New Music Friday – May 30th, 2025

Welcome to New Music Friday, where we wrap-up all the releases from the week ranging from metalcore, hardcore, alternative and indie. Give 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.

Brightr – Never Home, Never Mind (Single)
Label – Sugar-Free Records
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Dobbin recommends: Brightr is one-man twinkling-acoustic emo out from the hands of Laurie Cottingham. “Never Home, Never Mind” is a showcase of his heart-tugging voice, drawning its inflections from emo’s enduring spirit. The guitarwork is also a marvel, especially in its instrumental closing passage, perhaps a pretty silver lining for its downtrodden lyrics.

Closure – Glare (Single)
Label – Independent
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Dobbin recommends: Closure are a post-hardcore squad from Sydney with eyes set on the global stage with their latest “Glare“. It’s the kind of track that offers it all, offering gratifying heavy moments whilst being abundantly warm and welcoming. The mix of harsh and clean vocals compete to be even more emotive than one another when they trade the mic. They previously supported Holding Absence and will soon support Banks Arcade on their upcoming tour; let this be a vote for even bigger opportunities in Glare‘s future.

Ihlo – Empire (Single)
Label – Kscope
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Kieran recommends: Ihlo return six years on from their stellar debut Union with new single “Empire” and the announcement of their sophomore album Legacy. It’s what we expect from Ihlo and more – a seven minute journey laden with prog metal chugging, synthy earworms, and luscious clean vocals from vocalist/keyboardist Andy Robison. Empire” marks a step forward for these Scottish underdogs as they shift into a sound that is noticeably more mature than their debut. Legacy is sure to impress when it drops August 29th. 

Mourn – Poisoned Tongues (Single)
Label –
Independent
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Joe recommends: The past few months have blessed us with returns of some of the UK’s finest, now as April closes out, the sublime Mourn make their return with track “Poisoned Tongues“. Griffiths‘ leading with a superb and venomous vocal performance, backed by the thrashy riffs and grooves that made their previous record The Next Life so magnificent. We can only hope that the second coming of Mourn that will see etch their name as one of the UK’s strongest acts.

METAL/CORE RELEASES

Body Minus Head – An Exercise in Self-Sufficiency
Label – No Funeral Records

Desolated – Finding Peace
Label – MLVLTD

low before the breeze – A Hole Beneath the Home We Shared
Label – Terminus Hate City

Metallica – Ain’t My Bitch (Remastered)
Label – UMC

Obstruktion – The End Takes Form
Label – Suicide Records

Ov Ruin – Eternal Lament (Deluxe)
Label – Independent

Rivers of Nihil – Rivers of Nihil
Label – Metal Blade Records

Shallowsky – Shallowsky
Label – Independent

Stray From The Path – Clockworked
Label – UNFD

Vildhjarta – + där skogen sjunger under evighetens granar +
Label – Century Media Records

Wolves at the Gate – Wasteland
Label – Solid State Records

DIESECT – HIDE FROM THE LIGHT (EP)
Label – Greyscale Records

Flow Kobra – FLY TO THE SKY (EP)
Label – CheezyGrinEnterprises

Go Go Ponies – Alcohol You Later (EP)
Label – GO GO FARM

Onewaymirror, Kiowa & I Promised The World – The Snowball Effect (EP)
Label – Home To Heart Records

Marked As An Enemy – War Of Mine (EP)
Label – Independent

Othiel – WORLDS FASTEST CAR (EP)
Label – Zegema Beach Records

Realm of Torment – Endless Tragedy (EP)
Label – The Coming Strife

Fallen at Dawn – Omnia (EP)
Label –
Independent

Powerball & Lake Verity – The Heavens Torn in Two (EP)
Label – Independent

Crowquill – Crowquill (EP)
Label – The Coming Strife

5th.Incision – Clusterfuck (feat. BLASTPHEMIAN) (Single)
Label – Independent

Apparitions – Morning Red Sky (Single)
Label – Independent

Arcade Stories – Opacity (Single)
Label – Independent

Bite Down – Wastage (Single)
Label – Prime Collective

blessthefall – mallxcore (Single)
Label – Rise Records

Everyone Dies in Utah – The Exchange (Single)
Label – Independent

Fit for a King – Lonely God (Single)
Label – UNFD

HELL CAN WAIT – Portraits Keep Dreaming (Single)
Label – Independent

HVSTE – Returnal (Single)
Label – Independent

Ghost!InTheWall – Cousin Of Death (Single)
Label – Blackgate Records

Iravera – Bowing Out (Single)
Label –
Independent

Johanna Rey – Dancing on Lightning (Single)
Label – Ritosmith

Killstreak – Vessel of Rot (Single)
Label – Independent

Left to Suffer – Anon (feat. David Gunn of King 810 & Alejandro Aranda) (Single)
Label – ONErpm

