The penultimate month of 2024 made sure to deliver some of the finest tracks of year, ensuring that anyone who was drafting up their favourite singles of the year, was made to wait until the final moments to hear the best of year’s offerings. The likes of Chamber with “Tears of Joy“, concealer. on “[tarnished | ableedingsky]” and CUL(TURE)’s “Embers” proved there has been much to not only indulge in this month but plenty to look forward to in the coming year.
rozemary – empty ceiling (Independent)
First up we take a trip down the river Mersey for the debut track of Liverpool metalcore band rozemary. This band has already featured at No Play fest and small shows all over England so it’s finally time for some material to stream. Suprisingly technical riffs with a respect for the coveted early 2010’s sound are the bedrock of “empty ceiling” making for a modern metalcore rager. Every vocal line comes through in a different vocal effect, playing out like a conversation that still clinches the essential chorus. With compelling lavender hued glitchy visuals to match, rozemary are certainly a band to keep an eye out for in 2025.
FFO: Ithaca, THE DEFECT & Tribe of Ghosts
DEVILGIRL – feelsick.mp3 (laughingcorpse)
A project that has expanded on the samples taken from the World of Pleasure records, DEVILGIRL has proved to already to be a smash hit in the breakcore space with its initial releases. Standout track “feelsick.mp3” samples Ethel Cain‘s most heartbreaking verses from “Strangers” and “Hard Times” amongst beautifully layered synths, creating a track that yearns to be stuck on repeat.
FFO: TOKYOPILL, MANAPOOL & Sxnctuary
slowburn – Sever The Nerve (Independent)
The Melbourne scene is packed with absolute gems when it comes to metalcore and hardcore. Flexing their brutal metalcore style ready to will rival their peers, slowburn make their return on “Sever The Nerve“. The track is brief and harsh beater that is no doubt a live hit, and one that will leave a few front-teeth loose. If this is a sign of what is to come from slowburn in 2025, they could be the next act to break out of Melbourne.
FFO: Identity Error, gun to god’s head & SIGNALS
Death Goals – COVO (A Song For John Gohorry) (Independent)
Death Goals as a duo have proved themselves to be a relentless force in the past couple of years. Simply not to content with releasing one of 2023’s top records in A Garden of Dead Flowers and a string of live performances within and outside the UK, they’ve soon followed up with “Knife Bouqet“, a split with favourites Dreamwell and now the exquisite “COVO“. Each fibre of the song’s being filled with grief and anguish and each element of Death Goals at their best, a sign of a band truly starting to find their true peak.
FFO: Pale Ache, Wounded Touch & Fly Over States
Seventh Circle – Sever (Independent)
Seventh Circle debut with “Sever“, an absolute juggernaut mission-statement of a track. Shredding riffs that are harsh enough to rip away skin and drums that sound like they’re being beaten within an itch of their being, it’s also topped off with some vocals are that gnarly in every manner. With this brief introduction already leaving a mark, their forthcoming EP should be another beast entirely.
FFO: Volatile Ways, Shinto Katana & Orthodox
Casket Dealer – Eat Shit, Or Die Trying (Independent)
The final single ahead of their debut EP, Letters from the Dead, this coming Friday. Casket Dealer showcase their brutal blend of grindcore that is absent of mind in its brutality and feral in its nature. “Eat Shit, Or Die Trying” provides an overdose of adrenaline, channelling guitars that are akin to watching a pizza cutter recraft someone’s forehead. In short, Casket Dealer is fucking insane.
FFO: HEREISAROPEGOODLUCK, NAILS & Pogo’s Clubhouse
spiruline – PUNK B4 SCHOOL/MOSQUITO (Independent)
spiruline are a hardcore unit out of France who proudly fly the riot grrrl flag and bring a dose of lurid magenta to a grey scene. We’re happy to break our rules and feature both tracks of this double single. “Punk B4 School” will quickly impress those looking for a beatdown track, and “Mosquito” balances the hardcore influence with some traditional punk riffs. All the while the vocals are spat down the mic, often with the reckless, infectious energy of Melt Banana.
FFO: Divine Sentence, SPLITJAW & Wasted Space
Praetorian – Fear and Loathing in Stevenage (APF Records)
Many bands are proud of their home scenes, but it takes particular guts to celebrate one’s origins if you live slap bang in the middle of the UK. Sludgers Praetorian give fitting tribute to Stevenage on this track. They’ve got circle pit beats that spin like magic roundabouts, vocals that wretch and gurgle like bursting gutters, and a nasty breakdown that will have you grimacing like someone’s jumped your queue. Humour aside, this track is a level up in terms of quality for an already terrifying band, perfecting their production and showing their sludge songwriting is absolutely on point.
FFO: Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean, Black Tusk & Couch Slut
AZVR – Mascara (Independent)
The blend of emo-come-shoegaze and post hardcore has taken a new flair from Mexican unit AZVR, as the deep reverbed chords float through the ear and craft a lush landscape, crossed with earworm hooks between verses. As if their previous track “bfn.” wasn’t immaculate enough, “Mascara” boasts top notch production left us absolultely floored – this band has found their sound and only needs to keep it going. Their vocals packed with emotion and passion give “Mascara” its soul, and by singing in their native language they burn with a special passion, making their sound only more unique to our ears.
FFO: never easy, Bleed & Echos