A band so legendary in some circles that an entire festival was named after their most seminal album, earthtone9 are a group who, by rights, should be more revered in modern times than they are. Instead, their technical brand of heavy post hardcore remains a curio to most. This brand new track, ‘Oceanic Drift’ will hopefully be the spark that ignites the flame of interest in them, because it’s an absolute banger. Driving downtuned riffs mixed with soaring vocals, it’s the band’s essence and style brought into the modern day, thanks to some Lewis Johns production. The first taste of the band’s new album, their first in 11 years is a teasing one, no doubt. When In Resonance Nexus drops in June, it’ll be very interesting to see if one of British metal’s most influential bands can still keep up with the pack. – Chris Earl
One of the bands who simply refuse to let unique and overly long song titles die, emo scamps Hot Mulligan are back with a brand new slab of bouncy introspection. As usual, the song, titled ‘Stickers of Brian’ is driven by Nathan Sandville’s almost smoky yelps and powerful guitar chords. Lyrically, it’s a bit of a bleak affair dealing with the pain of trying to balance a job you hate and want to leave with needing the money to continue to exist. The juxtaposition between the music and lyrics is something the band have nailed so well over the years, and even though it’s a standalone single, you can bet it’ll still hit hard and fill venues with catharsis across the world, including Outbreak Festival later this summer. – Chris Earl
This week sees Ontario’s favourite sons The Dirty Nil announce a deluxe version of last year’s outstanding Free Reign to Passions album (slated for release on April 4) and that news brings with it the ludicrously catchy single ‘Am I The Menace?’. Described by frontman (and possibly coolest man in modern rock music) Luke Bentham as a ‘semi-sincere, self-examination’, ‘Am I The Menace?’ packs in all of the swaggering attitude, enormous vocals hooks and biting humour that The Dirty Nil have come to hone better than anyone else over the last decade and promises plenty of welcome additions to an already fantastic album. – Jordan Aldridge
Quebec’s blackened grindcore crew APES are back, teaming up with the one and only Madi Watkins of Year of the Knife to deliver ‘Coffin’. An absolute monster of a track, APES also worked with Will Putney and Andy Nelson for mix and master duties. To say this song hits is an understatement. Instrumentals wreak havoc upon listeners, achieving an entire new tier of heavy compared to previous releases. The added vocals of Madi Watkins was something nobody expected and surely completed the track. If APES as anything else like this up their sleeves for the future, fans would be fools to not pay attention. – Nathaniel Maure
The title-track of their upcoming EP – released April 19th via Specialist Subject Records – ‘Merch Girl’ is a shot of zingy and carbonated indie-punk courtesy of London’s finest Fresh. Dropping just prior to their tour alongside NJ power punks Teenage Halloween, in thanks to it’s headstrong spirit, playful instrumentation and empowering energy the track ultimately manifests as the peak Fresh experience; something that’s impossible not to feel renewed by. Much like their moniker, Fresh continue to be one the most organicity exciting bands in the national indie-punk circuit. – Dan Hillier
Following the previously released tracks ’99’ and ‘Entwined (Street Light Buzz)’ comes Canadians Metz‘s gorgeous album closer ‘Light Your Way Home’, which features vocal contributions from Amber Webber of Black Mountain. This is a beautiful caramel wall of sound, from the hum of the bass, the soaring guitar lines all the way through to the drums which feel like they are emanating from a dream. Lyrically it touches losing loved ones and your grip on reality and the ethereal delivery from frontman Alex and guest Amber adds so much more to that message. – Adam Vallely
A pounding synth-driven power pop belter about having a good old weep in the liminal space that is a car wash, the new single from ARXX is pretty much about what it says on the tin. But this ain’t no tear jerker though. Documenting the exact moment where the Brighton duo received confirmation that they where to support one of their favourite bands and inspirations MUNA, ‘Crying In The Carwash’ is a joyous celebration that just radiates elation in thanks to it’s contemporary pop production. The video – filmed by Rosie Powell – further makes this joy palpable, and yes, it does feature a wacky wavy inflatable tube person action. – Dan Hillier
