Welcome to New Music Friday where we round-up all the week’s releases from metalcore, hardcore, alternative and indie. For a full view of what’s coming up, check out our release calendar a look to see what other releases are coming up. The NMF playlist can be found here or at the bottom of the page.
STAFF PICKS
Contrasts – False Idol (EP)
Label – Independent
(Spotify/Apple Music)
Dobbin recommends: Contrasts (UK) dropped their glow up today. This Welsh modern metal band has dabbled in all sorts of sonics since 2022, not afraid to throw down extremely heavy patterns whilst scratching the itch for pop. Their new EP False Idol sound assembles the best of all their djenty drama and soaring atmospherics. The first two songs define their new sound, both professional and powerful. “Armageddon” is a slice of something else, a piano driven track that still sends it to the heavens. The EP’s best moment is the very end, as “False Idol“‘s outro is pure heat, as they burst between blast beats and pulsing beatdown, begging for you to groove along to its final hook.
Monochrome – Levitate (Single)
Label – Independent
(Spotify/Apple Music)
Joe recommends: One that for those who have seen Monochrome live before will be familiar with, “Levitate” has now finally been unleashed upon the wider world. Taking everything that Monochrome thrive at, from their industrial riffs and Eliza‘s ability to deliver a grandiose chorus, this new chapter for the South West unit is already off to a booming start. And with “Dropping Teeth” hopefully around the corner, Monochrome‘s first strides into 2026 have only just begun.
Smother – PRECIOUS THINGS (feat. Witherhorde) (Single)
Label – Independent
(Spotify/Apple Music)
Jack W recommends: SoT HC has been rising from the ashes of what it once was for some time now, with Smother at the forefront. Metallic hardcore for the stompers, “PRECIOUS THINGS” is packed wall-to-wall with chunky riffs, crushing vocals, and calls to action. There’s a little bit of everything here that makes Smother great, and with the potential for more to come, it feels like this could be SoT HC’s year to shine.
Staring Contest – Panopticon / The Crime (EP)
Label – Sucker Punched Tapes
(Spotify/Apple Music)
Jack W recommends: Giving us a taste of what’s to come on their upcoming EP, Staring Contest put out a stellar double single in Panopticon / The Crime. Moving at a blistering pace, this is pure, unfiltered energy punctuated by raw, aggressive cries. With little more than a demo tape and a double single to their name, the sky is the limit for this band.
METAL/CORE RELEASES
406 – The Frailty Of The Contorted Human Mind
Label – No Match Records
Blackwater Holylight – Not Here Not Gone
Label – Suicide Squeeze Records
HATE COMPLEX – DISSONANCE
Label – Teamwrk Records
MØL – DREAMCRUSH
Label – Nuclear Blast
Shields – Death & Connection
Label – Long Branch Records
Stabbing – Eon of Obscenity
Label – Century Media
Survivalist – A Place For Those Who Suffer, Alone
Label – Seek & Strike
Sypha – Bad Choices
Label – Sypha Music
URNE – Setting Fire To The Sky
Label – Spinefarm
cohen_noise – Some Things Aren’t Forever, But For A Reason
Label – Independent
Final Dose – Endless Woe (EP)
Label – Wolves of Hades
Jagged City – There Are More Of Us, Always (EP)
Label – Pelagic Records
Artifiction – Turning To All I Am (Single)
Label – Independent
CABAL – Burned Out (Single)
Label – Heavy Collective
Dygora – I Don’t Wanna Die for a Paycheque (Single)
Label – Southside Records
Gutrectomy – I Am Endless (Single)
Label – Independent
Hollow Front – To The Ashes (Single)
Label – Independent
Indigo Ice – Ladder of the Former (Single)
Label – Independent
King 810 – Goofer Dust (Single)
Label – Independent
Light the Fire – Hereditary (Single)
Label – CMPSN Records
NULLIFIER – DIE ALONE (feat. MOUTHBREAKER) (Single)
Label – WHMIS Records
PEUR – Dogma Dance (Single)
Label – UNFD
Red Keep – Dumb Luck (Single)
Label – Independent
Reverya – ENVY (Single)
Label – Independent
Shoot to Kill – Infliction (Single)
Label – Independent
STARSET – WE ARE EMPIRE (Single)
Label – Fearless Records
Varials – The Hurt Chamber (Single)
Label – Fearless Records
What Lies Below – Pale Shadow (Single)
Label – Theoria Records
Godeth – Vestige (Single)
Label – Independent
Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean – An Adornment of Light (Single)
Label – Redscroll Records
Closed City – Ice Fog – No Exit (Single)
Label – Watch That Ends The Night
ERRA – further eden (Single)
Label – UNFD
Falling Asleep – Spark (Single)
Label – FRIENDSHIP.
