Dan Hillier
To be put simply, the latest single from the Welsh noise-rock harbingers Death Cult Electric is the musical equivalent of jamming a fork into an electrical outlet. The soundtrack to the imminent collapse of society and the feral orgy of violence that’s set to follow, ‘Snakes And Their Children’ implores one to forget our current way of living and to prepare for the changing of the tides with subtle industrialist post-punk textures and a delivery that’s as subtle as a taser to the frontal lobe. Those longing for an intoxicating dosage of overdriven distortion and dystopian discourse will certainly have such desires fulfilled with this, and as something that will most likely be proven soon, Death Cult Electric are essentially the soundtrack for the forthcoming downfall. – Dan Hillier
How would one describe Kite Thief? Imagine the sugar rush of Vukovi mixed with angular, serrated tech-metal orientated fretwork. It’s a contrastive and bladed music cooperative that has allowed the Bristol based band to become highly in demand in recent years and nothing displays this volatile dichotomy more than their new single ‘Hindsight’. Complete with an utter molar remover of a hook, the track showcases the collective wealth of experience that the band possess and stands as something that’s completely unique all whilst being appealing to followers of acts such as Superlove, Dream State and Insurgent. With the band already subject to a dotted following only after three years since their inception, Kite Thief are already looking to be one of 2022’s biggest success stories. Best get in on the hype now. – Dan Hillier
Metallic hardcore upstarts Dying Wish are a name on a lot of lips at the moment, and for good reason. Their debut album Fragments Of A Bitter Memory is due out October 1st and through each single, they’ve showcased a classic metalcore sound indebted to Unearth, Killswitch Engage and Bleeding Through while still making it all their own. Latest single ‘Severing The Senses’ stands in solidarity with survivors; as vocalist Emma Boster describes it, “I wrote the lyrics at a time when friends of mine were coming forward about their experiences with abuse after years of their stories being invalidated and suppressed. As a survivor myself, it was triggering for me to see their bravery met with even more denial and excuses from the person who caused them harm. That feeling of anger and sadness I get in those moments will forever be unparalleled. ‘I cannot escape this torment granted by the hand of a coward’ is specifically about those triggered emotions”. – Will Marshall
Taken from the group’s forthcoming EP Don’t Hold Your Breath – releasing October 29th via SharpTone – this single truly shows why 156/Silence are being tipped as one the biggest new names in metallic hardcore. Produced by powerviolence icon Andy Nelson and mastered by Will Putney, ‘The Wrong Sense’ is an acidic stab of hardcore that serves as a documentation of the personal effects endured from the ongoing and inescapable chaos that is modern living. Racked with a palatable sense of urgency that harkens thoughts of Modern Life Is War and featuring calculated ferocity in line with Vein.fm, the track is the hay-wired anxieties we have all been collectively suffering from made incarnate and an enthralling encapsulation of trying to make do in times of constant strife. – Dan Hillier
The latest track from the Bristol/Brighton electronic producers Luo and the second single to be taken from the duo’s impending EP Convoluted Mess Machine, ‘Auris Animi’ is the sound of bombastic dashings of neon vibrancy dancing in a void of darkness. Playing into the group’s post-rock and jazz inspired leanings – all whilst belonging neither of such genres – the track straddles the line between synthetic erraticism and organic rhythm, and despite the EP’s namesake, serves as a natural exercise in fluid genre dynamism. Much like the rest of their fantastic work, the single is the sound of a track writing itself after being exposed to external influences, and judging from this track, it’s clear that Convoluted Mess Machine is going to be both a highly engaging and thought provoking body of record upon it’s October 15th release. – Dan Hillier
The self-proclaimed “sasscore” outfit from San Diego have released the first single off their upcoming album The Romance Of Affliction. Shifting between metalcore, mathcore freakouts and soaring melodies, ‘Misinterpreting Constellations’ is a frenetic, blistering assault on fretboards, drums and ears alike that dials up the intensity from their debut and expands on its darker elements. On the song, vocalist Connie Sgarbossa says …it’s a look back at actions you viewed as a romantic situation, and still do to an extent, but being able to realise that ‘love at all cost’ maybe wasn’t the healthiest thing for yourself, them or others.” – Will Marshall
When he’s not busy crafting bonkers DIY musical contraptions to make noise from, Sam Battle, otherwise known as Look Mum No Computer can be found putting out infectiously catchy synth laden songs, his latest track ‘Ride’ filled with club beats and a throbbing bassline alongside a quantum dose of space travel soundtrack vibe. According to the band, the song is about, uh, “space lizards and Marmite”. Take from this information what you will, but it’s undeniable that Sam’s affinity for modular synth and instrument building is endearingly fascinating, having built a working organ made out of Furby’s (yes, the little creepy gremlin like toys from the 90s) and even a megamachine made up of fifty old Nintendo Gameboys, it’s worth following his endeavours if not for the music alone but the ingenuity that goes into his works. – Elliot Grimmie
Hot off the tail of a blinding set at the Download Pilot and a humorous incident involving a fan being refused accommodation at an AirBnB due to the “aggressive, expletive-riddled, and disturbing” nature of their music (in the words of the host, at least), Death Blooms have dropped another song from their upcoming record Life Is Pain. The track, ‘One Release’ is a straight up mosh callout track, which it wears indulgently on it’s sleeve as vocalist Paul Barrow belts out “GET IN THE PIT” as part of the songs chorus. It’s an obnoxiously fun time that’s a surefire crowd pleaser at the rowdiest of shows. – Elliot Grimmie
At this point in their career, the legendary Every Time I Die need absolutely no introduction. Their particular brand of chaotic, raucous hardcore comes ready made both for parties and for tearing down the system. Latest single ‘Planet Shit’ comes down squarely on both sides of the fence; it’s frenetic enough to start pits anywhere it’s played live or otherwise and comes with a stirring political, socially conscious message. Vocalist Keith Buckley calls it as he sees it, in lines like “no future with a racist past / but we can’t acknowledge that / so we burn a cross and pray to a flag” or “what death can you buy / that’s any different than mine?” before abandoning any remaining politeness and screaming “Fuck! You! Die!”. The world he’s describing is our own, but it’s a tiny bit brighter with their brand of chaos in it. – Will Marshall