“Through the eyes of malice, I wither and fade.“
October was another flat-out month for fantastic albums, perhaps even the best of the year. Bloom, Despised Icon, The Acacia Strain, Conjurer, Greyhaven, and Sanguisugabogg all released landmark records that should be turning heads across the scene. We’ve also seen a bunch of projects come to fruition: God Glitch, Wiltwither, 6 Months to Live, motifs, Corpse Pile and Coma Witch are all shining examples of why we’re getting onto bands early. This column is an exercise in that very process: releases worth of your attention that need longer in the spotlight.
Birdwitch – bless the spark that found its home (Independent)
We’re at the height of the season of the witch, and Birdwitch have appeared with their debut EP bless the spark that found its home, and it’s exactly what I needed. If you were looking for new music to listen to while summoning familiars with your coven – you’re in luck. The EP opens with ethereal vocals reminiscent of Emma Ruth Rundle or Chelsea Wolfe, before plunging halfway through into deep, visceral growls. What begins as a lullaby quickly turns into a storm, and that duality runs through the entire record. The music swells around it all, thick and immersive, wrapping you in a warm bass hug. It feels both familiar and entirely its own, like something half-remembered from another realm. If I could redefine witchcore, this is what it would sound like – and I can’t wait to hear what Birdwitch do next. – Asha Sitarz
FFO: Windhand, Black Tusk & Katatonia
Reality Check – Suffering (Independent)
Next up, the first of our hardcore picks, Reality Check being one of many small bands we wish the world to. The chug of their guitars has an additive quality, seeming to detune with every impact. As much as these tracks are built for gratifying impact, they’re also very focused songs, with any hint of chaff removed; it’s pure beatdown. The title track and opener “Suffering” shows they know how to land all the classic moves and offers the first outright mic grab moment of the EP. “Ghost of You” is built on a stop-start chorus that only gains impact with repeat listens. I love the bridge of “Vengeance”, full of micro-pauses and tempo adjustments which will surely have me wincing from the side of the pit. Exeter is not a spot that springs to mind for alt music in the UK (perhaps besides choice shows at the Cavern, and Burn It Down festival being in the neighbourhood), so let Reality Check be one of the bands to help put it on the map. – Dobbin T
FFO: xWeaponx, Desolated & Xile
Till Forever Falls Apart – Till Forever (Independent)
The alt scene will always find new ways to revive emo, and in these quarters we’re always surprised by the ways these essential feelings are blended into music. Sheffield’s Till Forever Falls Apart are characterised by their refusal to stick to one style, sampling everything from the past to make a highly melodic statement. Out of the gate, “THE GIRL WHO WAITED” hits you with fast riffing and a nasty breakdown, yet what follows sticks to being more sombre. “INSTANT” wraps you with Casey-style softness amid punchy patterns, and “UH-OH” is even softer and more gazey, dipping into pop vocal patterns to make something addictive. The closing tracks bring up the keys to emphasise the atmospherics that give Till Forever its distinctive soundworld. Among the great performances, the versatility of the vocals are fundamental to the success of this EP, giving every passage the passion it needs. – Dobbin T
FFO: Bouquet, Oversize & Casey
pain.program – LONGING FOR TOMORROW (Independent)
The debut of this northern UK band has us wishing we’d caught wind of the bands for our annual ‘Ones to Watch’ column. These four shift along the metalcore-meets-hardcore spectrum and boast strong songwriting and performances. The cold cyber aesthetics go beyond the artwork and are bled throughout the music, with lyrics conveying feelings of alienation and speedy patterns that verge on glitching. Even as their production process gets inevitably refined with time, there will be a quality to LONGING FOR TOMORROW that listeners will yearn for, and not just a certain ‘rudimentary charm’. Every part of the recording sits well with the others. From the ignorant pang of the snare, effects on the vocals, guitar tones that you can’t quite place in one era; even the sub drops, it’s all cohesive, in the way a cult classic needs to be. – Dobbin T
FFO: wrist.meet.razor, Dying Wish and Serial Experiments Lain
Torn Apart – Demo ‘25 (Independent)
