Words: Kate Allvey  //  Photos: Penny Bennett // Korn Photo: Andrew Whitton

Harpy

Harpy makes an early morning start absolutely worth it. “There is no redemption, only damnation!” She screams, the sophisticated older sister to Bambii Thug, and strips off her coat to reveal her PVC lingerie. Her Download debut is an impressive one, with ‘Medicine’ casting witchy rave pop waves that enchant her new converts. She’s seductive and destructive in equal measure, whether she’s howling with rage or letting her magnificent voice take centre stage.

Bleed From Within

Bleed from Within rouse the lunchtime crowd in style, especially the ‘old school metalheads’ that they dedicate ‘Into Nothing’ to, their self-assured pit-noise containing a daring ring that bursts through the smoke to give us the first anthem moment of the day. Scott Kennedy fondly recalls his first visit to Download in the crowd twenty years before, dedicating a tumbling throbbing ‘I Am Damnation’ to those in the position he once was in. They make metal for the people, by the people, expressed in the most brutal style. 

The Ghost Inside

The Ghost Inside are here to unite those who want to keep their day heavy, with leonine roars and seismic rhythms, a constant explosion of focused urgency. ‘Wash It Away’s’ tangled riffs send nods of approval across the hillside, a sense of motion and yearning connecting us. ‘Aftermath’ soars with refreshing melodic moments in the middle of the distortion, and we’re absorbed by a band who get stronger every time they visit the UK. 

Jinjer

The complex sound of the Ukrainians is dominated by Tatiana Shmayluk, the vocalist with the hugest range of the weekend. ‘Green Snake’ brings sparkling intelligence and a prog tint to their expansive narratives, the vocalist skipping merrily as she growls like a raging beast, “I know from experience that you like hardcore,” she laughs before weaving ‘Fast Draw’s’ soundscapes from guitar riffs that sound like barbed wire wrapped in silk. A sea of hands grows as quickly as the ever-present dust is kicked up, fuelled by our love for Jinjer. 

Alien Ant Farm

Alien Ant Farm’s appetite has been renewed since their last trip to the UK, and ‘Movies’ hits the sweet spot between nostalgia and summer fun, sending beach balls flying across the sky. Karaoke moment abound, fuelled by pop punk guitar squeals adding sparkle to ‘Last dAntz’. It’s Fathers’ Day, after all, so a “mosh pit for dads only” feels like a sweet gesture, and ‘These Days’ taps into the spirit of noughties youth. Of course, their version of ‘Smooth Criminal’ is iconic, and Alien Ant Farm truly have made it their own. 

House of Protection

Let’s throw rave vibes into the best underground party of the weekend, shall we? House of Protection throw their hardcore influence into the controlled chaos of the Avalanche stage, ignoring genre boundaries with a protest attitude and vocals like shouted slogans. ‘Fuse’ wins us over with a classic hardcore bounce that bursts from tightly wound electricity and a surprisingly soft chorus. When you’ve got Fever 333 and the Cancer Bats on your group CV, you’re bound to make appealing noise, and House of Protection make rowdy, uplifting Rottweilers of songs that throw caution to the wind. 

President

The crowd stretches so far beyond the Dogtooth stage for the most hyped band on the Download bill. It’s President’s first show, and sixty percent of it is made of new songs, a very bold move for the masked political hopefuls. The singalong for ‘Fearless’ breaks from an awed hush, before the long, lonely tones of ‘Dionysus’ betray a combination of Corey Taylor and Sleep Token on their playlist. ‘Rage’ has a rockier edge to drops that feel new and essential, and the huge scream on ‘Destroy Me’ jolts us into the President fandom. “Let it be known; this is merely the opening chapter,” announces the grandiose voiceover, and we truly hope it’s right. President have tapped into the zeitgeist with a sound that’s fresh and has already captured the hearts of seemingly half the arena. 

Jerry Cantrell

For those not enraptured by President, the ex-Alice In Chains founder offers a comforting rock presence, his old school outlaw energy channeled into his iconic voice. His guitar feels like raking a zen sand garden at times, an essential approach that reaches out to fans go reworked rock with its solid steel grunge heart. ‘My Body Breathing’ proves his role as a hero to older rockers suits him, and each song on his set is a road trip through post modern Americana.

Spiritbox

We’re greeted with an instant blast from a band who can’t be expected to accept an afternoon slot for much longer. There’s an epic scale to Courtney LaPlante’s screams as she floats angelically in a white dress above us onstage, ‘Fata Morgana’ quenches our thirst for deep riffs, and our love of Spiritbox peaks with ‘The Void’, the beats shaking loose our inhibitions. We scream out the chorus to ‘Secret Garden’ as one before ‘Circle With Me’ hits like a sandstorm; grinding and beautifully destructive. 

Lorna Shore

The award for ‘Band Who Started A Pit Before The Set After One Note’ goes to the majestic Lorna Shore. Taylor Barber of Die By My Hand joins for ‘Sun//Eater’, a song packed with drama, dignity and total savagery from a band in impeccably tailored suits. The air guitars are out in force for ‘Cursed To Die’, the bass heavy from a band who are a glorious contradiction, impressively absorbing for half of us and inspirational for the rest. Front man Will Ramos checks the pit with real concern, offering tips on hydration, before ‘To The Hellfire’ ignites the crowd, their blistering pyro adding to the wall of complicated deathcore.

