Dan Hillier
Giving the fact that Cheerbleederz are made up of members of Fresh, Me Rex, Finish Flag and the now sadly defunct Happy Accidents, it shouldn’t be too surprising that their new single ‘Cute As Hell’ is an utter catchy as hell belter. Standing as the first track rom their upcoming full-length Even In Jest, ‘Cute As Hell’ is gem of a track of that see’s the trio substituting frivolous gimmicks for a sense of fun melodicism that’s instantly infectious “It’s an anti-commercial ode to fancying somebody and having no idea what’s going on in their head”, state the band on the track. It’s also about how scary love is, because you have to give up control and surrender yourself to this tidal wave of impulsive emotion. When we were working on the album, ‘cute as hell’ was literally the last song we wrote; the lyrics are playfully ironic and also have a constant kind of manic energy that definitely stems from the deep, restless depths of the pandemic.” – Dan Hillier
It’s hard to pinpoint a band more versatile than the simply undefinable HEALTH. ‘Cold Blood’ is a testament to their eclecticism. A collaboration between them and Lamb of God, the track is a flesh tearing ordeal that mares the metal titan’s aggression with HEALTH’s sense of cold allure and fatal foreboding. The end result is an uneasy yet decimating hybridisation of the best of both bands that highlights how HEALTH are able to devote and mould themselves to any genre they are presented with with effortless ease. Regardless though, the release of ‘Cold Blood’ coincides with the announcement of DISCO4 Part II, the second chapter of their collaborative project which will see the end results of them working alongside names such as The Body, Poppy, Nine Inch Nails, Backxwash, Perturbator and many more coming from all four corners of the contemporary music echelon. If Part I was anything to go by, then Part II is set to be a showcase of the talent of the global scene presented through HEALTH’s unique lens. – Dan Hillier
The second single from their upcoming album Caged In Gold, ‘The Empty Gesture’ picks up where previous single ‘Wraiths Of Memory’ left off, conjuring a storm of blackened riffs and discordant, grinding noise. At a hair under three minutes, it’s a storm of righteous fury that, as their debut Debt also did, takes aim at unfair systems, taking their aural sandpaper to ears and tearing down systems designed to oppress and worsen inequality. “The lyrics were heavily inspired from a lecture by the writer Russell Banks on immortality, titled Feeding Moloch: The Sacrifice Of Children On The Altar Of Capitalism,” the band state on the songs origins, this time applying them to Trump (the amoral force) and his QAnon following. If seething, blackened grinding hardcore is your thing, Helpless have got just the thing for you. – Will Marshall
The latest member of the Church Road family, Candescent A.D. will be at once familiar to fans of metalcore and metallic hardcore but with a flair entirely their own. A barrage of drums greets eardrums before vicious screams cut through like glass. Stirring melodies collide with the savagery and it culminates in a breakdown big enough to sink the Titanic all over again. It’s taken from their upcoming EP, Dissociation In Three Factions, due out April 1 and follows last year’s frenetic singles ‘Napalm Grifter’ and ‘In Living Colour’, upping the emphasis on melody without sacrificing any of the intensity. – Will Marshall
Tapping into the math-pop sound enjoyed by acts such as Orchards and Tubelord, the new single from FES is an irresistible dose of musical sugar that’s abound to be savoured by anyone with an affection for bouncy energy and killer melodies. The first single to be taken from their debut LP With Regards From Home – released April 29th via Small Pond – ‘Clarinet’ see’s FES mourning the death of their inner child and grieving the long lost simplicity of childhood through contrastive high-octane energy, sidewinding tempo switches and vibrant math-focused riffs. It’s this dichotomy between somber lyrical subjects and upbeat math-rock that has allowed to the band to become such a subject of acclaim in UK math-rock scene already, but with their upcoming LP and the backing of Small Pond behind them, FES are well and truly poised to become the next big success story in the math-rock world. – Dan Hillier
