After a busy month of releases that included the sublime Cold Gawd sophomore record, the grand return of Nails and GEL showcasing some of the catchiest riffs of the year, we now take a look at some of our favourite records of August that we didn’t quite get the chance to cover, but thought were absolutely spectacular.
Banged Out – Heaven Sent (Front and Center Records)
Banged Out serve up a sound that is chaotic, frantic and hard as absolute nails. Miller delivers some of the harshest and most pissed vocals, ensuring that Banged Out‘s lyrics will carve themselves into the mind. A production that throws every bark, sequel, snare, cymbal and strum to the forefront, the aggressive intent of Heaven Sent is nothing short of impressive.
FFO: Threshold, Sentience & Temple Guard
Emancipation – Demo (Wrecking Crew records)
Filled with attitude comes the Emancipation Demo, taking from both hardcore and beatdown, the Nottingham unit offer up a gnarly listen that will see them become a staple of their scene. Harsh breakdowns and a biting vocal performance see Emancipation drive in a brutish and top listen.
FFO: Wise Up, EGO & Tripper
Duhka – A Place You Can’t Come Back From (Good Fight Music)
Southern California’s Duhkha brings decades of experience from the hardcore and metal scenes, with members hailing from bands like Eighteen Visions, Seizures, Teeth, and Dangers. Their debut full-length, A Place You Can’t Come Back From, showcases 11 intense, chaotic, and intricately crafted tracks of metallic hardcore. Drawing from the golden eras of hardcore, math, and death metal, the album delivers a fresh, aggressive sound for fans of Coalesce, Botch, Meshuggah, and more.
FFO: Skrewball, Wounded Touch & Serration
Skin Walker – Man Walks Backwards into The Ocean (Skinwalker Noise)
Anchorage’s Skinwalker channels the raw intensity of Alaska’s vast, isolated landscape into a powerful debut with Man Walks Backwards into the Ocean. Blending industrial, metalcore, and noise influences, the duo delivers 15 tracks of relentless aggression, filled with distorted electronics, crushing breakdowns, and punishing rhythms. Inspired by the heavy, driving sounds of Godflesh and Racetraitor, Skinwalker creates a chaotic yet captivating wall of sound that leaves a lasting impact. Standout tracks like “Eighty Six Thirty One” and “A Deconstruction of Tragedy” showcase their talent for fusing brutal heaviness with inventive rhythms, hinting at even greater potential as they refine and expand their sonic arsenal.
FFO: A Knife in the Dark, Whitechapel & Self Neglect
FORT – Over The Water, Where The Clouds Grow (hyprpwr)
FORT‘s recent release was timed to go out just ahead of their ArcTanGent set, capitalising on their biggest moment yet. Fittingly, the EP shows this instrumental band at their extremes. Opener “Three Of Swords” is a tidy banger on beatdown footing, and the title track is a soft and cosy piano-guitar duet, peaking with pretty strings. The structure of the EP is anchored by the closer, “Beacons“, surely FORT‘s best track to date. It’ll have you recalling why you fell in love with post rock in the first place – or if you’re not there yet, it’s absolutely your entry point to a rich genre.
FFO: Din of Celestial Birds, God Is An Astronaut & And So I Watch You From Afar
Veiled Skies – Eclipse (Maple House Records)
The stand out on here has to be the vocals, crystal clean and full of heft, absolutely what you need to really clinch melodic prog metal. The recording quality is also leagues above what you expect for EP number one. Without stealing the show, each of the tracks is underlined by a strong bed of tasty riffs and occasional orchestral snippets. Absolutely ones to watch, and so much to appreciate already, especially if they can back it with a strong live act.
FFO: Thank You, Scientist, Textures & Haken
Cutthroat – Demo (UzisxAkimbo)
Steel City unit Cutthroat debut with the 2024 debut that showcases their heavy and hardcore sound, that will leave an impression on any listener and a boot mark on those who see them live. Ferocious double kicks and juicy fills that are lead by barking vocals, making for one of the hardest listens of the month, and should see Cutthroat break their way into the Aussie scene.
FFO: Haywire, SALT & Mercy Whip
Missouri Executive Order 44 – Salt Sermon (Learning Curve Records / The Ghost is Clear Records)
Missouri Executive Order 44 draws inspiration from a dark chapter in the state’s history, using their chaotic powerviolence sound to explore themes of persecution, fascism, and violent oppression. Their debut album, Salt Sermon, is a blistering 18-minute onslaught of noise-drenched hardcore, combining brutal riffs, furious vocals, and eerie samples of distorted religious sermons. Tracks like “The Unbuckling” and “Wear Me Like a Mitt, Romney” deliver relentless bursts of energy, while the humour and historical references add depth to the raw aggression. With its unpredictable shifts and unhinged intensity, Salt Sermon is a brief but powerful statement that leaves a lasting impression, blending violent hardcore with thought-provoking commentary.
FFO: Crippling Alcoholism, Sugar Horse & Collapsed Skull
MERCURY – This Place I’m Forgetting, Replaced with an Ending. (Independent)
Gritty and grungy guitar riffs juiced in reverb, with metallic elements blended in, MERCURY show why they’ve become of the staples of the UK touring circuit in 2024. Their crisp sound and expansive soundscape makes for a journey through the EPs five tracks, that allow listeners new and old to the sound something to indulge in, as MERCURY make their way through a unique blend of genres.
FFO: Graywave, Oversize & Bleed