Bullet For My Valentine

 The Apex stage is rammed for a least fifty metres for Bullet For My Valentine, a testament to the band’s “heavy but super accessible” stance. We’re here to celebrate twenty years of ‘The Poison’, a record that’ll be played in full “for the last time in the UK.” ‘Tears Don’t Fall’, “the song that changed our lives forever” according to vocalist Matthew Tuck, feels fresh, with gorgeous playful pauses added for buildup and for crowd surfers to rise to the surface. ‘Suffocating Under Words Of Sorrow (What Can I Do)’ is rich and bright, a well-polished call to arms, a celebration of passion. Sometimes you just want to hear your favourite songs played incredibly loud, glazed with genuine appreciation and sincerity, and that’s what makes Bullet For My Valentine’s set so perfect.

Steel Panther

Steel Panther plot a taut set, as tight as the lycra on the exotic dancers onstage. Opening with ‘Eye Of The Panther’, they give us all the hair metal excess and guitar twiddle that we hoped for. In between the hopefully fictional anecdotes and jokes which all have homosexuality as the punchline, they’re doing what they do best: wailing, rocking out, and paying their own satirical homage to the greats. For the crowd who are into Steel Panther, ‘Asian Hooker’ is a massive highlight, and the newcomers exchange awkward side glances. At the top of the hill, one of the Festival Chaplains stares on impassively while the crowd go wild for the solos and smoke that flood ‘Friends With Benefits’.

Kids In Glass Houses

Meanwhile, down the hill, Kids in Glass Houses are projecting the polar opposite to Steel Panther. ‘Undercover Lover’ brims with optimism and sincerity, the warmth, layers and Lionel Ritchie sampling giving a weekend of the Avalanche stage a joyful send off. Their set feels like a graduation, as ‘Diamond Days’ flings out Springsteen energy, and ‘Sunshine’ could be a lesson in how to create softness without mush. Kids in Glass Houses project a buzzing brit energy that surely has lured half of the crowd to already book tickets to the winter tour. 

Korn

Korn are an enigma. Despite staying out of the charts for decades, they’ve amassed a huge following, at least judging by the amount of ‘Got The Life’ tattoos spotted over the weekend. Every phone is in the air as Jonathan Davis lets out his first scream into ‘Blind’, a song that feels aggressive and vital. Korn have rid themselves of the trappings that come with the label ‘nu metal’, and we can see them as they were meant to be all along. DJ scratches have been replaced with even more guitar and we can see clearly what made them special enough to start their own sub-genre. ‘Here To Stay’ emerges fast and stormy, the bass stirring further and further as we are sucked into Korn’s set. 

There’s moments of levity, such as Davis playing the bagpipes and silly lyrics on ‘Shoots and Ladders’, but Korn focus on the raw core at the heart of their sound that needed to be stripped of its baggage to be appreciated. ‘Y’all Want A Single’ has reached classic status, the swears screamed as a pressure release, a toy voodoo doll flung across the field to a huge groove and the trademark guitar echoes.  It’s ‘Freak On A Leash’, slowed to a glacial scale, that provides the perfect close the weekend, each second stretched to significance to accumulate our voices before confetti releases us from the weekend. Korn have stamped out relic or nostalgia status to become the final headliners that we didn’t know we needed. 

Words: Kate Allvey, Rob Dand Photos: Penny Bennett, Abbi Draper-Scott

As Everything Unfolds

Kicking things off on the GoPro stage, the festival’s loose home for its delegation of heavier bands, As Everything Unfolds ushers in the first mosh pit of the day before the end of set opener ‘Slow Down’. The band proceeds to rattle through highlights from their two full-lengths, peaking at just the right time with the now-familiar closing duo of ‘Felt Like Home’ and ‘On the Inside’. The one slight dull edge on an otherwise razor sharp performance comes when niggling technical issues resulting in the sole guitar intermittently cutting out, illuminating just how much heavy lifting the backing track is doing. Nevertheless, the energy is there in abundance and vocalist Charlie Rolfe in particular turns in a strong showing. Slam Dunk 2024 is officially off and running. [RD]

The Dangerous Summer

The Slam Dunk stage openers dish out heartbreaking optimism with the heart of Ataris, offering a furtive start to our day with a bass heavy punch of Americana and emo. The spirit of Brian Fallon watches over their dashes of guitar and ‘The Permanent Rain’ smoulders like dying, thoughtful embers, at odds with the congenial atmosphere surrounding their set. If they were playing at 2am, or sharing a slot with The Wonder Years, The Dangerous Summer would be sublime; as a first act, they’re still really damn impressive. [KA]

Honey Revenge

The first IYKYK band, judging by the crowd running in as soon as they spot the hot pink co-ords onstage, Honey Revenge announce their presence with a gawky wave. ‘Seeing Negative’ makes for a subversive bubblegum eighties start with sonic bass, and vocalist Devin Papadol is overjoyed to be here. “Welcome to our first ever festival set, baby,” she squeals like a Barbie customised with koolaid and safety pins. Brand new song ‘Recipe For Disaster’ swerves past self-loathing and into hit status, and ‘Are You Impressed?’ swings wildly between adorable chiming, frustration and rocket launch bass. ‘Airhead’ ends their set on a high, eliciting eager and unironic horn signs as they stride offstage. [KA]

