Ones To Watch: The Top 20 Artists Set To Conquer 2025

New year, new sounds, new favourites.

With 2024 now complete and forever etched in the annuals of time, it’s time to look towards this brave new year. And what a year it’s set to be. Between festivals like 2000 Trees, Outbreak, ArcTanGent, Damnation and Portals boasting arguably their best lineups thus far and with some of the biggest names in our musical realm set to release new records, there’s no ambiguity regarding how big of a year 2025 is set to be for music.

However, what is ambiguous is who will be this year’s biggest breakout stars. Just who are the names that will go from best kept secrets to dotted scene staples? Well, we have a hunch or two. With that in mind, here’s the 20 artists you’re going to want to keep an eye on this year.

Mrs Frighthouse

Sounding akin to Body Void attempting to exercise a demon from Lingua Ignota that’s taken the form of Julie Christmas, Mrs Frighthouse are a terrifying prospect. But such is the point. Specialising in crafting industrial-metal soundscapes that could also double as field recordings from the depths of the void, the Glaswegian wife-and-wife duo’s approach to audible horror is ghastly, disinhibited and dissonant. But this isn’t a cheap nor superficial spookshow. By incorporating a gothic aesthetic into their work, Mrs Frighthouse terrifying work serves as an authentic portrayal of life under the male-gaze and how women are still viewed as a commodity in an age of industrialised mysongy. This is what makes the duo so terrifying; they are a genuine mirroring of the horror half of humanity have to face on a daily basis. – Dan Hillier

Hamartia

Hamartia are an alternative rock band originally from Cornwall and later relocating to Bristol. After a quiet 2024, Hamartia are gearing up to release new music that is likely to show lyrical growth, depth and vulnerability alongside the band’s already established ability to craft infectious hooks and melodies. Hamartia take melody and emotion and blend it with grit and power which makes for a captivating sound. With new music on the horizon, they are sure to make a positive dent in 2025. With one headline show announced in Cardiff in February we hope this is just the beginning of what will be a defining 2025 for Hamartia. – Jac Holloway

Since Torino

Librarycore; that’s probably the closest thing to a genre tag that one could attach to Since Torino. Calling the creatively fertile grounds of Sheffield and it’s beautiful surrounding dales home, the South Yorkshire quartet are essentially quiet comfort distilled into musical form. A tall claim, but with their sound taking cues from only the most cathartic elements of slowcore, alt-folk, current wave emo and all things hazy and most gaze-y, it’s impossible for their sound not to lull one into a state of hushed composure. The band’s work thus far and their most single ‘transatlantic flight song’ are irrefutable evidance of this, and with their new EP a long night down to calgary releasing February 7^th, Since Torino are set to be a much needed source of quiet relief in what is set to be a chaotic and loud year. – Dan Hillier

Love Rarely

Signing up to the Big Scary Monsters roster, a debut album in the making, announced for 2000 Trees (and we hear a few other shows), 2025 is shaping up to be a massive year for the Leeds based math rock(ish) band Love Rarely. Their genre bending sound brings in influences from all of your favourite eras, from 2000s screamo mathcore like The Fall of Troy to more melodic moments in vein of Arcane Roots, all delivered with an infectious energy. Whatever your preferred flavour of alternative, heavy goodness there will be something here for your ears. – Adam Vallely

Long Goodbye

The aural equivalent to being chased through a hectic abattoir, Newcastle’s Long Goodbye are one of the most violent and dangerously exciting prospects in the British heavy music scene today. Fronted by Patrick Morton, a man who moshes like a UFC fighter and screams like a warring banshee, the rest of the band channel classic, aggressive metalcore into a sound that has crowds baying for blood. With some envious support slots for Wristmeetrazor, Ringworm and God Complex coming up ahead of their Outbreak debut this summer along with hinted at new music in the pipeline, few bands right now can claim as much momentum as Long Goodbye. – Chris Earl

Overhead, The Albatross

There’s a very good reason why many people are collectivity losing their marbles over this band. A direct counterargument to the false notion that post-rock is a stagnant genre, Overhead, The Albatross essentially overhaul what post-rock actually means. Those who have heard their recent LP I Leave You This will understand such a statement. Taking the core ethos of the genre prior to interweaving motifs of intelligent dance music, trip-hop, spoken word and so-called neo-classical into the mix, this Dublin band essentially rewrite the faded blueprint of the genre that many have relied on over the years. But, despite such dynamism, what makes this band just so special is how organic they sound. There’s no shoehorned gimmickry here, just pure, unfettered human emotion expressed in a language that’s some new yet universally understandable. Despite being a band since 2009, it’s only recently have many taken notice of this band’s slow unfolding of wings. Now, 2025 is the year Overhead, The Albatross truly take flight. – Dan Hillier

