Dan Hillier
After becoming the subject of close devotion within their local Brighton scene, LibraLibra are back with the grandiose post-rock inspired ‘Mothers’ Ruin’. Taken from their forthcoming extended play Cut – released March 23rd – ‘Mothers Ruin’ once again see’s the trio channeling trauma into dynamic pop maximalism whilst also treading new new sonic territory. Inspired by respective members’ time playing in local post-rock acts, the track is a moving, textured and alluring documentation on frontperson Beth Cannon’s attitude to food and control as a young person that’s only further fleshed out by a Bjork-esque delivery and the sweeping centrepiece of a saxophone solo courtesy of Miles Spilsbury of The Physics House Band. “Mother’s Ruin’ was truly cathartic in helping me heal from past traumas I am still unravelling”, states Cannon on the track. “I feel like I was speaking to my 15 year old self. The year when I lost all control & power over my body & as a means to survive I transcended above my body & bones & began floating up in clouds, watching life in slow motion.” – Dan Hillier
Self-styled Midsommar metallers Forlorn have unveiled their latest single, ‘The Weight of It All’, taking the dual, duelling nature of their music to new heights. The pagan group balance both serene melodies and vicious screams, all emanating from vocalist Megan Elliott, alongside haunting soundscapes that both soar and plumb the depths of despair and sorrow. It’s particularly fitting, then, that ‘The Weight of It All’, is as Elliott describes, “lyrically centred upon the notion of living a double life; switching between two paradoxical personas that coexist within one fragile lifeform.” The scope of the instrumentation feels cinematic and echoes that duality, the band blending folk horror, pagan mythos along with the trials of modern life to create something truly compelling. – Will Marshall
London hardcore/death metal troupe Burner blew more than just the doors off last year with their debut EP A Vision of the End, and they’ve been hard at work since, writing and recording their first LP slated for release this year. The first taste of it comes in the form of brand new single ‘Hurt Locker’, which takes everything we already loved about the Church Road signees and dials it up to 11. Rampaging right out the gates at breakneck pace before settling into a hellish groove, it packs a hell of a punch, including a neck-snapper of a riff shortly after the 2-minute mark. The song takes aim at war and oppression, with the band dedicating it to “the Ukrainian people, fighting a war they shouldn’t have to, and the Russian civilians and soldiers that chose to resist instead of comply. For every unjust war, the people forced to fight in them, the innocent people who die and the propaganda that hides the truth about conflict.” A blunt message delivered with surgical precision. – Will Marshall
St Alban’s finest Enter Shikari offer up ‘It Hurts’, the second single from highly anticipated album A Kiss For The Whole World, and with it comes a call to arms for listeners to reassess their world view and analyse the ways in which we (often too harshly) judge ourselves. ‘It Hurts’ is a serotonin-boosting whirlwind of intensity that revealed itself to frontman Rou Reynolds in unlikely fashion, ‘Melody, chords and fully-formulated chorus were part of a dream that, thankfully, remained with me when I woke up’, recounts Shikari’s commander-in-chief. Exploring the narrative of living in a society that teaches the avoidance of criticism and failure, Reynolds states that ‘It Hurts’ ‘is about perseverance and the importance of reframing failure as a fruitful and pivotal route to progress’ and, in just over three minutes, impressively dissects the world we live in to arrive at the conclusion that to simply try makes us more than enough. – Jordan Aldridge
After a successful 2022 touring the UK and supporting the likes of HECK along the way promoting their debut album and tearing up rooms causing more chaos than a two piece should be able to, Death Goals have returned to cement themselves as a crucially exciting and important band. Lead single ‘Faux Macho’ from their second LP A Garden of Dead Flowers presents clear growth sonically for the band. Noise, hooks, gang vocals and chaos wrapped up with a glittery bow. Harry (guitars/vocals) and George (drums/vocals) are wearing the queer hardcore label on their sleeves proudly and they are rightfully demanding the attention and acceptance of all that listen. Expect nothing short of blood, sweat and a good time from the duo this year. – Adam Vallely
Brighton’s fuzziest band Beach Riot are back with another stomping indie rock banger. After garnering praise for their 2021 debut album Sub Atomic Party Cool, all eyes have been on Beach Riot eagerly awaiting their follow up, if new single ‘Tramlines’ is anything to go by we’re in for a treat. With a distorted siren-like guitar riff, emotionally charged lyrics and a tender, melodic chorus, Tramlines is one of the band’s most intricate tracks yet, fans of acts like Big Spring, Gaffa Tape Sandy and Dinosaur Pile-Up will be sure to find plenty to love. With singles like this Beach Riot’s sophomore album will be one to look out for. – Tom Bruce
With their own special mix of punk energy, catchy hooks and heartfelt lyrics Trash Boat have been blazing a unique trail for almost a decade now, and new single ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ gives a glimpse of the band’s exciting future. Employing hard-hitting post-hardcore inspired verses, an earworm guitar riff reminiscent of fellow St. Alban’s natives Enter Shikari’s recent albums and screamed, relatable lyrics about the fear of failure in a world that expects constant growth, Trash Boat bring an intriguing follow-up to their critically acclaimed third album Don’t You Feel Amazing? released in 2021. If their work going forward is anything like this latest single Trash Boat may well be in for a great 2023. – Tom Bruce