As December Falls

As December Falls are in a celebratory mood, marking their first main stage billing at Slam Dunk with an effervescent set spanning much of their discography to date, including several cuts from last year’s top 20 album ‘Join the Club’. Opening with old favourite ‘Ride’ and closing with the exuberant ‘Carousel’, the band attack every opportunity with their infectious enthusiasm, and today’s sun-soaked fiesta will likely win over some new converts. [RD]

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Third on the lineup but first in our scarred emo hearts, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus open with ‘Brace Yourself’ and its gorgeous payoff after the intro. They endlessly twist between loud and soft to intensify the impact of each lyric, and ‘False Pretence’ draws a static but observant crowd to appreciate Ronnie Winters’ vocal gymnastics amid the song’s live hardcore ferocity. ‘Damn Regret’ seems to move in slow motion as we’re finally ready to jump, and dropping in a cover of Blink 182’s ‘All The Small Things’ is an easy win to create a positive energy across the field, drawing in those otherwise distracted to appreciate the joy radiating from their set. [KA]

Head Automatica

The surprise return of Daryl Palumbo’s Head Automatica to the UK festival circuit was one of the more eyebrow-raising points of note on the Slam Dunk roster. We’re ostensibly gathered to mark 20 years since the release of debut album ‘Decadance’, a flamboyant maelstrom of post-hardcore, soul and danceable indie rock. Unfortunately, some early technical issues derail disappointingly loose renditions of ‘At the Speed of a Yellow Bullet’ and ‘Brooklyn is Burning’, and while the band persist to find something resembling their stride as the set progresses, Palumbo’s delivery seems loose; almost pained at times. Despite this, Slam Dunk most definitely came to dance, and while the Hatfield crowd becomes the first to hear new song ‘Bear the Cross’ in a live setting, it’s the older material – and most notably set closer ‘Beating Hearts Baby’ – that predictably gets the most raucous reception. It’s not quite the vibrant canvas it was supposed to be, but the smiling faces and questionable dance moves suggest that plenty of people used their imagination to paint by numbers and fill in the blanks. [RD]

One Step Closer

One Step Closer draw a modest but committed crowd over on the Key Club stage. It’s possible that they fly just below the radar of a typical Slam Dunk attendee, which is a shame, because their brand of melodic hardcore is consistently enjoyable and very accessible. Their sound is evocative of early 2010’s Deathwish/Bridge Nine favourites, with newer songs like ‘Giant’s Despair’ adding a touch of the alt-rock flavour brought by bands like Basement and Balance And Composure. Their set focuses on material from recent record ‘All You Embrace’, and their impassioned performance is another fine showing for a band that are slowly winning over UK crowds. [RD]

RØRY

Opening with a predatory electro pulse as we stampede towards the front, RORY has tapped into a shared waterfall of emotion with her music, and the world outside the tented Kerrang stage seems to shrink away during ‘Anti-Repressant’. More than a few in the crowd tear up for ‘Alternative’, and security drop their professionalism and start to film the vocalist as she lays her pain out for us to find strength in. That’s not to say that this is a po-faced set by any means; she serenades a guest dressed as baby in the character of her ex-boyfriend during ‘Baby Vendetta’, and new song ‘Blossom’ lets electro synths water the seeds of rage and triumph under the shade of Evanescence at their most pop. This is RORY’s first festival set, and it definitely will not be her last. [KA]

The Skints

The Skints have “done a lot of Slam Dunks,” as guitarist Josh Rudge explains, and only seem to be cementing their reputation as mainstays in the punk section of the lineup. ‘Mindless’ is a soft opener, but it’s ‘Rise Up’ that attracts curious onlookers with its rapid fire echoes and seismic bass drops. ‘Ratatat’ is the song that makes this sunny corner feel like how you’d expect a festival to feel. “If you know what a ‘capdown’ is, and what it means to your heart,” calls Rudge in reference to the defunct iconic British ska punk outfit before launching into a blistering cover of ‘Ska Wars’, leaving us with a sense that the Skints are the strongest torch bearers of the UK ska punk revolution. [KA]

The Blackout

The boys from South Wales draw a huge crowd, probably the largest outside of the headliners. ‘Save Our Selves’ (The Warning)’ is thrown into the deep waters of heavy rock and swims, not sinks, directed by Sean Smith and his magnificent mullet with help from guest Charlie Rolfe of As Everything Unfolds. ‘Top Of The World’ comes across far cuter live, like a little burst of Blink-ish optimism in the sunlight, and the racing clap-along for ‘Said And Done’ starts a huge pit. It’s the fifteenth anniversary of the Blackout’s ‘Best In Town’ album, and we’re gently chided for singing happy birthday to the band instead of the record. ‘We’re Going To Hell…So Bring The Sunblock’ (“Our attempt to be metal,” according to Smith) fills the field by the Go Pro stage with candy floss fronds of friendship and there’s a tangible, warm bond between us, the band and all the others on the lineup with whom they seem genuinely thankful to be friends. [KA]

Mallory Knox

It’s been five years away from Slam Dunk for Mallory Knox, and seven for returning vocalist Mikey Chapman, who left a little before the band originally called it time. There’s a slightly awkward dynamic onstage as Chapman references his extended break (“Whose fucking fault was that?” asks bassist Sam Douglas  – the man who stepped into Chapman’s shoes for their final self-titled effort – with most of his tongue in cheek, if not all). But from the moment ‘Beggars’ twinkles into life until the final defiant chorus of ‘Lighthouse’, their hard-edged pop-rock soars over the Hatfield crowd and marks a triumphant return. [RD]