Mallavora

Bristol alt metalheads Mallavora have spent 2024 rapidly clambering up the rungs of the UK’s underground, cementing their status as scene darlings with their latest EP Echoes which gained plenty of praise for its blend of hard-hitting riffs and passionate social activism. Mallavora’s live shows have become well known across the country for their inclusive atmosphere with the band keeping accessibility their number one priority, building a dedicated fanbase while advocating for more disability friendly venues. With an appearance at Download and a signing to Marshall Records, 2024 built plenty of momentum for Mallavora, with any luck 2025 should be an even bigger year for these up and coming alt-metal heroes. – Tom Bruce

Perp Walk

South-west chain punk five-piece Perp Walk stomped onto the scene back in 2023 with a pair of EPs and a single before taking over 2024 with their raucous live shows. With non-stop dates alongside hardcore heavy hitters such as Scowl, Fucked Up and Militarie Gun as well as an appearance at Outbreak Festival and a Canadian co-headline tour with Ontario’s Bad Egg, Perp Walk have already made a solid impact the hardcore scene. In a world of wacky post-punk bands, Perp Walk take hardcore punk back to its roots with a swaggering attitude bolstered by dual guitar riffs. With plenty of live dates, including a set at the legendary Manchester Punk Festival, and new music on the horizon, the year ahead looks bright for these hard-stomping punks. – Tom Bruce

Baosbheinn

Baosbheinn just played an EP launch show in an honest to God graveyard. If that doesn’t sell you then I don’t what will. Taking their name from a barren mountain in the Scottish highlands and sounding as dense as the timeless rocks that form it, the Steel City sludgers are the sound of the feral hills calling forth. As found within their aforementioned EP The Mountain Calls, the band’s approach to the craft is raw, visceral and as thickly viscous as the sloughy run-off of the hills. However, this ain’t sludge for the sake of sludge. With a thematic focus on the healing power of witchcraft and drawing parallels between the personal mountains that cast shadows over us and the physical peaks that call to us, Baosbheinn are an exciting new proposition admit a scene full of stoned passiveness. – Dan Hillier

Worn Out

Keep an eye on the shores because the invasion from Cork approaches, and their name is Worn Out. The band had a whirlwind 2024 that has set them up to start their reign of terror with more spit and snarl than a raging Doberman. Worn Out released their four track EP Low in August last year and it was met with high praise. Every Time I Die meets Stray From The Path with a punishing meld of chunky riffs, piercing screams and rampaging drums, Worn Out take no prisoners on or off record. With some festivals in the bag in England and Scotland as well as a support slot for fellow shredders Grief Ritual on their run of albums release shows, you can bet that Worn Out will quickly win over a widespread UK fanbase throughout the year. The band will also be supporting Stray From The Path in Ireland, and if their current pace keeps up, it’s likely that this is only the beginning of plans for Worn Out in 2025. – Jac Holloway

Hour of Reprisal

Like metallic hardcore? Hate cops? Hour of Reprisal are your band. The leftist, straight edge outfit eviscerated ears in 2023 with their debut A New World From the Ashes of the Old and 2024’s Burning Earth split with Lethal Minds. In that time, they’ve hit the live circuit incessantly and honed their bludgeoning, panic chord-stricken sound. This year they’re teasing more new music as well as supporting hardcore legends Madball on their upcoming tour, the musically ignorant, socially conscious wrecking crew will surely be on the up this year. Just watch out for the spin kicks. – Will Marshall

Cwfen

Hailing from greyest Glasgow – or more fittingly, it’s subterranean catacombs – Cwfen are set to be a dearly loved proposal for all those with a penchant for the occult and a flair for the dramatics. With their fangs sunk in the kind of doom, goth and shoegaze that’s in the vein of Chelsea Wolfe, King Woman and Emma Ruth Rundle, Cwfen are essentially one of those rare and genuine bands that can animate an aesthetic without their work feeling hollow or superficial. The band’s first two singles ‘Penance’ and ‘Reliks’ prove this wonderfully, and with a their debut due for release later this year via their new label of Heavy New Sounds, it’s difficult to name a new band more fatally enticing than Cwfen. – Dan Hillier

