New Music Friday – April 28th, 2023

Welcome to this week’s New Music Friday, our wrap-up of all the releases looking at metalcore, hardcore, alternative and indie. Have a look at our release calendar to monitor what upcoming releases are due soon. NMF playlist can be found here or at the bottom of the page. (Cover: Fires In The Distance – Air Not Meant For Us)

STAFF PICKS

Point of Existence – Demo (EP)
Label – The Coming Strife
(Spotify/Bandcamp)

Charlie recommends: Point of Existence bring a tormented sound that draws influence from classic hardcore and metal, with groovy riffs and plenty of chugging. “Condemned from Birth” opens with a sound almost reminiscent of Trivium’s Ascendancy, setting the pace and tone of the Demo. Dan Woolfall’s vocals (Upraised) take on an anguished sound, not dissimilar to the cries of the animals this group seeks to bring awareness of. Point of Existence continues to bolster the ranks of both UK hardcore and TCS records with a metallic hardcore sound driven by rage.

Balmora – With Thorns of Glass and Petals of Grief
Label – Ephyra
(Spotify/Bandcamp)

Joe recommends: The spectacular discography of Ephyra continues to grow with Balmora’s brand new EP, With Thorns of Glass and Petals of Grief. Pulling on influences of early 00s metalcore, the quintet provide further remedy to the washed state of modern metalcore.

Pleiades – Siberian (Single)
Label – Independent
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Nisrin recommends: The story behind “Siberian” comes from a book that lead vocalist Andrew Calderbank read, that reflects the story of Alexander I, a Russian emperor in the 1800s alleged to have faked his own death to live a life of isolation and solitude. Centered around world-inspired rhythms, exotic guitar work, raw vocals that turn into a massive, hooking chorus, this is the bands most urgent work to date. 

Suffocate Faster – Lost Ones (Single)
Label – Smartpunk Records
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Harry recommends: Suffocate Faster rejoin forces for their first release since 2006 – their single “Lost Ones”. The track boasts nearly three minutes of unrelenting energy to send a powerful message that the band is stronger than ever since reuniting.

METAL/CORE RELEASES

fromjoy – fromjoy [FULL REVIEW]
Label – Independent

Crown The Empire – DOGMA [FULL REVIEW]
Label – Rise Records

Sleepsculptory – Divine Recalibration
Label – Silent Pendulum

Wallowing – EARTH REAPER
Label – Church Road Records

156/Silence – Narrative (Instrumentals)
Label – Sharptone Records

Enforced – War Remains
Label – Century Media Records

To the Grave – Hear Evil, See Evil: The Epilogue Session
Label – Unique Leader Records

Black Coast – Black Coast (EP) [FULL REVIEW]
Label – BloodBlast Distribution

Swollen Teeth – Swollen Teeth (EP) [FULL REVIEW]
Label – Blowed Out Records

Assurance – From Ruin: Volume I (EP)
Label – Independent

Harroway – I Don’t Want to Be Here Anymore (EP)
Label – Independent

Fires In The Distance – Air Not Meant For Us (EP)
Label – Prosthetic Records

Granite State – Cut Off From The Sun (EP)
Label – Independent

VEXED – Anti-Fetish (Single) [ALBUM ANNOUNCEMENT]
Label – Napalm Records

Afterglow – Nothing In Between (Single)
Label – Independent

Chaidura – Brave (Single)
Label – Independent

Berried Alive – POMICIDE (Single)
Label – Independent

Enterprise Earth – The World Without Us (Single)
Label – MNRK

Clot – Cerebral Calamity (Single)
Label – Independent

In Fear – All Shall Be (Single)
Label – Year Of The Rat Records

Blindfolded and Led to the Woods – Caustic Burns (Single)
Label – Prosthetic Records

Broken Earth – Breathe (Single)
Label – Independent

Consvmer – Parasit (Single)
Label – Out Of Line Music

PSYCHO-FRAME – DRAGGING NAZARENE (Single)
Label – THE SWAMP SOUND

Ghost Heart – Fool’s Gold (Single)
Label – Independent

Atila – Bite Your Tongue (Single)
Label – Independent

DETHRXNER – STAY COLD (feat. Aaron Matts of ten56.) (Single)
Label – Prime Collective