Against the Current

Somehow, Against the Current have never performed at Slam Dunk, despite slotting perfectly into the lineup. Newly independent, and with a slew of recent singles just aching to be launched out into a festival crowd, they do not waste the opportunity that their debut appearance brings. We’re treated to an enthusiastic rendition of ‘Running with the Wild Things’, and older cut ‘Gravity’, but for the most part the band are focusing on their newest material, with vocalist Chrissy Costanza covering every inch of the stage in her efforts to connect with the large crowd that has gathered. Their first Slam Dunk, but undoubtedly not their last. [RD]

The Ghost Inside

Legend has it that it never rains on Slam Dunk South, but if any band could cause the clouds to open, it’s the heaviest band on the earliest part of the bill: The Ghost Inside. Live, ‘Mercy’ is dark, sludgy and somewhat polarising (with many retreating to the sunnier climes of The Selector’s set), but with a hidden complexity which tunnels through the compacted grass and up into our spines. ‘Pressure Point’ is fuelled by a violent purity and ‘Wash Away’ evokes less a domestic task and more a weather warning as unexpected keyboard lines contour up nu-metal memories. Disruptive drumbeats and ironic raving from the crowd make this a set of epic proportions. [KA]

La Dispute

La Dispute came crashing out of the blocks over a decade ago with a gloriously brash debut, before crafting a more reflective sound on their genre-defining follow-up. Today’s set largely sidesteps these two towering behemoths of the scene, however, and leans most heavily on material from third album ‘Rooms of the House’, now celebrating its 10th anniversary. In truth, some of the more introspective numbers are hampered by the positioning of the Key Club stage, and anyone further than 30 feet from the monitor is treated to a jarring mash-up of State Champs and the Bouncing Souls drifting in from either side. Regardless, set closer ‘King Park’ snakes in like muscle memory for virtually everyone in attendance, twisting through its breathless build toward its heartbreaking conclusion. The sound of a few hundred people screaming “Can I still get into heaven if I kill myself?” may not seem like an obvious mid-afternoon festival highlight, but ‘King Park’ is both some of their strongest material and a high-watermark for the entire genre, and worth sticking around for. [RD]

Asking Alexandria

Eschewing a buildup or lead-in, Asking Alexandria appear as a sudden lightning slam of brutal guitar that dissolves into 8-Bit keyboard. In the pit, a man dressed as a mime climbs onto his friends’ shoulders and films, the only spot of colour against the black backdrop and equally funereal band. Asking Alexandria keep their sound sharp and harsh, leaping between steely cold roaring guitars and vocal ripples. Vocalist Danny Worship folds one arm behind his back like he’s delivering a lecture before passing the metaphorical baton to guitarist Cameron Liddell for a solo that dispels any lingering loneliness. Most of the crowd are flagging in the heat as we draw on the same core of molten lava that the band do and push ourselves to even higher jumps. The clouds finally part during ‘Dark Void’, such is the power of Asking Alexandria. [KA]

Pennywise

A lot of bands have joked about being old over the course of the day but ironically, as one of the oldest bands on the bill, Pennywise show they’re still a force to be reckoned with. ‘My Own Country’ slams harder than it has any right to while still maintaining the strutting nineties rhythm popularised by the Hellcat stable. Pennywise’s sideways slide into full on street punk is working for them, with their coarser sound fitting in with who they’ve become. Of course, there’s a bit of silliness in the form of covering Men At Work’s ‘Land Down Under’, but we can forgive their missteps when ‘Fuck Authority’ is still as fury-filled and urgent as ever and ‘Bro Hymn’ inspires those with mohawk to full-throated song. [KA]

Funeral for a Friend

Atop the Hatfield site’s only hill, Funeral for a Friend take to the stage along with guest vocalist Lucas Woodland. One arm held aloft, a familiar sight for Holding Absence fans, he stands ready to conduct the gathered crowd. As if there was ever any doubt, Slam Dunk is about to witness one of those special performances that will be talked about for years to come. Uniquely positioned to do justice to Matt Davies-Kreye’s impressive legacy, with both the talent and humility in spades, Woodland confesses to his admiration for the band, having grown up in their shadow as part of the vibrant South Wales scene of the time. Energised by his obvious deep connection with the source material, the band deliver an absolute masterclass, seeming as fired-up as they have in many a year.

