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
josh – Forty Thousand Brothers… (EP)
Label – Teensie Records
(Spotify/Apple Music)
Jack recommends: Cali metalcore newcomers, josh, surprised us all last year with a fantastic debut EP, and Forty Thousand Brothers… looks to pick up exactly where that left off. Classical in every aspect of its approach, there’s nothing not to love; riffy guitars, bin-lid drums, a barrage of emotionally-charged screams, and even the odd spoken word. Yet another incredible entry to the ongoing metalcore revival, there’s undoubtedly plenty more where this came from.
mydiarytoyou! – You Have A Way With Last Words (EP)
Label – Independent
(Spotify/Apple Music)
Jack recommends: mydiaryofyou! surprise dropped their stellar debut EP, You Have A Way With Last Words this week, and it’s nothing short of jaw-dropping. Five tracks spanning all areas of early 2000s emocore, they’re poised to take the scene by storm. A tried and true combination of whined cleans and pitched screams weave between one another above instrumentals akin to early Underoath and The Used, forming something that feels like 2006 all over again. With upcoming shows with the likes of I Promised The World and Rosasharin, they’ll undoubtedly find the right crowd quickly.
Trauma Bonds – Static Sleep (Single)
Label – Independent
(Spotify/Apple)
Joe recommends: After dropping one of our favourite singles of 2025 “We Become Nothing“, Trauma Bonds are quick out of the gates in the new year with new single “Static Sleep“. It’s showcasing their most impressive performance date, with soaring cleans that are reminiscent of 00s metalcore acts such as Killswitch Engage, contrasted with a venomous snarl that grabs the ear with a force.
Matador – The House Always Wins (Single)
Label – Church Road Records
(Spotify/Apple)
Dobbin recommends: As the Northern Hemisphere slowly thaws out at the dawn of 2026, a new outcrop of heaviness has been sighted in the Vancouver region. A new signing to Church Road Records, Matador showcase all the sparks of doom, post, sludge, and heavy rock. “The House Always Wins” is the first track from their LP coming in February. My favourite aspects are the clean vocals, contrasting the immense weight of the rest of the track, and the tasty grooves that the band locks into towards its end.
METAL/CORE RELEASES
Alter Bridge – Alter Bridge
Label – Napalm Records Handels GmbH
Bite Down – Violent Playground
Label – Heavy Collective
Calm and Secure – Glass In The Mouth Of The Sun
Label – Wax Vessel
Ectovoid – In Unreality’s Coffin
Label – Independent
Lionheart – Valley of Death II
Label – Arising Empire
sonia is dead – like figs from a tree
Label – Independent
MIDDLING – This I Know for Certain
Label – Mostly Records
Human Shield – Forever Indebted (EP)
Label – MEMPHIS STYLE
Surefire – Endorphins (EP)
Label – Independent
REDGRAVE – Vol. 2: Reset (EP)
Label – Independent
Awaiting Eschiel – Awaiting Eschiel (EP)
Label – 4Ephyra
Aethereal – Rebirth (EP)
Label – Independent
Afraid To Die – Hell Is A Place To Die (Single)
Label – Independent
Caro Tere – Guttural Grind (feat. Guttural Slug) (Single)
Label – Klotkorp Promotions
DEATHMASK – Pancho Diablo (Single)
Label – SABROK RECORDS
Federal Death Alliance – No One Will Save You Here (Single)
Label – Independent
Fire From The Gods – Human (Single)
Label – Pluto Flux
Glass Crown – Hold On For Dear Life (Single)
Label – Independent
Graviter – Writhe in rot (Single)
Label – Wisenberg records
HANABIE. – ICONIC (Single)
Label – Sony Music Labels Inc.