Notions – MONEYBALL (Single)
Label – Phantom Gang

Kublai Khan TX – Theory of Mind (Single)
Label – Rise Records

Inflict – regression (Single)
Label – Independent

Lo – Comatose (Single)
Label – Independent

Lacerated – Nailing the Coffin Shut (Single)
Label – Independent

The Day We Left Earth – The Wire (Single)
Label – Fifth Island Music

The Wandering – 1000 Daggers (Single)
Label – Independent

They Become Martyrs – Cowards & Stones (Single)
Label – Superbia Music

HARDCORE RELEASES

Vamachara – No Roses on My Grave
Label – Closed Casket Activities

Officer Down – Officer Down (EP)
Label – Independent

Delinquent – Serve & Neglect (EP)
Label – Demolition Records

xNomadx – demo (EP)
Label – Ephyra

Choof – Dimwitted Amoral Exploitation (EP)
Label – Blood Blast Distribution

Asbest Boys & Burlers – Split (EP)
Label – Gips Records

Ephemeral – Tower Has Fallen (Single)
Label – Daze Records

Anklebiter – Pearl (Single)
Label – Sunday Drive Records

Ozai – Frozen Meaning (Single)
Label – Independent

Intercourse – The Iceman’s Tears (Single)
Label – Red Scroll Records

Bitterwood – Absolute (Single)
Label – Blood Blast Distribution

BiteWound – Strength Through Suffering (Single)
Label – Independent

Buggin – Not Yours (Single)
Label – Flatspot Records

POST-HARDCORE/ROCK RELEASES

King Yosef – An Underlying Hum [FULL REVIEW]
Label – BLEAKHOUSE

Tunic – Wrong Dream [FULL REVIEW]
Label – Artoffact Records

Hollywood Undead – Hotel Kalifornia (Deluxe Version)
Label – BMG

This Is Falling – TIFwave
Label – Independent

Drown in Moraine – Until We Die (EP)
Label – Independent

Concrete Castles – So Addicted (Single)
Label – Independent

Lovebreakers – Attracted To Your Fashion (Single)
Label – Sabbath City Records

Delaire The Liar – bite trap. (Single)
Label – Rude Records

Evergreener – Everything In Between (Single)
Label – Independent

Five AM – Trust Issues (Single)
Label – Oxide Records

Bittersweet – Fade Away (Single)
Label – Famined Records

FOXCULT – The Garden (Single)
Label – Independent

HEALTH – HATEFUL (Single)
Label – Loma Vista Recordings

Honey Revenge – Worst Apology (Single)
Label – Thriller Records

Ice Sealed Eyes – There Is No Safety In The Dark (Single)
Label – Independent

Lead Horizon – Sayonara (Single)
Label – Independent

Loma Prieta – Glare (Single)
Label – Deathwish Inc.

MARALUNA – Buried (Single)
Label – Independent

Tribe of Ghost – Sunburner (Deny The Rot) (feat. Ben Nason) (Single)
Label – Independent

Ikonik – Mistakes (feat. Siamese) (Single)
Label – Prime Collective

Harm – You’re Obviously In The Wrong Place (Single)
Label – Independent

Half Hearted – The Fog (SIngle)
Label – Independent

Movements – Killing Time / Lead Pipe (Single)
Label – Fearless Records

New Medicine – Past the Past (Single)
Label – New Fuel Music

Off Road Minivan – Basement (Single)
Label – Tooth & Nail Records

Puppet – Kawasaki Boy (Single)
Label – Independent

Saint Agnes – Animal (Single)
Label – Spinefarm Records

Sugar Horse – Head Over Heels (Single)
Label – Fat Dracula Records

Sunsleep – Stolen Crown (feat. Rory Rodriguez of Dayseeker) (Single)
Label – Rude Records

Superlove – Easier (Single)
Label – Rude Records

The Continuous – Unimaginable (feat. Gabi Rose of Bilmuri) (Single)
Label – Independent

The Xcerts – Jealousy (Single)
Label – UNFD

Bitter Kisses – Doctor’s Note (Single)
Label – Independent

Throw The Fight – Obey (Single)
Label – Long Branch Records

To Kill Achillies – ..And I’m an Addict (Single)
Label – Arising Empire

To Octavia – Dare (Single)
Label – Independent

happydaze – Heaven You Felt (Single)
Label – Thriller Records

Ultra Q – Rocket (Single)
Label – Royal Mountain Records

ALTERNATIVE/INDIE/SHOEGAZE RELEASES

Spotlights – Alchemy For The Dead [FULL REVIEW]
Label – Ipecac Recordings

The National – First Two Pages of Frankenstein
Label – 4AD Ltd

Joseph – The Sun
Label – Ato Records

Bedroom – Thread
Label – Amuseio AB

Indigo De Souza – All of This Will End
Label – Saddle Creek

Tiny Ruins – Ceremony
Label – Marathon Artists

Baby Rose – Through and Through
Label – Secretly Canadian

Avalon Emerson – & the Charm
Label – Another Dove / One House

freya – freya (EP)
Label – Independent

Beach House – Become (EP)
Label – Mistletone

Moreish Idols – Lock Eyes and Collide (EP)
Label – Speedy Wunderground

Spanish Love Songs – Doom & Gloom Sessions (EP)
Label – Pure Noise Records

Peach PRC – Manic Dream Pixie (EP)
Label – Republic Records

LAVALOVE – One Last Heart (Single)
Label – Pure Noise Records

omiah – for life (Single)
Label – Independent

Long Beard – Posters (feat. Ryan Galloway) (Single)
Label – Polyvinyl Record

Lockstep – Hunger (Single)
Label – Independent

The Aces – I’ve Loved You For So Long (Single)
Label – Red Bull Records

Protomartyr – Elimination Dances (Single)
Label – Domino Recording

Beach Fossil – Run To The Moon (Single)
Label – Bayonet Records

Me Lost Me – Festive Day (Single)
Label – Upset The Rhythm

Ruth Radelet – Leaving the Table (Single)
Label – Tito Records

Shit Present – What Still Gets Me (Single)
Label – Specialist Subject

Wicca Phase Springs Eternal – It’s Getting Dark (Single)
Label – Run For Cover Records

Varsity – Black Ice (Single)
Label – Independent

8485 – Scribbles (Single)
Label – Helix Tears

GnB Chill – CURE (Single)
Label – Independent