A band that have spend their entire career conjuring musical maelstroms of devastation and gorgeous snowfalls of melancholic melodicism, MONO are a band with a legacy untainted with even the slightest hint of mediocrity. ‘Silent Embrace’ is further testament to such a fact. The first glimpse of their forthcoming EP Heaven, Vol. I – released March 24th via Pelagic – ‘Silent Embrace’ is welcoming and tender as it’s moniker suggests. Yearning, loving and touching in it’s sentimental delivery, the key driven ode is delivered by the band as a gift to their friends, family and colleges who have given the band their support and strength in times of need. Even for a band that has long used tender sentimentalism as a foundation of their work, ‘Silent Embrace’ is truly one of MONO’s most touching works to date. – Dan Hillier
Jamie Lenman is a name we’re all too used to seeing alongside the most interesting upcoming bands as a featured artist, providing his signature dramatic screams to bands such as Haggard Cat, The St. Pierre Snake Invasion and Black Peaks, his latest guest contribution comes as a welcome surprise. ‘The Wave’, originally recorded by rising stars InTechnicolour, known for their riffy, distorted yet thoughtful brand of stoner rock, takes new life in Lenman’s hands, smoothing the original’s harsh edges into a contemplative ballad. Lenman’s cover of The Wave keeps the original’s grandiose feel and dramatic vocal style but swaps saturated guitars for a single, reverb drenched piano for a track that wouldn’t sound out of place on his latest solo album The Atheist. – Tom Bruce
Scowl are the most exciting band in hardcore right now; on the back of barely half an hour of music, they’ve opened arenas for Limp Bizkit as part of a non-stop, gruelling tour schedule that – somehow – still gave them enough time to write some brand new songs, having just announced a brand new EP Psychic Dance Routine and releasing its first single, ‘Opening Night’. The Scowl they discovered during this writing time is a different animal; the furious screams are still there, as is the snarling punk guitars and ethos, but they’ve brought forth far more melodic elements. ‘Opening Night’ is about the whirlwind of touring, from waking up in new cities, not knowing where you are and just going out on stage every night anyway and tearing the place a new one. It does just that; a more melodic sneer comes out the speakers initially, hurtling along with those raucous guitars before its conclusion where vocalist Kat Moss breaks into a scathing scream and the song dissolves into feedback. If the world hadn’t already taken notice, this EP will make sure they do. – Will Marshall
Absurdly heavy extreme metal maniacs Brand Of Sacrifice are on a hot streak at the moment. It’s barely been two years since their last crushing release Lifeblood and they’ve already announced a new EP. Due to arrive later this Spring, ‘Dynasty’ will be one of the four songs on it, and basically it’s heavy as hell. Continuing down their path of mixing electronics with scathing deathcore, it manages to differentiate itself from the symphonic Lorna Shore, with the effects being more sinister and atmospheric. The opening is even reminiscent of the soundtrack to Nier: Automata in a way, which is never a bad thing. – Chris Earl
A slice of post-punk that’s void of the masculinity and sanitation rife within the genre nowadays, the debut single from Knives is the sound of the genre being fractured and reenergised. Actively rejecting the passive form the genre has taken in recent years, the refreshingly aggressive ‘Newshound’ is an off-kilter and dirt-clad lunge of authentic noise that feels urgent, inspired and filthy. Whilst this may be the debut offering from the Bristolian band, with the group having already shared stages with the likes of Soul Glo and with their upcoming extended play set to feature further inclusions of harp and saxophone, there’s no denying that this track feels like the introduction of the band set to commandeer the reigns of the post-punk sound for the betterment of the genre. – Dan Hillier
The latest track to be taken from the Brighton duo’s upcoming debut EP Weaponised Youth: Part 1, ‘Buck’ is an ode to our collective favourite drink that’s brewed by monks and drunk by punks. Rowdier than a night out in Brighton town and fuzzier than the resulting hangover, the track see’s Snayx paying homage to the drink that played a crucial role in their formation and their first every set, one where they opened for Kid Kapichi. As any track dedicated to Buckfast should be, ‘Buck’ is full of swagger and self-aware confidence, further mirroring Snayx’s poise as one of the best emerging acts in UK DIY punk. – Dan Hillier
The granddaddies of modern deathcore Veil Of Maya have never been ones to rest on their laurels. Their last record, False Idol wasn’t the most well received of their back catalogue, but now they’re back with an absolute banger. ‘Godhead’ seems to be more in line with their most recent standalone singles, in the sense it’s more direct, less focused on the keyboard element; it’s a chunky, djenty ball of fun that if you’re of a certain age, will make you very excited. Also, the breakdown absolutely rips and hopefully 2023 will be a revitalising year for the chugging veterans. – Chris Earl
The latest up and coming talent from the Australian heavy scene is the metalcore five-piece alt., who dropped their debut EP, Dysfunctional, back in 2020 to quite a bit of fanfare. Since then, the band have been lucky enough to be snatched up by both Resist Records and Sharptone Records, the latter of which is home to the likes of Alpha Wolf, Crystal Lake, and We Came As Romans, and have since released one single entitled ‘Wraith’. This week, the band dropped their latest single, ‘The Great Depression. Clean, well-executed 00’s tinged metalcore, packed with glittering, glitching synths, chunky riffs, and hooks that are plenty catchy. The segue from the stripped back second verse into the killer breakdown is sure to delight even the most weathered metalcore fans, especially when vocalist Daniel Richards shows off just what a set of lungs he possesses. – Ryan Ward