Completing the trifecta of singles to be taken from their upcoming record Parrhesia, ‘Gordian Naught’ see’s Animals As Leaders ushering in their first record in six years with both finesse and style. As it’s title implies, the track is an impossibly intricate entanglement of instrumental wizardry that’s abound to be endlessly analysed by fans and casual listeners alike, with the song thematically mirroring the sustained and often synergising problems affecting the world at large today. Still, even regardless of it’s intense nature, ‘Gordian Naught’ is palatable and is endlessly enjoyable, with each consecutive listen allowing one to further unravel this sonic intricacy. Animals As Leaders have long enjoyed an almost mythical reputation for their impeccable take on progressive jazz-like metal and it appears that Parrhesia will only lift such a notoriety to even loftier heights. – Dan Hillier
Alt-rock trio Novustory have released their brand new single ‘Love Me Too’ this week, a song for anyone who loves someone that doesn’t love them back. Hailing from Manchester the band have prided themselves on their DIY approach and signed to Regent Street Records in April of 2021. This deal was one thought through carefully to be able to maintain the Novustory DIY ethos. ‘Love Me Too’ is wrapped up in gritty melody that hits right in the feels whilst also carrying a certain prowess and maturity level you wouldn’t usually find in a band this early on in their career. Whilst the song hits pretty hard emotionally it is packaged up in bubblegum pop rock goodness. It’s clear that Novustory are out to spread their music to the masses but they’ll definitely be doing it their own way! – Jac Holloway
Aussie pub-rock gang Dune Rats have unleashed a tune so catchy it’ll bury itself into your cerebrum and lodge itself there for days on end, quite ironic for a song about getting so blackout on a night out that you can’t actually remember it at all, the universally accepted sign of a great time in many people’s book. Tapping into elements of post-grunge riffage and an irresistibly sing-along vocal chant, the band carols; “What a memorable night, I can’t remember anything, what a memorable night I can’t remember SHIT”. The Australian punk-rock scene is full of fantastic bands right now, from The Chats to Amyl And The Sniffers, rising to prominence internationally, and with ‘What A Memorable Night’ Dune Rats feel overdue an explosion into the limelight, it’s tracks like these that prove them absolutely capable of writing massive anthems fit for fun, high energy live performances. – Elliot Grimmie
The anonymous black metallers The Sun’s Journey Through The Night have been taking the UK black metal scene by storm with their ambient, atmospheric but no less savage take on black metal. Having recently signed to the inimitable Church Road Records, ‘The Black Pyramid’ is the first taste of new music since then with proceeds being donated to the Birmingham Children’s Hospital charity. Interspersing dense, atmospheric black metal a la Wolves In The Throne Room with ambient, synth-laden passages, it’s a uniquely engrossing take on the genre that draws on cosmic darkness and personal struggles. It’s raw, chaotic and filled to the brim with an unnerving melancholy and rage, ebbing and flowing across its almost eight-minute runtime with plenty of twists to keep listeners engaged. – Will Marshall
The debut track from Holy Reptile, ‘Bodytrap’ begins as a gloomy experience before exploding into fuzzy guitar riffage towards the end of the song, with a steady tickover rhythm and vocals reminiscent of early Kasabian material, the three piece formerly known as Love Reptiles have shed their skin and been born anew, trading in fuzzy upbeat rock n roll for a more downtuned, psychedelic affair. The lyricism describes feeling trapped in your own body and mind whilst the deterioration of ones mental health and physical exhaustion take hold in the same instance. Sombre as it may be, the track’s explosive fuzz-rock finale makes this track a must listen for anyone who enjoys sounds along the post-grunge, post-rock, and post-punk spectrums of noise. – Elliot Grimmie
Abrasive hardcore outfit Vein.fm recently unveiled the latest single taken from upcoming album This World Is Going To Ruin You and it takes a rather different tack than before. The maelstrom of chaos has gone, but the malevolence remains as it embraces and explores more industrial-tinged territory and clean vocals. There’s elements of Code Orange in these moments, though when the savagery does seep through, it’s a fury entirely their own. Building slowly with more minimal guitars, the electronic elements come to the forefront more during in its first half until the midway mark when a lurching, industrial breakdown makes itself known. Speaking on the themes throughout ‘Wavery’, the band stated, “lyrically, it’s about allowing yourself to let go of what’s keeping you safe, as well as what’s holding you back. It’s a psychological journey to your fully realised self.” – Will Marshall
