Korine (US auteur filmmaker). He had this film called Gummo. When it came out, I felt like it was like so quintessentially gross Ohio, little town America. It’s a fucked up movie. Will’s style is all analogue, he lives in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma is pretty destitute, it’s prairies and racists and it’s economically depressed. We got friends down there but it’s a different world. It’s really in line with the album and I’ve been wanting to have him do a video for us. It just happened to be that his art style was going to be perfect for this record.’
If you want a list of the most promising new bands in the UK, Heriot are at the top. Two years ago they took the scene by storm with their debut EP Profound Morality and off the back of it, signed to Century Media. Their first single of 2024, ‘Siege Lord’ leans more into their metallic influences than the industrial, with a clearer, but no less heavy, mix and production courtesy of collaborators Josh Middleton (Sylosis) and Will Putney. Lyrically, it contemplates “the fragility of soul-searching” as the band say, but musically it’s utterly ferocious. Bass riffs lead through off-kilter drumming, the dual vocal attack of Jake Packer and Debbie Gough is searing throughout; frankly, it’s a monster, particularly in its chugging, churning outro. If this is what they’ve been cooking up for the debut, we should all be very excited. – Will Marshall
Despite the name, the new single from Brighton indie math poppers is a summery, sun-kissed ode to trying to find yourself after a grim breakup. The band’s first material since their 2021 EP Trust Issues, the track hosts the dichotomy between the grounded, ever-relatable lyricism and the joyous, intricate songwritng we’ve come to expect from Orchards. However, as bassist Dan Fane explains, the song stems from a time where the band as a whole were truing to rediscover and rekindle their spark as creatives. ‘I Feel Terrible’ was written quite a while ago now, it feels so good to finally get this track out there and heard”, states Dan “We are super proud of how it turned out. It was written at a point where as musicians we were feeling quite stagnant and stuck but it really birthed new life into us.” – Dan Hillier
There’s a specific demographic of niche metal and post-hardcore fans who’ll be salivating at the idea of a supergroup like Vower. With Josh McKeown of Palm Reader’s signature vocals leading the charge alongside Toska, The Totemist and one time Stormzy guitarist Rabea Massaad, Black Peaks alumni Liam Kearley on drums and Joe Gosney on guitar with bassist Rory McLean, Vower have a pedigree more than strong enough to turn heads, their first single ‘Shroud’ proves they’re able to live up to their hype. Bringing together the best elements of their progressive metal and post-hardcore backgrounds, each member is on top form, with Massaad’s expertise in huge riffs and the tight, technical rhythm section perfectly complimenting McKeown’s commanding vocal performance. Even if you’re not already a fan of the member’s previous bands, Vower are a supergroup to keep an eye on. – Tom Bruce
Irish garage punk outfit Sprints only released their electrifying debut Letter to Self in January, so their new Black Box Sessions double single is a surprise treat for fans that make up, as Sprints call it, “the remnants of the chaos and catharsis that was the ‘Letter To Self’ recording process.” Both tracks explore themes of uncertainty, anxiety and doubt; the former, ‘Help Me, I’m Spiralling’ clanks and rattles into view with vocalist/guitarist Karla Chubb sounding as desperate as ever with cries of “can’t you help me, I’m spiralling”. The latter, ‘Drones’, feels even more like the rattling of an old industrial estate in its drumming, with staccato guitars switching suddenly into explosive chords. While they don’t capture the full range and dynamism of Sprints as Letter to Self does, or indeed the band’s brilliant live shows, they’re a welcome surprise addition to one of Irish music’s best new bands. – Will Marshall
The return of the iconic earthtone9 arguably wasn’t on many people’s bingo cards for 2024, especially not with their first album in 11 years. But, second single ‘Navison Record’ from the upcoming In Resonance Nexus is a thrash-infused reminder of why earthtone9 are so beloved they even have a festival named after one of their albums (2000’s Arc Tan Gent). It’s also obvious that, despite delving back to their thrash roots, ‘Navison Record’ and In Resonance Nexus won’t be retreading old ground so much as continuing to evolve and push boundaries, much as earthtone9 did during their original run. Towering melodies, intense rushes of thrash riffs and barreling drums; it’s all here, and along with lead single ‘Oceanic Drift’, it’s clear fans should be safe in the knowledge that one of the UK’s most forward-thinking bands haven’t lost their edge at all. – Will Marshall