The crowd mirror this exuberance, singing back every word to a hit-filled set that reminds us just how important this band was in shaping the British response to the largely US-dominated post-hardcore scene at the turn of the millennium. Bathed in the glorious golden hour light of the early evening, this is Funeral for a Friend viewed through Instagram’s Valencia filter – warm and familiar. They’ve played Slam Dunk before, but this is something else entirely. It’s an absolute triumph and quite possibly the standout set of the festival. [RD]

Goldfinger

John Feldman has returned to these shores, briefly removing his mantle of pop punk mogul to revert to his original incarnation as Goldfinger’s frontman as the sun begins to set over Slam Dunk. A lot of the older ska acts really can still pull it out the bag when it comes to an energetic show, and Goldfinger are no exception. Vocally, Feldy can’t seem hit the heights he was able to back in the nineties, but in the midst of the angst and emotional outpouring across the Slam Dunk site, Goldfinger provide an oasis where we’re having fun, counting the days and dancing like we’re still kids. With an incredibly strong fanbase willing to overlook the weaker parts of their set, ’99 Red Balloons’ can’t fail to hit the mark, especially when it’s backed by Reel Big Fish’s brass section. [KA]

The Wonder Years

If there’s one thing that’s abundantly clear, it’s that despite some logistical challenges in recent years that have led to a lot of soul-searching, Slam Dunk is still held in incredibly high regard by many of the artists. None more so than the Wonder Years, who recall a time in 2010 when their career trajectory changed – something they attribute to their performance here. Ever since, they’ve answered the call in return, even pulling a double shift in 2022 when a last-minute slot on the lineup became available.

They may only be playing the smallest stage at the festival tonight, but they wear their Key Club headline slot like a badge of honour, in solidarity with the bands lower down the bill who embody the old-school approach to carving out a career in the music industry. Opening with the quickfire double of ‘I Don’t Like Who I Was Then’ and ‘Low Tide’, the band take us on a journey through their discography, spanning from old favourite ‘Washington Square Park’ to newest track ‘Year of the Vulture’ – which is played for the first time live here tonight, and gets the appropriately feverish response it deserves from the pit.

The set ends in familiar fashion, with a buoyant performance of fan favourite ‘Came Out Swinging’. More familiar still is the way in which vocalist Dan Campbell has no qualms in stopping his bandmates mid-flow and cutting the song short by a few seconds in order to allow an audience member to receive medical treatment – just as he did here two years ago. The Wonder Years love Slam Dunk, and Slam Dunk loves The Wonder Years. [RD]

You Me At Six

The big ticket item for most of the Slam Dunk crowd has to be the final festival appearance of You Me At Six before the band split next year. Some are taking it poorly (the main banner featuring vocalist Josh Franceschi becomes steadily covered in graffiti as the day goes on), but for many, this is an emotional moment. ‘Save It For The Bedroom’ and ‘Reckless’ are a safe start to their set, but it’s ‘We Are Believers’ which begins the cascading tears and chest-clutching from the audience before the sweetness and forceful vocal downstrokes within ‘Kiss And Tell’ cause the sentiment we feel to be transformed into the urge to dance.

It takes a good twenty minutes for the band to hit their stride and bring out the harder songs, but when they do, we revel in their command of a “nice loud communal singalong”, as Franceschi puts it. The splintering riff and gutsy bridge on ‘No Future? Yeah Right’ and Sean Smith of The Blackout’s chanting appearance on ‘The Consequence’ remind us how very good You Me At Six are at what they do, and makes it all the more poignant that this will be their last festival show.  The band are fully aware of this mixed sentiment, and absolutely make the time to squeeze the last remaining juice from our sunburnt emotions. ‘Stay With Me’ bursts with life and starts a long, lazy line of swaying right to the back. “Thank you for making our dreams come true for the last twenty years,” gasps Franceschi, “this is our love letter to you,” before the lilac magic of ‘Always Attract’ fills the air and friends hug each other tightly before the lovely slide into ‘Take On The World’. Thousands upon thousands of tiny phone lights glow in the night on each tender line.

A gentle bounce to ‘Beautiful Way’ grows and intensifies as thousands take their last chance to enjoy You Me At Six; the desperate slam like their lives depend on it, the sensible begin to stream away into the darkness to rejoin the real world. It’s a masterful set that toys with the emotions and leaves you with a sense of both privilege and loss. [KA]

After battling back from a near death experience and persevering through physical challenges and emotional turmoil, The Ghost Inside returned to the stage in 2019 and performed a heart-warming outdoor show in their native LA, attended by a loving community that turned up in mass to welcome them back. Fast forward to 2020 and they’ve gone a step further and made a brand new self-titled album that the world is more than ready to hear. Spoiler alert – it’s incredible.

This isn’t the sound of a band testing the waters to see if they’re still able to swim. Despite everything that they’ve endured this is the sound of them picking up exactly where they left off, diving straight into the ocean and riding the oncoming waves with ease. This is pure courage and grit, a phoenix risen from the ashes and burning brighter than ever. If you’ve been looking for an album to be a guiding beacon in the darkness, an anthem to uplift and elevate you when you feel weak, this is it.

The first single ‘Aftermath’ is everything that we’ve been waiting for. The infectious bouncy choruses, the ass-kicking breakdowns, the tear-inducing finale led by a moving vocal from front man Jonathan Vigil – it’s a big and bold statement that not only are they back, but they aren’t pulling any punches. Just before the songs first breakdown you hear Vigil roar “triumph over tragedy”, and that phrase represents the entire record. Few know darkness quite like they do, but there is most certainly light at the end of the tunnel. This is the final track on the record and boy, the journey that leads to it is phenomenal.

The album opens with a small appetiser in the form of ‘1333’, beginning proceedings with the ever-tight drum work of Andrew Tkaczyk. Feedback creeps in, the volume begins to swell and the first taste of the weight on this record explodes in your mouth, with Jim Riley’s biting bass tone forcing the breakdown to scrunch up your face in approval. Barely missing a beat, it then launches into the fiery and angsty fist-pumper ’Still Alive’. Vigil’s chants of “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” soar over the riot inducing riff work, every chug and tempo-change edging your blood towards boiling point.