Hardcore by way of death metal, or death metal by way of hardcore? It matters not; Torn Apart’s demo demands respect from all those who respect the riff. Opening with “TORN APART (INTRO)” it’s clear that these six minutes won’t be wasted, and that a sense of humour is more than inherent to this band’s work (“Nottingham style, you cunt” will have a room scrambling for the mic). “BLOODSPORT” lurches between well trodden patterns from these genres, succeeding each time with aplomb. Closer “FEAST UPON THE ROTTING FLESH” uses scrapes, squealies, breakdowns and surprisingly catchy vocals to seal the package. This is yet another band for the UK underground not to miss if they’re playing a show anywhere near you. – Dobbin T
FFO: Vomit Forth, Fuming Mouth & Street Soldier
GLASSDOLL – DEMO ‘25 (Independent)
Midwest evilcore unit GLASSDOLL are new to the scene, but you wouldn’t know it. Thumping drums, chugging guitars, and scratchy, harsh vocals coalesce into something which is more than the sum of its parts. “THROUGH THE EYES OF MALICE” is nothing short of filthy, consisting of two short but prolonged bursts of low-tuned violence conjoined by a ludicrous bass drop – something the band are very fond of. “PRICE OF ANGUISH” takes things in an equally familiar, yet distinctly different direction, picking up a blistering pace and never letting up. A perfect contrast to what came before, it descends into evil before being picked back up for one last bout of spinkicks and crowdkilling to “EMBRACE APATHY”, which sees the introduction of some more eerie guitar work. An impressive debut EP, there’s an awful lot of potential here, and we fully expect to see GLASSDOLL in the conversation for EP of the year for any self-respecting hardcore or metalcore fan. – Jack Walker
FFO: Long Goodbye, Blood On My Hands & bass drops
Denouement. – In Misery (Independent)
One of many bands who are breaking out from their local scene and becoming noticed internationally, Denounment. scratch more than an itch for fans of bleeding-heart metalcore. This thing is full of riffs that could have any metalhead agreeing with them, regardless of whether you like your ‘core on patch jacket, out of a laptop, or performed with the lights all on. It’s the latter kind that Denouement. are fully aligned with, even as the EP begins with the huge epic “Abstractions in Crimson” full of melodic circle pit moments. Enlisting features from miseryiswithoutyou and XmiseryisabutterlyX, and naming even more friends on the release’s Bandcamp page, demonstrates the DIY scene pride is strong on this one. That’s something that shines through in the production, which bursts at its seams, and frankly should stay on lock to keep the band within this vital atmosphere. – Dobbin T
Yet Still We Pray – Posthuman Anthropy (Independent)
Surfacing from the swamps of Florida, Yet We Still Pray are more proof that the peninsula’s reputation is well-earned. On this EP the two fantastic vocalists define their songwriting, nary a moment escaping their dominance, crafting an approach that never rests on its laurels and keeps everything short and sordid. Their guttural singer could probably deliver the best “bree” of all time, but always find something more interesting to grossly articulate. “Inauguration of The Millennial Reign” is the sampler track I’d recommend – watch the song divert at the slightest hint that any idea might get stale. It’s not just the guitars that shred, as the bass comes right to the front for a few delicious runs. The production is very live, feeling ‘ungridded’ in a loose way, and it’s joyously rudimentary. It’s as if the snare that’s been crossed with a doorbell going “dong”, and the kicks sound like your own ear drums popping. – Dobbin T
FFO: PSYCHO-FRAME, Heavy//Hitter & Graveview
Funeral – Funeral (Independent)
Finishing off with a southern UK pick, Funeral brings that raw, emotive edge that so many of us long for. Emotional hardcore done right, the self-titled EP is a real diamond in the rough. “The Wait” eases us in, before “Black” kicks things into force and has the band showing their true colours. Fast-paced pop-punk inspired instrumentals meet raw vocals to form something which is instantly nostalgic. “Moving House” and “Nothing” follow up in a similar vein, all the while making slight changes to the formula to keep things fresh. Where the former starts slow and quickly progresses into another fast-paced anthem, the latter takes a much more gloomy and aggressive approach, maintaining its pacing and lower tuning to feel all the more saddening. An impressive outing for a debut EP, Funeral appears to be destined for great things. – Jack Walker
FFO: Title Fight, Basement & Crying in the car