HATE COMPLEX – FRACTURED (Single)
Label – Teamwrk Records
Iridium – GOD EATER (Single)
Label – Independent
PassCode – Liberator (Single)
Label – MoooD Records
Intoxicated – Shifted Cross (Single)
Label – Redefining Darkness Records
Lantlôs – Daisies (Single)
Label – Prophecy Productions
Shields – Miss Me (Single)
Label – Long Branch Records
Blackwater Holylight – Bodies (Single)
Label – Suicide Squeeze Records
Bleeding Through – We Want the Truth (Single)
Label – New Trustkill Records
Distant – Nothing Left to Hate (Single)
Label – Century Media
SILKSPINE – Glass (feat. Greysight) (Single)
Label – Independent
Suneater – Wounds (Single)
Label – Independent
Sylosis – Erased (Single)
Label – Nuclear Blast
TUMOUR – Serotonin Debt (Single)
Label – B.I.G Records
Captive State – SYMBIOTE (Single)
Label – CS Records
ZERRE – Pigs Will Be Pigs (Single)
Label – Dying Victims Productions
Decipher – Return to Naught (Single)
Label – Transcending Obscurity Records
HARDCORE RELEASES
Chopping Block – Nowhere To Run
Label – Indecision Records
Push! – Plowing Ahead
Label – Useless Pride Records
CORRODE & Slewfoot – Split (EP)
Label – Independent
Days Spent – I Will Die on This Hill (EP)
Label – Independent
DESECRATE – Old Ghosts (EP)
Label – Independent
Emaciated – Praise Be, The Iron Apostle (EP)
Label – Iron Fortress Records
LIGHTS OUT – Fall On Your Sword (EP)
Label – Unit-E Records
From One Hell – From One Hell (EP)
Label – Big Bite Records
Regress – Regress (EP)
Label – Rucktion Records
The Big Hurt – U.N.I.T.Y. Demo (EP)
Label – Independent
Youth Avoiders – Defiance (EP)
Label – Independent
Entry – Micromania (EP)
Label – Independent
False Alarm – Demolition Time (EP)
Label – Independent
Step 2 This – The First Step Demo (EP)
Label – Armageddon Records
Existence of Hate – Demo (Single)
Label – Independent
Backlash – Forever Indebted (Single)
Label – Independent
Laid Out – Lights Out (Single)
Label – Independent
Minus Youth – Underachieving (Single)
Label – Teenage Duty Records
Immortal Blade – Watch Yourself Disappear (Single)
Label – Independent
Vale Tudo – Ain’t Slowing Down (Single)
Label – Independent
Bitter Branches – Cave Dwellers (Single)
Label – Equal Vision Records
HATESPEECH – No Man’s Land (Single)
Label – Sith Posse Records
Torment – Muladhara Promo II (Single)
Label – CATEGORY III
POST-HARDCORE/ROCK RELEASES
GAI 荄 – YOU LIE (Extended Truth)
Label – Independent
Lower Definition – The Purpose of the Moon
Label – Independent
Calling All Captains – The Things That I’ve Lost (EP)
Label – New Damage Records
Sherane – sherane (EP)
Label – Independent
EVERGREEN MARS – Demisentience (Single)
Label – Independent
Gold Souls – Lay Me Aside (Single)
Label – YSBRYD
rosecoloredworld – too far gone (Single)
Label – Nettwerk Music Group
Slope – Same Blues (Single)
Label – FURY FUNK Rec.
Angel Du$t – I’m The Outside (Single)
Label – Run For Cover
AS IT IS – Ruin My Life (feat. Murray Macleod) (Single)
Label – FLG
BIG SPECIAL – SLUGLIFE (Single)
Label – SO Recordings / Silva Screen Records Limited
EVERBLOOM – The Day We Said Goodbye (Reggie) (Single)
Label – Theoria Records
Matador – The House Always Wins (Single)
Label – Church Road Records
Mother Vulture – Knuckles (Single)
Label – Independent
red sun – Let It Rip! (Single)
Label – Many Hats Distribution
Shoreline – Sweet Spot (Single)
Label – Pure Noise Records
Sweet Pill – Glow (Single)
Label – Hopeless Records
Youth Fountain – Dearly Beloved (Single)
Label – Independent
Final Gasp – The Apparition (Single)
Label – Relapse Records
Lakes – HNY (Single)
Label – Big Scary Monsters
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE/SHOEGAZE RELEASES
Erythh – Yuon no Zankyo
Label – Independent
DIIV – Boiled Alive
Label – Fantasy
bleach.bath – eden
Label – Independent
i.liedtomyself – Winter Demos (EP)
Label – Morality Police Records
timesgone & Sxnctuary – hidden files (EP)
Label – Independent
Maria BC – Marathon (Single)
Label – Sacred Bones Records
moonstone. – Blue (Single)
Label – Spark Music Studio
DJ Kuroneko – stolen heart (Single)
Label – LUC Records
Danz CM – Over the Ocean (Single)
Label – Computer Magic Music
ifellinlovewiththeforest – another winter (Single)
Label – Independent
Vines – I saw your face today (Single)
Label – Independent
Mandy & Indiana – Cursive (Single)
Label – Sacred Bones Records