The Empire Strikes Back, The Dark Knight, Toy Story 2. Iconic British post-metal band Bossk have embodied the classic sequels that improved on their predecessor in every way with their latest single ‘Truth II’. A continuation of their 13 minute 2007 masterwork from their EP 2, ‘Truth’, the sequel takes a number of the more atmospheric, ambient aspects of the original and injects them with a shot of adrenaline, upping the stakes for the second act. Choir-like vocals carry through the piece, giving a sense of drama to the prominent, thumping bass and droning distorted guitars. Hopefully we won’t have to wait another 17 years for Bossk’s final climactic part of the ‘Truth’ trilogy. – Tom Bruce
Continuing their galactic campaign to breakout stardom, Seattle ‘stargaze’ outfit FOXCULT have unveiled their electrifying new single ‘WORMHOLE’. The track doubles down on everything we’ve come to know and love about the band thus far, with intricately crafted layers of instrumentation, deeply heartfelt lyrics and science fiction storytelling woven within. The crunch of the guitars, the emotional tones of the vocals, little references back to other works in the band’s catalogue, superb rhythmic drumming, floaty spatial synths, everything is woven together with an excruciating attention to detail. ‘WORMHOLE’ flows with atmosphere, oozes with colour, the climactic “is there a way out?” line, repeated each time with escalating intensity to really draw you in to the emotion, FOXCULT are firing on all cylinders here. The best time to start listening to FOXCULT would have been last year, when they dropped their phenomenal debut EP THE INDIGO FAULT. The second best time to start listening to FOXCULT is now, and ‘WORMHOLE’ is another shining example of just how exceptional this band are, so keep your eyes and ears peeled for what’s yet to come, as they’ve have already begun posting teasers to lead us towards their glimmering future. – Elliot Grimmie
The first taste of new music from Graywave in 2024, ‘Undone’ joins 2023’s two singles on the just-announced Dancing in the Dust EP slated for a May release. Further evolving their heady mix of shoegaze and grunge, ‘Undone’ sways between breathy verses and evocative, emotional swells. There’s elements of Chelsea Wolfe‘s melancholia, the darker edges of Slowdive and more, with bandleader and founder Jess Webberly saying of the EP; “Dancing in the Dust aims to capture the feeling of yearning for something that is out of reach, it’s about longing for a memory that will never repeat. When writing these songs I was heavily focussed on the way that time continues to move along without pausing for a breath, and the bittersweet feeling that realisation evokes.” – Will Marshall
With a title that’s abound to resonate with anyone feeling strung out, the new single from Bears In Trees is a chirpy, renewing and wholesome breath of rejuvenation from everyone’s favourite self-professed dirtbag boyband. Rich with that kind of blinding but infectious optimism only found within the now maturing Gen Z population, ‘I Wanna Feel Calm’ is an irrefutable feel good anthem that encourages one to lean on their support networks amidst this silent epidemic that is widespread burnout as a result of continuous self-improvement. “I wrote this when I felt burnt out from self-improvement,” states Iain Gillespie. “In the process of being ‘better’, I started to only see the parts of me that weren’t ‘good enough’. It became too much, and the guilt made me want to return to an earlier, more chaotic version of myself. As I reconnected with people I let go I started to let myself be. Getting out of my head and being around people I loved brought me out of that headspace.” – Dan Hillier
Arizona’s finest export Gatecreeper have unveiled their new album Dark Superstition, their first for new home Nuclear Blast, with brand new single ‘The Black Curtain’, joining previously released ‘Caught in the Treads’. Where the latter was a more straightforward rollicking death metal number, ‘The Black Curtain’ flexes new muscles; the savagery is still there in the sawing HM-2 tone, but there’s also a very clear reverence for the goth death/doom legends Paradise Lost in its morose guitar lead. Gatecreeper‘s evolution from stars of the OSDM revival to bona fide death metal legends in their own right continues, and Dark Superstition looks set to take them there. – Will Marshall
Joining the already stacked lineup featuring some of the best post, math and contemporary progressive rock from across the globe are Saturday’s headliners This Will Destroy You. Confirmed to be playing a fan voted set and returning to the UK following their mammoth tour with The Ocean last year, the Texan post-rock pioneers set will be the only time fans will be able to see them in London this year. Also joining the bill today are Danish blackgaze sensations, MØL, fruity LA math-rockers Standards, French post-metal stalwarts Year Of No Light and bonafide math-pop icons Orchards. They will all also be joined by fellow newcomers Overhead, The Albatross, Luo, Hidden Mothers, Hammok, Dystopian Future Movies, Jaguar Throne, Pleiades, Din of Celestial Birds, Billy Mahonie, For Breakfast and Outcries.