It’s a little bewildering to think that a band that released one of the best EPs of 2023 (quite late in the year, too) are already gearing up to release another EP that promises to be just as good, if not better than the first. FOXCULT aren’t just any band though. Nobody else is doing their blend of throwback post-hardcore with incredibly deep lore at the moment. One of two tracks on their upcoming THE AMETHYST DRIFT release to feature guest vocalists, ‘Astral Gallery’ contains the vocals of Outline In Color‘s Michael Skaggs. It’s hard to pick one star of the show here, as every single element has taken a step up from the previous EP. Audrey’s voice glides and soars across driving drums and atmospheric, wandering guitars. It has a sense of wonder and adventure about it, wrought with metaphor and an underlying sense of longing. You’d think this was the release of a band years into their career, not their infancy. The skill and scope is phenomenal and to have all of those ideas, those concepts and to make a genuinely beautiful piece of post-hardcore on top of that is astounding. If you’re not in on FOXCULT by now, this is your warning before they explode like our sun inevitably will. – Chris Earl
This new era for Knocked Loose is entirely focused on finding new ways to make every single second heavier than the last. Third single ‘Suffocate’ from upcoming album You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To opens with chainsaw guitars and double kick pedal dexterity, building up to a groovy, swung first breakdown. Each single is feeling like a slightly different subgenre, each influence separate yet clear, but it all sounds like Knocked Loose the same. There are many elements to their cocktail of heaviness, and this specific mashup of subgenre feels like it could only happen in the 2020s. Guest vocals from former Illuminati-styled turned Gen-Z metal pop icon Poppy both adds a counterpart for vocalist Bryan Garris to bounce off while also giving her own version of how to build up to a nasty filthy breakdown. ‘Suffocate’ answers no questions about the overall direction of the album, and just leaves more questions. This is a good thing. – Mia Thunderska
Imagine a mashup of Radiohead, Raketkanon, The Mars Volta and Bjork. What you’re imagining probably doesn’t sound too much like this single, but that’s the closest we’re gonna get to describing it quickly. Taken from the band’s upcoming new record Hello, Boil Brain – released September 13th – ‘Planket’ is a noodley, fascinating and absolutely brilliant regaling of experimentalist skill from Bristol art-rock quartet Sans Froid. Driven by the unpredictable keys and soaring vocals courtesy of Aisling Rhiannon, whilst the track may be a dizzying and madcap endeavour itself, the single documents something a bit more docile, with ‘Planket’ actually being about forgoing boozy nights out in favour for a quiet night in with a cup of Tetley. “For me, ‘Planket’ represents the understated pleasures of a peaceful night in, favouring the warmth of companionship over the noise of the nightlife”, stages Aisling. “Its storyline centres on discovering joy and satisfaction within the serenity of home, emphasising the freedom found in embracing moments of solitude. The song celebrates the choice to forego the conventional social scene, opting instead for simple pleasures like a cosy cup of tea and a leisurely stroll.” – Dan Hillier
You know that feeling when you’re driving through a late summer sunset with your mates and everything – for once in your life – feels perfect? That’s what the new Slash Fiction single sounds like. The second track to be lifted from the band’s new record We’ll Hold This Line Until Hell Freezes Over, despite being about the sadness that stems from a friend moving to new pastures, ‘Golden Hour’ is a wholesome, inviting and effortlessly endearing emo pop serenade to friendship that’s simply impossible not to be moved by. You would genuinely need a heart of stone for this not to invoke something in you. – Dan Hillier
“Dark Spell is about the feeling that something isn’t quite right. The lyric ‘missing a piece of your puzzle’ essentially alludes to that, and the wider theme of the song aims to capture the sense of impending doom – and the feeling of isolation that goes along with it.” That’s how bandleader Jess Webberly describes the new single from Graywave, ‘Dark Spell’. With their now-trademark blend of heavy shoegaze, dreampop and gothic twist a la Chelsea Wolfe, that’s exactly what the song does as it ebbs and flows, mystical, ethereal vocals and entwining guitars. With their new EP Dancing In the Dust out at the end of the month, it’s another tantalising glimpse of Graywave‘s continuing sonic journey. – Will Marshall
Sugar Horse hate the fact you have ears. They’ve made it their main goal to make sure that every single song they release has the potential to reduce your hearing to nothing, but when the music is this good, it’s hard to stay away. ‘The Shape of ASMR to Come’ is a challenging listen; aside from the usual sonic brutality, it’s one of, if not the rawest, most emotive track the group have written so far. Writing about his father’s passing, vocalist/guitarist Ash pours every ounce of his soul into his performance. With the song being about the things he found out about his father and the life he led, it may strike a lot of people right in the heart, and on some level, it’s meant to. Coalescing into an almost choral crescendo of crashing guitars and pained howls, you can almost imagine a crowd of mourners singing this over a funeral pyre, as the bereaved watches the smoke rise into the unforgiving sky. A lesson in the beautiful nature of acerbic music. – Chris Earl