The boundless hostility plays a big part in this record, with each and every vicious outburst coming at exactly the right moment. ‘Make Or Break’ is a bruiser from beginning to end, fuelled by Zach Johnson and Chris Davis’s punishing riffs that heighten the potency of the lyrical venom accompanying it. ’The Outcast’ is a pillar of strength both in the music and the lyrics, complete bone-crunching guitar work and Vigil’s impassioned cry of “I am unstoppable” connecting like a brick to the jaw. The award for the heaviest song on the record goes to ‘Pressure Point’, though. A savage and seething entity that gets progressively angrier and, just when you think it can’t get any heavier, it doesn’t just hit you – it buries you.

Just like their back catalogue, this isn’t all about the mosh-hungry numbers. There’s so many bright and uplifting moments on offer here too, all equally powerful and moving. ‘One Choice’ sees Vigil singing “I survive, I don’t surrender” as the huge anthemic riffs push the powerful message skyward. ’Unseen’ is simply beautiful and shows the other side of the coin, slowly drifting through beautifully serene passages before erupting into blatant pain as they explore the difficulty of emotionally navigating what they went through. ‘Phoenix Rise’ is a blend of both gloom and warmth, packed full of uplifting melodies and poignant moments that are juxtaposed by crushing heaviness. Tzaczyk’s drumming really takes centre stage on ‘Begin Again’, a circle pit-worthy rocket full of flawless changes of pace and technical intricacies with one of the catchiest choruses of their career.

This isn’t just a comeback record. It transcends that. Against all odds, with everything stacked against them, The Ghost Inside have created a masterpiece that isn’t just an incredible collection of music. It’s a symbol. If you’ve never heard of the band and this is the first record of theirs that you’ve come across, you wouldn’t have a clue that the accident even happened – they are living and breathing proof that no matter who you are or what you’re going through, you can accomplish anything.

Their unbreakable determination to not let their flame go out has the power to influence and inspire not only this generation, but many generations to come. Every word that leaves Vigil’s mouth is delivered with so much spirit it physically hurts to hear them, violently tugging at your heartstrings with every syllable. As well as that, Tkaczyk’s belief-defying performance is so inspiring that it’ll bring you to tears – a man who woke up to an entire new way of living, who strived not only to regain a grasp on his life but also to get back behind a kit and do what he loves most. This is passion like you’ve never heard it before.

Nothing can prepare you for what you’ll feel when you listen to this record. The dosage of emotion within every track is monumental, with the masterfully balanced mix from audio wizard Will Putney allowing it to flow through your veins and hit you all at once. There isn’t a word strong enough to describe how inspirational this is. A formidable, soul-stirring and triumphant return to the top of the game from one of the greatest bands to ever grace the genre. Welcome back boys. We’ve missed you.

DAVE STEWART

Today, the band shares the first single off the forthcoming record “Aftermath.” According to bassist Jim Riley, “We went into the writing process knowing full well that every song and every lyric would be influenced by what we’ve been through, but we tried our best for them to be relatable to everyone. With Aftermath we let it be much more personal – this one is us telling OUR story. So when it was time to choose a first song to share with the world, it felt right for it to be Aftermath. It allows anyone that listens into our world, but it also lets us put final punctuation on that chapter of our lives. Aftermath is a total catharsis for us. We let it all out in the song so that it’s not bottled up inside us anymore and we can heal and move on, since after all, the beat goes on.”

We’ve seen reunions of bands we thought were long gone, experienced anniversary tours of our favourite albums, even lost some of our most beloved band members… You name it, we’ve been through it, and while it’s been a rollercoaster of emotion – life is life, after all, and it’s not always as perfect as we’d like – it’s each of these moments that have set up the industry for the decade to come.

The Punktastic team has chosen the 11 moments we think have changed the industry this past 10 years – for both better and worse. Check them out below!

Don’t forget to check out our Bands Of The Decade, Albums Of The Decade, and Bands of the Next Decade articles.

Contributors: Liam Knowles [LK], Romy Gregory [RG], Dave Stewart [DS], Tom Walsh [TW], Gem Rogers [GR], Yasmin Brown [YB], Fiachra Johnston [FJ]

Refused – Comeback (January 2012)

Refused released ‘The Shape Of Punk To Come’ in 1998, but split up the same year before it really had time to gather much traction. In the wake of the band’s demise, the album became a cult classic and is rightfully lauded by many as a masterpiece, the album title ringing true as it became one of the most influential hardcore / punk albums of all time. This meant that a lot of frustrated punks would never get the chance to hear these incandescent tracks live, leaving Refused as little more than a legend; an intangible concept on an immovable pedestal. Fast forward to 2012, and after a couple of years of rumours, Refused finally reformed and the live shows around this time carried all the politically charged fury, limitless energy and the glorious feeling of fresh relevance that the album had captured 14 years earlier, a feeling most bands wouldn’t be able to carry forward so long after creating the work. Granted, the albums they’ve released since, 2015’s ‘Freedom’ and 2019’s ‘War Music’, have had mixed reviews, but that initial comeback was an inferno that most people never thought they’d get a chance to witness, and nothing can undo that. [LK]