Past Fiction – My Own Summer (Single)
Label – Independent

Pintglass – PINTGLASS BY PINTGLASS OFF THE ALBUM PINTGLASS (Single)
Label – Independent

Pissed On – CADAVER (Single)
Label – Independent

Royal Hearts – A Darker Path (Single)
Label –
Independent

Sedative – Can’t Feel a Thing (Pt.2) (Single)
Label –
Independent

Shane Driscoll – Still Points in a Ceaseless Rush (Single)
Label – Independent

Stain the Canvas – 554th (Single)
Label – InVogue Records

ten56. – PTY FCK (Single)
Label – Out of Line Music

The Crimson Armada – Eternal Thrall (feat. Devin Swank of Sanguisugabogg) (Single)
Label – TCA EMPIRE

The Word Alive – Eyes Above (Single)
Label – Thriller Records

Thousand Below – Palace of Dread (feat. Make Them Suffer) (Single)
Label – Rise Records

War Of Ages – Collapse (Rerecorded) (Single)
Label – Facedown Records

Darknet – exit.wound (g.h0st REMIX) (Single)
Label – Independent

Keep Close – Not Eternal (Single)
Label – Indepenent

Knosis – DOKUNUMA (Single)
Label –
SHARPTONE

Lexi Layne – The Devil (feat. Chaney Crabb) (Single)
Label –
Independent

Monochromatic Black – SPECTER (Single)
Label – Independent

Avatar – Captain Goat (Single)
Label – Black Waltz AB

Babymetal – Sony 3 (Single)
Label – Capitol Records

Bad Juju – Honey (Single)
Label – Independent

HANABIE. – Spicy Queen (Single)
Label – Sony Music Labels

Survive Said The Prohpet – Useless (feat. Knosis) (Single)
Label – Jisedai Inc.

The Narrator – Unbind Me (Single)
Label – Nuclear Blast

Toby Peterson-Stewart – Thunderstruck (Single)
Label – Independent

Boneflower – Pomegranate (feat. Jeremy Bolm) (Single)
Label – Deathwish Inc.

Deadguy – Knife Sharpener (Single)
Label – Relapse Records

VICTIMBLAMED – Asphxiate (Single)
Label – Independent

HARDCORE RELEASES

Eighteen Visions – Until the Ink Runs Out
Label – Independent

Gridiron – Poetry from Pain
Label – Blue Grape Music

Retirement – Attention Economy
Label – Iron Lung Records

All 4 All – Refuse (EP)
Label – Fortress Records

Emily – When Tomorrow seems Forever (EP)
Label – Madafaka Records

Moral Bombing – promo 2025 (EP)
Label – Independent

Veisalia – Murmuration (Single)
Label – Headkick Records

MOUTH BREAKER – YOU’LL REMEMBER THA NAME (EP)
Label – Seek & Strike

Brainwave – Ill Intent (feat. Xile) (Single)
Lable – Existence Productions

Pig Pen – Rabid Beach (Single)
Label – Flatspot Records

TRISTE – WILTED (Single)
Label – Nothing Less Records

POST-HARDCORE/ROCK RELEASES

Indifferent Engine – Speculative Fiction
Label – Church Road Records

Kusanagi – Paramnesia
Label – Ripcord Records

Planning for Burial – It’s Closeness, It’s Easy
Label – The Flenser

True North – Either Way, the Sun’s Exploding
Label – Out Of Line Music

ANGER PARTY –  Open Up My Brain (EP)
Label – SIlent Cult

Blood Dealer – Designer Antichrist (EP)
Label – Independent

illuminati hotties – Nickel on the Fountain Floor (EP)
Label – Hopeless Records

The Skies Are Shifting – Mind Awake//Body Asleep: Act Three (EP)
Label – Independent