Originally starting life as a small celebration of post rock and it’s related ilk prior to becoming one of the most important dates in the contemporary music calendar, Portals Festival has become London’s inner-city sanctum for progressive music. From it’s gorgeous new home of Hackney’s EartH to it’s intimate and relaxed atmosphere to it’s eclectic programme, the festival has swiftly become one of the most celebrated events in experimental UK music, a sentiment that’s abound to be shared by anyone who has attended the festival in the past. “We’re stunned to have secured This Will Destroy You as headliners for Portals Festival 2024”, states festival director Asher Kenton on today’s announcement. ”They’re a band who have shaped both the post-rock genre, and our personal music tastes. So many bands on the lineup would cite them as major influences, so to be able to bring together legends of the genre with incredible new up-and-coming artists is an absolute joy.”
Portals Festival 2024 takes place May 25th and 26th at EartH, Hackney, London. Find tickets and further information here, and peek the full lineup below.
From the opening dissonance and heavy slap of the drums El Moono carve out a merry journey of off-time riffing, emotive soundscapes and post-metal escapades. The energy of the track simmers below the surface as the drums and guitars break out into havoc before being restrained back into the cage that barely keeps them at bay before unleashing another massive chorus. Vocalist Zac Jones screams out, “I’ll find you,” segueing into heaviness that stands in opposition to the rest of the track, a fitting way to finish off something that touches on so many different bases with such consummate ease. – Rob Bown
Since last year’s release of their single ‘Idealized’, Gouge Away have been spoiling us with three more tracks from their upcoming album Deep Sage, out March 15th via Deathwish Inc. Just one week away from the LP, they gifted us with a final single, ‘Spaced Out’. This is a song that goes directly to the point and definitely brings you back to the old days of Gouge Away with Christina’s unmistakable vocals. You can clearly hear some riot grrrl sentiment in the delivery of the repetitive lyrics as this sounds like a “scream in the face” to all men who have no sense of personal space and no boundaries when it comes to consent and talking to women. The additional vocals by the three friends of the band definitely help with making this into a riotous anthem perfect to listen to on IWD and every day. The classic hardcore guitar riff is also the protagonist for this one, giving us some Ceremony and G.L.O.S.S. feelings (bands that not surprisingly have a friendship history with Gouge Away). So far they gave us the perfect ratio between post punk, hardcore and shoegaze. The versatility of this band is no news to anyone and surely the LP still holds some gems we haven’t heard yet. – Bea Simon
A tale of a relationship in free-fall and how alcoholism only hastens such a plunge, the new standalone single from post-screamo outfit As Living Arrows (FKA Dead Bird) is a hurtling rush of authentic emotion. Furthering the unfettered nerve-wracking agony that was found within their brilliant 2022 LP In The Absence Of, the track once again harkens towards this wonderful band’s ability to articulate the nature of loss, pain and grief in a way that’s incompressible, cohesive yet still wholly unprocessed or embellished. Should one enjoy acts such as Envy, Chalk Hands and Hidden Mothers but are yet to be acquainted with this act, then this is the ideal chance to change that. – Dan Hillier
The worlds of heavy, knuckle dragging hardcore and brutal death metal are, on paper, a match made in heaven. Yet the result more often than not is Deathcore, not simply darker, heavier hardcore. San Jose crew Mugshot are here to rectify this, joining forces with ferocious death metal group Vomit Forth and the result is 24 Thorns. Mugshot have always had an incredibly intense edge to them, with clanking snares and insidious electronic elements adding to their unga bunga style aural assault. This new track is no exception. The gurgling, disgusting vocals of Kane Gelaznik are a real highlight, making for a sense of unease throughout. This is a new track to give fans something new before the band head out for their summer tours and it’s a perfect distillation of the bands sound and their heavier influences. – Chris Earl