Big one for all those longing for death via disintegration. Coinciding with the announcement of the deluxe remaster of their first record Planet Loss and the second instalment of their ongoing comic book series illustrated by Luke Oram, ‘Restless Dusk I: The Anamnesis Hymn’ is by far Wallowing‘s most immediate blast of extraterrestrial violence yet. Hitting like an ion blaster point blank to the chest, the track sees the outer realms (possibly Brighton) based band compressing the droning ambience they’re renowned for into a cohesive blast of death metal orientated fury. With more tracks set to be released under the Relentless Dusk moniker soon, it’s never been more of an exciting time to be a fan of extreme metal from worlds unknown. Sci fi or die. – Dan Hillier
After turning heads with their uniquely danceable brand of mathy post rock, Leipzig/Dublin based duo Bicurious have launched a crowdfunding campaign to complete their second record. To help raise the necessary funds for the mixing, mastering and marketing of the record, the duo have unveiled a range of perks which include signed drumskins, merch bundles, personalised songs, workshops and even a show in your home.
“We’re incredibly excited about this album”, states Taran (vocals, guitar). “It’s new sonic territory for us, and we can’t wait for everyone to hear it. Unfortunately, being a DIY band, it’s not always easy to secure funds for recording, mixing and all the rest. We want to give this album the best chance of getting heard, which is why we’re calling upon our fans, friends and families to help out in any way they can. No amount is too small, and any help at all will go a long way. Our fanbase has been so incredible for us since we started this band, and we’re asking for their help once again. Let’s do this together!”
The second single to be taken from Urzah’s upcoming new LP The Scorching Gaze – released May 3rd via APF Records – ‘Of Decay’ is so damn volcanic it’s surprising Tommy Lee Jones isn’t trying to save people from it. A track that see’s the Bristolian quartet marring monolithic riffs in the hulking key of Urne with the viscous atmosphere and immediate haste of acts such as Acid Throne and Tuskar, the single is a pyroclastic flow of riffs and post-metal orientated dynamism, one perfect for any fans of the bands aforementioned or those who just want their face seared off. Those who will have seen the band previously scene stalwarts such as Ohhms, Dopelord and even Bongzilla will know what to anticipate here, but for those new to Urzah, this an introduction most intense and brilliant. Watch the video for ‘Of Decay’ exclusively below and pre-order the The Scorching Gaze here.
UK post rock’s finest returns. Releasing before their run with Bossk next month is ‘October’, another deeply textured shawl of musical beauty that encapsulates the band’s penchant for creating emotional work beyond the limited nature of language. Originally written when the band first explored making new music together following their hiatus and intended for their 2021 record No Feeling Is Final, ‘October’ is the sound of a band regaining their spark and a track that bares witness to the chemistry that binds Maybeshewill as a collective. “One of the first songs written when the band tentatively began exploring the idea of creating together again, ‘October’ has its roots in a voice memo jotted down in vain hope during the band’s rehearsals for our final tour before we disbanded in 2016”, states bassist Jamie Ward. “’October’ is a song about the creative spark, about rekindling friendships and an ode to keeping trying to explore your artistic passions even when that might seem futile. A rare piece of Maybeshewill history that has its significance despite ultimately not ending up being included as part of a larger body of work.” – Dan Hillier
It’s been fourteen years since Julie Christmas last released a solo album, though in the meantime she’s collaborated with several bands, most notably Cult Of Luna with 2016’s phenomenal Mariner. 2024 brings her second solo album, Ridiculous and Full of Blood (a title Christmas feels is very apt for herself), and lead single ‘Supernatural’ finds the cult icon in fine form. The Cult Of Luna connection continues, as Johannes Persson plays guitar in this album’s band, and his riffs are all over it, alongside her idiosyncratic voice that conjures huge swathes of emotion with ease. A mid-paced, roving exploration of human nature and how even the kindest people can commit acts of atrocity, ‘Supernatural’ is a riveting return. Ridiculous and Full of Blood is out June 14 via Red Crk. – Will Marshall