Final Gasp – Burials Of Birth (Single)
Label – Relapse Records
Flesh Prison – Sent Through a Woodchipper (Single)
Label – PAPERCUT
Glass Tides – Bite to Break (Single)
Label – Independent
IMMERSE – All Out (Single)
Label – Common Outcast
Motionless In White – Afraid Of The Dark (Single)
Label – Roadrunner Records
Bodysnatcher – The Maker (Single)
Label – MNRK Music
Pipe Bomb – I Will Kill The Worst Parts Of Myself (Single)
Label – Independent
Poltergeist – …Of An Insidious Nature (Single)
Label – Independent
HARDCORE RELEASES
Minus Youth – Lines Crossed
Label – Teenage Duty Records
Cold Blood AU – NOTHING TO GIVE (EP)
Label – Independent
About Face – Promo 2026 (EP)
Label – Rebirth Records
Headstone – Year of the Stone (EP)
Label – Independent
King Street – Parting Shots (EP)
Label – Rucktion Records
Endpoint – Force Fed (Single)
Label – Equal Vision Records
Filth – Outta Pocket (Single)
Label – Crowdkill
No Leash – COLD WORLD (Single)
Label – Independent
Ratbite – Out of line (Single)
Label – Independent
Reviler – Collapse (Single)
Label – Upstate Records
Outstand – Drawing Dead (Single)
Label – Moral Panic Records
EMPTY THREAT – G.Y.D (Single)
Label – Independent
SLIME NW – Vicious Oblivion (Single)
Label – Independent
timepeace – Big Man (Single) / (Apple/Youtube Only)
Label – Independent
POST-HARDCORE/ROCK RELEASES
Meet Me @ The Altar – WORRIED SICK (Deluxe Edition)
Label – Lab Records
Asleep in the Wake – Emergent (EP)
Label – Relentless Studios
Falling Empires – This Is The End (EP)
Label – Temple of the Sun
Trash Boat – Even If I Never Get There (EP)
Label – Independent
HANABIE. – HOT TOPIC (EP)
Label – Sony Music
vs Self & soccer. – Split (EP)
Label – Independent
Archers – The Dirt (Single)
Label – Fearless Records
Chalk Hands – Pauvre de Moi (Single)
Label – Dog Knight Productions
modernlove. – Somebody You Regret (Single)
Label – Akira Records
Of Virtue – Death of the Altar (Single)
Label – Arising Empire
paradise fell. – NO LIES. (Single)
Label – Unit F Productions
WREX – Consume (Single)
Label – Favour The Brave
All Regards – discontent (Single)
Label – Independent
Hands Like Houses – Wicked Game (Single)
Label – Civilians
Margaritas Podridas – Rompecabezas (Single)
Label – Hopeless Records
Marmozets – New York (Single)
Label – Nettwerk Music Group
sace6 – ego (Single)
Label – Sumerian Records
Sweet Pill – Slow Burn (Single)
Label – Hopeless Records
Body Thief – SCREENS OF THE DRONE AGE (Single)
Label – Independent
Love Rarely – Will (Single)
Label – Big Scary Monsters
The XCERTS – do it to myself (Single)
Label – FLG
Arcane Roots – A Wave, Across The Sea (Single)
Label – Big Scary Monsters
Bad//Dreems – January 26 (Single)
Label – Independent
Dead Pony – Eat My Dust! (Single)
Label – Independent
dream fatigue – spun (Single)
Label – DAZE
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE/SHOEGAZE RELEASES
Lande Hekt – Lucky Now
Label – Tapete Records
Muttering – Love, Keep Me Afraid
Label – Muttering
Softcult – When A Flower Doesn’t Grow
Label – Easy Life Records
SPRINTS – Deceptacon (EP)
Label – City Slang
Cannons – Starlight (Single)
Label – Columbia
Cults – You & Me (Always Forever) (Single)
Label – Ultra Records, LLC
Daisy Grenade – Hella Good (Single)
Label – DCD2 / Fueled By Ramen
EKKSTACY – Bloody Eyes (Single)
Label – Passion MUSIC
Future Magics – Set Your Heart Ablaze (Single)
Label – Independent
mishikui – Lavender (Single)
Label – Independent
Palmist – Divine Intervention (Single)
Label – Palmist
timesgone – angels run on java script (feat. a1) (Single)
Label – Indepenent
Lights – COME GET YOUR GIRL (Single)
Label – Lights Music Inc.
Mascara – Marrow (Single)
Label – Fever Ltd.
Treeboy & Arc – Red (Single)
Label – Clue Records
CQ Wrestling – Smoke Screen (Single)
Label – TRUTH RECORDS
Footballhead – Diversion (Single)
Label – Tiny Engines
Rawzilk – (m) (Single)
Label – Independent