Taken from their upcoming record Keep Your Cool – released April 19th via Counter Intuitive Records – ‘Keep Your Cool, Man’ see’s US emo stalwarts Riley! grappling with the ceaseless and exhausting chaos of modern live with just the right amount of giddy playfulness. Channeling thoughts of acts such as Prince Daddy & The Hyena, Slash Fiction and itoldyouiwouldeatyou in thanks to its infectious energy, bashful spirit and inclusive rage, here, Riley! invite all of us to rally against the bullshit alongside them. If one’s not already raging with both rage and joy shoulder-to-shoulder with Riley!, well knows your chance to do so. – Dan Hillier
The opening track of their upcoming LP Sunless – released March 15th via Human Worth – ‘Boiling Vermillion’ see’s Warren Schoenbright slipping into the howling darkness that the record serves as a vessel for. In a fashion that calls to mind the classic descent of Dante and Virgil, within this track the band elegantly slip into a realm of horror both abstract and classical. Just like the aforementioned duo’s journey into the bowels of the underworld and it’s accursed inhabitants, here, Warren Schoenbright submerse themselves in a soundstage and musical realm shaped by inhospitable noise rock, post-organic industrial, and a kind of doom metal perfectly suited for Dante’s fall into the final circle of Hell. However, within this damned and ill-fated world of noise lies a sense of redemption; one albeit fait, but ultimately present. Those with a penchant or interest in acts such as Wren, Full Of Hell, Portrayal Of Guilt, Modern Technology and other artists unblemished by divine light will find plenty to resonate with here.
Highlighting such a sentiment is the video for ‘Boiling Vermillion’. Composed of a myriad of excepts and cuts recoded across recent shows in the UK, the video is a monochromatic, shadowed and callously industrial creation that flawlessly presents the band’s godless industrialism without filter nor compromise. The end result is a musical portal into a world void of light or tenderness that’s astute, obtuse but uncompromisingly authentic. Watch the video exclusively below and pre-order Sunless here; 10% of all proceeds of all vinyl orders will be donated to Arts Emergency – a charity and support network that helps young people flourish in higher education and cultural industries.
Joining the stacked lineup today is a mammoth mix of returning Trees legends and newcomers set to the play the festival for the first time, with announced names including bonafide Trees staples Frank Turner And The Sleeping Souls, legitimate future headliners Bob Vylan, emo stalwarts Los Campesinos! and post-hardcore icons Palm Reader, who will sadly be performing their final ever set at this year’s festival following the news of their imminent disbandment yesterday. They will also be joined by fellow newcomers Wargasm, Empire State Bastard, Lonely the Brave, Skinny Lister, Casket, Kid Brunswick, The Oozes, Cherym, Vower, Blank Atlas, Harpy, Liam Cromby, The Rumjacks, Blood Command, Cold Years, Lauran Hibberd, Katie Malco, BEX, Sweet Pill, Cosmic Psychos, Crae Wolf, ekkstacy, Holy Wars, Delilah Bon, Kid Bookie, The Meffs, safesp8ce, Bowen and The Computers.
Ever the crucial stable within the alternative festival calendar, 2000 Trees has gone from humble beginnings focusing on local independent acts to one of the UK’s most celebrated festivals in just a decade. “A summer’s not a proper summer without a stop at 2000trees”, states Frank Turner on his upcoming 8th appearance at the festival. “It’s my festival home, I played the first year, they named a campsite after me, it’s where I belong. Stoked to be coming back through.”
As usual, 2000 Trees Festival 2024 takes place of it’s usual home of Upcote Farm, Cheltenham, between 10th – 13th. Find remaining tickets here, and peek the final lineup below.