The Ghost Inside – Post-crash comeback show (July 2019)

In November 2015, hardcore heroes The Ghost Inside were involved in a tragic and fatal bus accident, seriously injuring the entire band and taking the lives of crew members and passengers of the other vehicle involved. Vocalist Jonathan Vigil had to undergo intense physical therapy in order to walk again, bassist Jim Riley lost part of his foot, drummer Andrew Tkaczyk even lost one of his legs. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer band, and it devastated fans and peers everywhere. Donations for the band started to flood in from around the globe, including a song Stray From The Path where every penny was given to the band to aid their recovery. Their record label, Epitaph, even stopped taking their cut from record sales so that the band could get every penny they needed. The love was just growing and growing, everyone yearning for some better news. So, in 2017 when they started hinting that they were still striving to get back on stage, that support jgrew even more. Each member of the band was physically improving, their mental battles being won every day, and everyone stuck right by them through their arduous journey to recovery. And then it happened – they announced their first show in 4 years, taking place in their hometown in July 2019. No support acts announced, no set list hints, nothing – just a date, a place and a time to arrive. Those lucky enough to attend were part of an outdoor show, a sort of TGI headlined mini festival, and when the band took the stage it was an emotional and powerful moment. There wasn’t a single person without goosebumps, regardless of whether you were there physically or watching a live stream. They performed like the injuries had never happened, and though it will have taken an incredible physical toll on them they sure as hell made it clear that they wanted to keep the flame alive. It was one of the most emotional and intense moments of the decade. The bus incident had the potential to destroy their careers, but their passion for music kept it alive. Undeniably inspirational. [DS]

Architects – Tom Searle’s death & the unifying of the metal community (August 2016)

The metal world is often heralded for the love and support within the community, and a blindingly bright light was shone on that community after the death of Architects guitarist Tom Searle became public knowledge. In August 2016 when drummer Dan Searle announced the tragic death of his brother, bandmate and founding member, it shook the entire genre. What was seemingly an out of the blue announcement for the world had actually been years in the making, with Dan explaining that his brother had been suffering from cancer for the last few years, choosing to keep it private and make the best of the time he had left. It also became apparent that ‘All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us’ was largely centred around Tom’s illness, turning the already stunning album into an emotional and poignant swan song. The outpouring of love and support that flooded Architects was truly beautiful, coming from both bands and fans alike. So many stories started to come to the surface, all of them highlighting how Tom was, and how unique a sense of humour he had. Not only that, but the way Architects handled it all was beyond admirable, seeing out the rest of their scheduled tour dates and dedicating everything they did to his memory – something they’re still doing to this day. Tom is still sorely missed by his former band members and by the metal community but his legend still lives on, his untimely passing demonstrating just how beautiful heavy music and those involved with it can be. [DS]

Arcade Fire – Winning Album of the Year (February 2011)

Ah, 2011: Where Rebecca Black was soon to rise to infamy and we still trusted Facebook. The grunge of the 90s and the heavy rock and nu-metal of early 00s were very much echoes of their former selves, the holy quartet of The Strokes, Vines, Hives, and White Stripes had left their eternal marks on the industry, and emo and pop punk had hit their peak and were entering the silver age. Yet a new beast loomed on the horizon. As Billboard pointed out in their own end-of-decade retrospective, the rise of modern indie in the 2010s had a marked effect on the rest of the genre, on how rock music was produced by artists and how it was viewed by fans. While there are many events to draw examples of this from, Arcade Fire becoming the first indie rock band to win Album of the Year at the 2010 Grammys was perhaps the tinder that started the fire burning. With a swell of support from magazines like Pitchfork (at the time having an astute focus on indie), Arcade Fire’s third album, ‘The Suburbs’, became a sleeper hit near the end of 2010, leading to the Canadian group picking up the the award in February of 2011 and their most acclaimed album yet, jumping forty places on the Billboard 200 to number 12. Suddenly, bands like The National, Alt-J, Two Door Cinema Club weren’t just the outsider new kids or eternal B-players in the business, they were the norm, reaching the top of the charts and headlining festivals globally. Indie bled into other genres, into alternative, into pop-punk… In a hilariously cyclical twist it bled into genres that the original understanding of indie rock ended up inspiring. It was in our homes, corrupting our children, making them all vaguely melancholic and longing to stare off into the distance from the balcony of an apartment, cigarette twirling in their mouth, all in black and white. Whether it was to your taste or not, the coming of indie was huge turning point in the rock industry, and this moment was the linchpin of it all. [FJ]

Gallows – Frank Carter’s departure (July 2011)

Gallows broke the mould in UK hardcore. The chaotic live shows coupled with a bold, innovative approach to songwriting made them one of the most exciting punk bands in the country, even drawing comparisons to the Sex Pistols. Led by the enigmatic front man Frank Carter, the Watford five-piece produced the visceral ‘Orchestra of Wolves’, a tour de force of bile boiling hardcore, before creating the masterpiece concept sophomore album ‘Grey Britain’. However, with heightened exposure and an exhausting touring schedule, Gallows were always flying close to the sun. After being dropped from Warner Brothers, post-‘Grey Britain’, there was radio silence and the sporadic live shows didn’t feature even the hint of new material. Then in the summer 2011, Carter announced he would be leaving Gallows. Subsequent interviews described a band pulling in different directions with guitarist Steph Carter telling Alternative Press that his brother wanted to be a “big, successful, straight-up rock band, like Queens of the Stone Age”. Frank would go on to form the ill-fated Pure Love before returning to heavier roots and gaining heightened success with Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes. Gallows would remain and enlist Alexisonfire’s Wade MacNeil on vocals, recording a further two albums, and while the change was passable, it would never quite reach the excitement and quintessential British sound of the band’s early work. Just as explosive as they entered the punk world, it was only fitting that this is the way it would end. [TW]