Hawxx are back with incredibly impactful and hard-hitting banger ‘Detonate’ that further’s their on-going reign in the rock and metal scene. With the band flying the flag for diversity and inclusivity they continue to solidify their position having already released two singles at the back end of 2021. ‘Detonate’ is an outright face-melter with a relentless riff and meandering verse that shifts into it’s next gear in the chorus. Lyrically the song speaks of the love, darkness and complexity of a lifelong friendship, citing that in a bond that strong you will inherit the friends pain and darkness. It goes on to talk about breaking free from this binding friendship. With a combination of furious full throttle moments and a calmer bridge that builds into the song’s crescendo and final chorus it’s clear that Hawxx are comfortably releasing music that delivers on all fronts whilst proving that they have found their sound and can expand this upon each release. Whatever this is building towards you should definitely be excited for it. – Jac Holloway
Forming in 2017, Liquid State wasted no time in getting their feet off the ground with a string of shows and a debut single under their belts. Following the band winning the Underdog competition in Bristol they worked towards the release of their debut EP which earned high praise from the likes of Distorted Sound and Metal Hammer. Since their inception the band have progressed to a sound that beautifully combines their influences of harsh metal and roaring alt-rock. With the pandemic putting a halt to their plans Liquid State had time to plan towards their next release and this week we received ‘Static’, a chaotic anthem that flits from moments of menacing aggression to impressive melody. The single marks the next chapter for the band who will be out on a co-headline tour with NO:IR in March. – Jac Holloway
The second single from the newly-announced and long-awaited black metal project from Matt Heafy, ‘Akumu’ showcases a different side to Ibaraki. No less grandiose but taking on a blackened death metal edge, it was written in conjunction with Nergal, who also guests with his lyrics translated to his native Polish. Furious storms of guitars and blastbeats open before it slows to a churning, off-kilter groove. The fusion of searing black metal along with its atmospheric and occasionally technical moments occasionally showcase a more familiar side of Heafy as well as confidently striding into new territory. Heafy said of the song, “‘Akumu’ translates to ‘nightmare’ — and with this piece, I encourage the listener to work to find their interpretations of what they feel from the lyrics, music, and the haunting visuals of the music video,” – Will Marshall
The only thing for certain you can pin down about PALEDUSK is that they’re always gonna do something unexpected, and despite the pre-establishment of that subversion, the band this time have branched out by including jazz notes and saxophones in their sound, alongside the usual dance-metalcore elements the band have been so prestigious for thus far. The track comes alongside another obscure music video too, PALEDUSK are consistently pushing the boundaries of just how intense and adept genre blending can be. The band have even collaborated this time with Japanese rapper Hideyoshi, whose chilled out hip-hop vocals bring a further degree of ambience to the track which dances between the lines of simmered relaxation and full throttle intensity. You never can quite tell what PALEDUSK are gonna do next, and ‘SLAY!!’ is one of their wildest and imaginative tracks to date. – Elliot Grimmie
Rising ethereal alt-pop sensation BABii has dropped a bassline centric dance track with an infectious rhythm. The Margate based solo artist’s whispy, fairy-like vocal style lulls you into a calm state before a fervent beat kicks in and the bassline spurs an impossible to resist movement of limbs. Easily one of the strongest tracks in their catalogue, ‘Ember’ encapsulates BABii’s growth as an artist, taking her already enticing vibe and pushing it forward. BABii is one of those artists with a great crossover appeal between genres, much in the same way alternative music fans find artists such as Billie Eilish and Post Malone appealing, there’s a shadowy tone to the music that can be enjoyed from a wide range of perspectives. BABii is innovative, interesting and the scope of this enigmatic music project goes far beyond just the sound, with their own unique typing style most notably observed over their social media, and a lick of fashion and artistry to bolster the imagery, BABii is a full package artists that belongs in the performance industry. – Elliot Grimmie