Big Problem – Grudge (EP)
Label – Counterculture Records

andthecanaryfell. – As The Ice Melts (EP)
Label – Post Party Rock Records

After Hour Animals – Bad Dream (Single)
Label – Independent

Awaken I Am – Afterlife (Single)
Label – SBG Records

Divide the Fall – Beyond the Surface (Single)
Label – Independent

Enabling Behaviour – Tastes of Metal (Single)
Label – Independent

In Her Own Words – Sugarcoat (Single)
Label – Thriller Records

Ill Defined – Passing Adore (Single)
Label – Independent

Lost in Hollywood – The Fire (Single)
Label – Independent

mirabelle. – it’s fine. (Single)
Label – Independent

never easy – where you’ll never find me (Single)
Label – Independent

Silent Theory – Made Me This Way (Feat. Ash Costello of New Year’s Day) (Single)
Label – Independent

So Much Hope, Buried. – Evanescent (Single)
Label – Rose Eyes

TOAST – Divine (Single)
Label – SHARPEN YER TEETH

TSS – Would you be my therapy? (feat. Windwaker) [Redux] (Single)
Label – Fearless Records

Wake Me – Self Destruct (Single)
Label – Independent

Watersdeep – Echoes Calling (Single)
Label – Four Pillar Music Group

A Swift Farewell – Homeless (Single)
Label – Independent

Calva Louise – Impeccable (Single)
Label – Mascot Records

En Masse – taketwo (Single)
Label – Fever LTd.

Holy Fawn – Beneath A Lightless Star (Single)
Label –
Independent

Rise Against – I Want It All (Single)
Label – Loma Vista Recordings

Stray View – Vivid (Single)
Label – Hopeless Records

The Amity Affliction – All That I Remember (Single)
Label – Independent

Yellowcard – Better Days (Single)
Label – Better Noise Music

Pendulum – Save The Cat (Single)
Label – Virgin Music Group

ALTERNATIVE/INDIE/SHOEGAZE RELEASES

caroline – caroline 2
Label –
Rough Trade Records

g11oss – Glass Body New Blood
Label –
operating systems

Garbage – Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
Label – Infectious Music

Goddess – Goddess
Label – Bella Union

Pavement – Pavements (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Label – Matador

PhaseOne – TERRANOVA
Label – UNFD

Swans – Birthing
Label – Young God Records

yeule – Evangelic Girl is a Gun
Label – Ninja Tune

Alissic – ARC 01: MAIDEN (EP)
Label – CLASSII

Drenched – Lost (EP)
Label – InHeartStudios

airshade – wandering (feat. limesdisx) (Single)
Label – from heart to heart

Daya – Infrared (Single)
Label – Independent

Electric Youth – Love in Slow Motion – From “North of Normal” Soundtrack (Single)
Label – Milan Records

Hollie Keniff – Moving Wings (feat. Goldmund & Harbors) (Single)
Label – Nettwerk Music Group

Insula Iscariot – Acceptance (Single)
Label – BLEAKHOUSE

J1nabae – PUMPIN’ (Single)
Label – Independent

Jasmine Clarke – FANTASY (Single)
Label – Independent

Lillvi – Wither Away (Single)
Label – Independent

Sxnctuary – embracing solitude (feat. 4everx & DIGITAL EXORCISM) (Single)
Label – Independent

timesgone – i just want u (Single)
Label – Independent

Ava Max – Lovin Myself (Single)
Label – Atlantic Records

Hotel Pools – Lagoon (feat. Lucy In Disguise) (Single)
Label – Wild Nature

Mint Julep – Holding On (Single)
Label – Unseen

Palmist – 2nd Place (Single)
Label – Independent

Seven Lions – Man Down (feat. YDG & Bella Renee) (Single)
Label – Ophelia Records

STS-51L – Swarm (Single)
Label – 3 AM

The Losing Score – I Don’t Like My Life Much Right Now (Single)
Label – Independent

The Midnight – Digital Dreams (Single)
Label – Utlera Records

quinnie – paper doll (Single)
Label – The System

The Casket Lottery – Nightsong (Single)
Label – Iodine Recordings

The New Division – Hurricane (Single)
Label – Independent

Bleach Lab – Close To the Flame (Single)
Label – Independent

Cullen Omori – Out of My Skin (Single)
Label – Independent

Forlorn – The Weight Of It all (digitalbreath.mp3 Remix) (Single)
Label – Church Road Records

GHOSTWOMAN – Alive (Single)
Label – Full Time Hobby

LAUREL – Fuck You To Death (Single)
Label – Independent

Leisure Hour – IF I COULD KILL YOU (I WOULD) (Single)
Label – PNWK Records

Lexie Liu – FFFFF (Single)
Label –
Independent

Zanias – Cataclysm (Single)
Label –
Fleisch Records