The None

When four experienced musicians with a deep, varied back catalogue shared between them come together it is highly likely the output is going to five star standard. The None’s debut EP Matter and shows supporting Metz, Les Savy Fav as well as a handful of headline shows have set the bar high. With their second EP due next month and many more shows and festivals booked, 2025 will surely quickly surpass any expectations the quartet had for this noise-entrenched band. This is unashamedly egoless music, made from the deepest of love for their art and not because of one particular ‘vision’ and it is unlikely you’ll hear anything similar this year. – Adam Vallely

Knives

High blistering energy, lyrics spat through gritted teeth, sonically loud and abrasive and added Saxophone? This aptly sums up Bristol post-punk gang Knives. This young collective have built a following rapidly with the release of two stellar EPs in Newshounds and What We See In Their Eyes. And with a rumoured album on the near horizon it is a good time to see where they take their exciting sound and live shows next. – Adam Vallely

Grief Ritual

As raw and furious a band as you will hear all year, Grief Ritual begin the year with a bang in the form of their debut album, Collapse. Fresh off signing to the phenomenal Church Road Records, the bristolians look to take their blend of extreme metal and hardcore to wider audience, building on the white hot rage of their debut EP. There won’t be many bands who’s lyrics are as vitriolic and filled with righteous fury towards this country as them, and with their album release tour only the start of what will surely be the bands breakout year, it looks as if Church Road have once again backed a band who will make a powerful, if uncomfortable, impression. – Chris Earl

Bureau De Change

Newcomers Bureau De Change stormed into the UK’s thriving post-punk scene with a bang this year, releasing their debut EP Are You Flirting With Me? while bringing their feral live show to stages alongside mainstays such as PEACH, Loose Articles and the aforementioned Knives. With animated frontwoman Flora Kimberly’s shouted vocals cutting through the band’s wall of disjointed noise Bureau De Change stand out like a volcanic island in a sea of monotone post-punk boybands. With a politically-driven edge and biting humour, Bureau De Change take on hefty topics such as the mental health epidemic in working class men and the sexist messaging perpetuated by James Bond and Andrew Tate with non-stop energy and a tongue-in-cheek grin. Kicking in the door in 2024, Bureau De Change have plenty of momentum ready to make a huge impact on the coming year. – Tom Bruce

Rozemary

Hailing from Merseyside, metalcore newcomers Rozemary have only released one single so far but they’ve immediately caught the attention of the UK’s burgeoning underground scene along with popping up on many local bills. That sole single, ’empty ceiling’, shows a band with a lot of promise as they mix caustic metalcore and poppier melodies with ease, without losing sight of that resurgent early-00s sound that so many are reviving in new and interesting ways. Sprinkling in elements of screamo and some mathier moments, it’s a tantalising glimpse of their potential. – Will Marshall

Pieces of Eden

Drenched in melancholic angst (Like all metalcore of a certain vintage and quality), Pieces of Eden have staked their claim to be one of the best young bands around right now. Drawing influence from bands like Since My Beloved and Poison The Well, the north east youngsters released their debut EP at the back end of 2024 and have a slew of gigs further afield to look forward to. Fitting in perfectly with the thriving UK metalcore scene, they’re not afraid to go heavy with the mosh parts to balance out their emotional lyrics, making for a familiar sound yet one given a youthful lease of life. – Chris Earl

Sixth Wonder

Glasgow’s Sixth Wonder style themselves as “djent pop metal” released two singles last year in ‘BRUTAS’ and ‘Escalate’, showing a band with a penchant for heavy, spiky metalcore that sat alongside forlorn, towering melody. Mixing elements of The Agonist, Spiritbox and more, it’s a caustic, but strangely captivating, take on the metalcore genre that’s avoiding many of the more shoegaze-y tropes prevalent in the present sound while still keeping their own sound firmly modern. – There’s bright things on the horizon for these Scots. – Will Marshall

Atlas Theory

Atlas Theory feel like a band that are waiting to break big. Hailing from South Wales, the Post-Hardcore 4-piece spent 2024 racking up local support slots as well as having had a busy summer getting out to other local shows across the UK. The band dropped their last single in June, ‘Apollyon’, a hook-laden ear worm full of hooks and melody and proved that Atlas Theory have the ability to simply craft what can only be dubbed as straight up bangers. Their balance of hard-hitting drums and riffs alongside incredible soaring vocal melodies has already won over the South Wales scene and 2025 could be the band’s year. – Jac Holloway