A debut album has been a long time coming for Southern California’s Knumears. Having formed in 2021, the band have several split releases and EP’s under their belt already, showing the development of their dark take on the Screamo/Skramz sound pioneered by bands such as Saetia, Pageninetynine, You and I, and Orchid throughout the 90’s. Now, almost a decade into their time as a band, Knumears have teamed up with the producer behind Deafheaven’s genre defining Sunbather album Jack Shirley to craft their debut album Directions – a release which is sure to put them on the map to the unconverted.
Directions is a screamo album in every sense of the word – it’s another band trying to leave their mark on a sound that has existed for around three decades. However, this is also an incredibly confident release which is bound to make listeners sit up and take notice of Knumears. The guitars are intense but also keep a layer of melody underneath the brooding chaos exuding from their core. The minor key melodic chords drip with distortion whilst also having a somewhat dark and sinister quality to them. This melody does sometimes take a backseat to more full force aggression, occasionally bringing to mind the emo crust of Fall of Efrafa.
Drudging through a vast sonic landscape perfectly encapsulating a smorgasbord of unmitigated sorrow, anger, grief and disappointment, in relation to society’s failure to admit to its disabling influences; the Bristolian alternative metallers Mallavora, have created a passionate multi-pronged attack of tenderised pleadings and wounded imagery, vying for validation in a world that ceases to dignify its peoples hardship, with their magnificently produced debut album What If Better Never Comes?
In recent years, Mallavora have garnered great acclaim and respect among the heavy music community, after their debut at Download Festival in 2024, a headline tour of the UK including coveted support spots for bands such as TheCityIsOurs and Skindred. Main stage performances at 2000 Trees, Alyx Holcombe’s Mantra showcase and Noizzefest 2025; yet all the while, their advocacy and allyship with the disabled community has always stood firm, they’re vulnerabilities routinely on full display for a fanbase utterly entranced by their connectivity and care for one another, and it is precisely the lived experiences of physical limitations and historical political neglect, that is woven deep into the fabric of this fascinatingly cathartic record.
Kicking things off with arguably their most confronting single to date, ‘Smile’ is an explosive rebuke of societal injustices, as well as making it clear, that although last year was the 30th anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act, we’ve still got a long way to go to in order achieve true equality. The introductory single to this era is a powerhouse of informed rage, emboldened by both vocalist Jess Douek and guitarist Larry Sobieraj’s experience of long term conditions.
Nearly a year after the release of their critically acclaimed sophomore album, Pirouette, Brooklyn based Model/Actriz are back with a brand new EP. Swan Songs, described by the band as a “capsule of experiments that form a moody vignette”, features three entirely new tracks, recorded shortly after the Pirouette sessions.
Featuring some of the harshest noise that the band have produced to date, this feels like a flashbang in a nightclub. The band’s omnipresent use of panic-inducing sounds creates an atmosphere of dread and anxiety, coupled with mesmeric beats and repetitive basslines. It’s poppy, dancey, visceral and hypnotic.
Across three varied tracks, vocalist Cole Haden‘s vulnerability draws you in and strikes an emotional chord. Although not entirely new territory for the band, ‘Thank You By Dido’ demonstrates a surprising awareness of harmony, elevating their usual brand of discordant noise and it serves as a suitable palate cleanser between songs.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock since the beginning of February you’ve surely seen the monochromatic alien duo known as Angine De Poitrine and their viral KEXP live session. It’s easy to see why they’ve caught the internet’s eye, playing their King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, Frank Zappa and Primus inspired math rock on a custom double-neck guitar/bass hybrid with paper mache noses flopping around. Even muted they’re a spectacle to behold. Now on their first post-fame album Vol. II the mostly instrumental two-piece aim to show the world that their distinctive aesthetic is only a small part of their bizarre world.
From the first disorienting notes of intro track ‘Fabienk’ it should be clear whether Angine De Poitrine are your kind of nonsense, If not stop here, go chuck on a Foo Fighters album because they’re not getting any more palatable. While ‘Fabienk’ immediately has a strange, stumbling rhythm and bizarre note choices the track steadily finds a uniquely danceable groove, not one that’ll be filling nightclubs anytime soon but funky and catchy all the same. Aside from the band’s eye-catching aesthetics this offbeat, microtonal funk may be why Angine De Poitrine have grabbed the attention of so many, it’s unusual and wonderful but it’ll still have you shaking your hips.
Reuniting with long-term collaborator and legendary producer Will Yip (The Wonder Years, Title Fight, Turnstile) once more, their seventh studio album kicks off with the subtle and acoustic ‘It’s okay’ before lead singles ‘Primary Colours’ and ‘Head is Like a Sinking Stone’ kick off. With the latter binding a guitar line that’s designed to get stuck in your head with and the deeply personal lyrics of Ben Walsh which were inspired by a dream about drowning that the frontman used to have when he was a child, it’s apparent from the get go that this record is one that aims in offering welcome respite from the state of the current world.
This musical variety can be seen in all eleven tracks across Lost On You and although there is a diverse influence of sounds on the record, ranging from the more commercial sounds of 2000’s emo to the more stripped-back and fuzzy sounds of 90’s grunge, Tigers Jaw always put their individual spin on these established influences. These can be seen on the profound lyricism of ‘Primary Colours’ which meshes vivid imagery alongside Brianna Collins’s delicate alto melodies, and the pounding and uncompromising rhythm section which complements the lush production and simplistic melodies of ‘Anxious Blade’ perfectly.
Originally a band that could have been labelled harshly by some as a side-project for Daniel Haniß – harking from the lofty successes of Electric Callboy, Samurai Pizza Cats follow their earlier successful debut album in You’re Hellcome – to further establish themselves as a unique band quite separate from its members’ previous accomplishments in the industry.
Blending a sound that glides between metalcore and deathcore with electronic elements that are now firm staples in this bands sonic character, Samurai Pizza Cats once again bring an incredible amount of energy to their music – resulting in an album that is simply great fun to listen to. While Press Start’s nostalgic video game aesthetics, and humorous subject matter certainly won’t set a cat amongst the pigeons in terms of any musical revolutions, this is obviously not the intention with this album. Press Start brings an incredibly charming willingness to have fun and not take themselves too seriously (which is often lacking in today’s industry), and pairs it with some greatly talented musicians to create a number of genuinely fantastic tracks that go beyond where one might assume their surface level jokes could take them.
Incorporating electronic elements into metal can sometimes be quite difficult in terms of fit, especially when going for such a polished sound as Press Start is with the old school video game vibes. However, the entire album is honestly immaculate in terms of production. The result is a record that blends the severely powerful vocals of Sebastian Fischer, with a barrage of immensely catchy melodies and typically heavy guitar riffs in a way that perfectly bounces off the vibrant electronic ear candy infused into every track.