Japanese electro-metalcore mob Crossfaith have finally unveiled their new album AЯK and with it, a new single in the form of ‘L.A.M.N.,’ recruiting Bobby Wolfgang to add his own signature sound to their frantic mix. With, as ever, more than a sprinkling of The Prodigy‘s hard-hitting rave, record scratches and percussive dance rhythms, it’s every bit the Crossfaith fans know and adore. The cornerstone of the song is a firm refusal to be bound by their past or modern convention; of ‘L.A.M.N.’, the band say they wanted to convey “that it is alright to break down in this corrupted society. It is completely natural that everyone is different.” That firm middle finger to conformity is, as ever, loud, brash and extremely danceable. – Will Marshall
The latest addition to the Church Road Records stable, Iress‘ new single ‘Falling’ heralds an incoming new album Sleep Now, In Reverse. due July 26. ‘Falling’ continues to evolve their dreamy take on heavy shoegaze, vocalist Michelle Malley as riveting a presence as ever. There’s palpable anguish despite the languid pace of the song; they’ve been compared to standing on the beach watching an incoming tidal wave, and that’s a particularly apt descriptor for how ‘Falling’ washes over and subsumes all in its path. It feels gentle, but there’s power to the guitars and crashing cymbals that propel it. An intense listen, awash with sorrow, it marks Iress‘ latest out as their strongest work yet. – Will Marshall
Coming hot on the heels of their last single ‘A Trip Around The Sun’ and taken from their freshly announced compilation record Interesting Decisions: Into It. Over It. Songs (2020 – 2023) – released May 3rd via Storm Chasers Ltd and Big Scary Monsters – ‘Bandelier’ see’s Into It. Over It. drawing upon the likes of Manchester Orchestra and Foxing as they reflect upon the past and future and our lack of presence in either places. Inspired by the ancient inhabitants of Evan Thomas Weiss’ local Bandelier National State Park and ruminating on how future humans will perceive our remains and legacies, the single is an existentialist exploration of one’s place that carries none of the anxiety one would associate with a theme such as this. In fact, with it’s warm emo intricacies, the track is easily agreeable and somewhat comforting as it addresses tour inability to alter the passage of time. – Dan Hillier
Sammy Urwin is synonymous with the British music scene. Whether that’s from his time in Employed To Serve or Renounced or his involvement in Church Road Records, the man never stops working. His new project, Smo, is an interesting one Blending elements of punk, industrial and metal music, his latest release (Sammy plays all of the instruments on this project, the talented devil) ‘Crooked Teeth’ is a rousing affair. Starting with a stomping, menacing groove, it soon shifts gears into a thundering, antagonistic banger. A track that’s dedicated to those who don’t feel comfortable in their own skin, Sammy’s vocals make you feel ten feet tall, particularly during the squealing breakdown of the track name being repeated fiercely. It’s still the early days of Smo but the project already has its own identity and sound, with nothing else out there sounding as deliciously warped. – Chris Earl
Perhaps the most legendary British post metal band of all time, Bossk are just a year away from celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band. In their near two decades of life, they’ve released occasional numbered records, which aren’t to be treat as regular full lengths, but more as the band experimenting by reworking and experimenting with older tracks. This latest release from the upcoming .4 is ‘The Reverie II’ and takes a track from their 2016 album Audio Noir and adds psychedelic Canadian duo Crown Lands to the mix. They take the track to bold, progressive new places, via the introduction of Moog synths and it somehow makes the original become even more of an expansive journey, with more devastating dynamics and a sense of wonder. There aren’t many bands who treat their older work the way Bossk do, revisiting and looking at ways a fresh pair of ears can elevate their pieces. This is more than enough to sate fans before their upcoming tour with Maybeshewill and a 2026 new full length. – Chris Earl
A tribute to a departed friend and passed youth thematically themed around the sights of their local Bristol, as the name suggests, the new single from pop-punk / emo quartet downcast is a pained reflection on times and loved ones now lost. The band’s first release in almost two years, ‘bittersweet’ is just one those tracks that’s both impossibly moving in thanks to it’s heart-on-hand sentimentalism and it’s authentic urgency. Simply, it’s a brilliant track, one that strikes the perfect balance between genuine emotion, gritty pop-punk haste and just being one of those striking tracks perfectly designed to be shouted along to. “’bittersweet’ was written to commemorate a close friend who we lost just under two years ago”, states frontman Liam Edwards on the track. “It describes the conflicting feelings of fondness and grief that come with revisiting a place associated with someone who is no longer with us. The accompanying music video will make all ’90s kids feel nostalgic. It feels great to be back, more confident than ever and ready to burst back onto the scene with our best material to date.” – Dan Hillier