Green Day – Reading + Leeds anniversary performances of ‘Dookie’ (August 2013)

As the annual Reading and Leeds Festivals prepared to host their 2013 edition, it was a tumultuous time for Green Day. Almost a year had passed since Billie Joe Armstrong’s infamous intoxicated rant at the iHeartRadio Festival in Las Vegas and reception of what would be an ill-advised trio of albums had been considerably lukewarm. After such an illustrious career, this start was now on the brink of collapsing. However, 2013 presented the 20th anniversary of ‘Dookie’, a masterpiece of snotty punk alienation that turned three working class kids from the Bay Area into global stars. It was a record that was a catalyst in the immersion of a thousand punk bands. In the almost monsoon conditions in Leeds, a newly-sober Armstrong led the celebration of this iconic album. Played in its entirety, the performance seemed to completely reinvigorate the fading aura of Green Day, the timeless classics of ‘Welcome to Paradise’ and ‘When I Come Around’ cutting through the pouring rain and the rare airings of gems such as ‘Sassafras Roots’ and ‘Coming Clean’ taking us back to those endless 90s summers. The run of shows over 2013 and 2014 took Green Day back to basics and gave them time to consider the real ethos of the band. The overthinking had gone by the time ‘Revolution Radio’ was released in 2016, a throwback to the Insomniac-era anger that had lacked in anything post-American Idiot. These ‘Dookie’ shows reminded everyone just how special this band is to so many people and while in Leeds, at least, we were all head to toe in liquid mud, those 45 minutes felt like being bathed in warm sunshine. [TW]

My Chemical Romance – Return (October 2019)

It seems strange to think that we’re both starting and ending this decade with My Chemical Romance alive and kicking. For a while, it felt like we’d never witness our favourite emo band on stage ever again; a bittersweet resignation that comes with understanding that while it hurts, it is for the best for everyone. MCR fans spent the past 6 years since the initial break up feeling grateful for the time we had with the band, and despite rumours flying around, we never really believed we might get them back. But just a few months before the decade draws to a close, following the slow yet clear dropping of hints across social media, MCR came back to us. The announcement saw polarised responses – this is, after all, a band that saw accusations of becoming sell-outs thrown at them from all directions following the release of ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’ – but ultimately, the people that matter most – the fans – couldn’t be more ecstatic to see the reunion fo their favourite band. This is a band that you can genuinely say saved lives, even during their six-year hiatus, and their reformation not only comes with the potential for new, exciting music, live shows, and interactions, but also the potential to reach new kids and revive the MCRmy of 2005. It’s a late entry, but this reunion is undoubtedly one of the most important moments of this decade. [YB]

Linkin Park – Chester Bennington’s death (July 2017)

Linkin Park was the gateway into music for a lot of the PT team, myself included. They compounded a love for heavy music, hip hop and art, and while we may have drifted away from them after the third album, ‘Hybrid Theory’ and ‘Meteora’ can easily be said to be the reason behind our love of this art. When we were angsty, uncertain teenagers, they provided the words that made the most sense to us. They guided us when we felt unsure or felt unappreciated, so when Chester Bennington died in 2017, it didn’t just break the hearts of Team Punktastic, it broke the heart of music lovers worldwide. Chester was a kind, compassionate singer who struggled with depression for most of his life. He didn’t shy away from that, accepting it and speaking openly, becoming a pseudo-advocate for openness and mental health awareness. In a time where it was unusual for men to talk about how they really felt, Chester did so with frank honesty. It’s becoming less unusual for bands and musicans to talk about their struggles but Chester was ahead of his time. I personally believe that, without Chester being open about depression, we wouldn’t have a generation who talk honestly about it now. So Chester, thank you for opening the door. Thank you for the music. Thank you for letting us know it’s okay to not be okay. [AJ]

Taking Back Sunday – Reformation of the original lineup (March 2010)

Over the past year, Taking Back Sunday have been celebrating 20 years as a band, although the lineup hasn’t always been as it stands right now as we move into the next decade. From 2003 to 2010, founding member and co-writer of the band’s debut album ‘Tell All Your Friends’, John Nolan, left the band to pursue other projects, but returned in 2010 to start a whole new journey as their guitarist. While the albums that were released in the 7 years Nolan was working elsewhere are arguably some of TBS’ best to date, it wasn’t until his return that it really felt like Taking Back Sunday again. TAYF is a persistent fan favourite, and Nolan’s return led to an authentic reunion tour followed by a 10 year anniversary tour and, this year, a 20 year anniversary tour that saw the album played live in full every single night. It’s only really in hindsight that we can see the impact that this reformation had on the success of the band and the intensity of the fanbase, and admit that Taking Back Sunday was just never really the same without John Nolan. It was one decision, but it changed the entire future of this band. And I ask this question sincerely: Can you imagine a TBS show without Adam Lazzara’s southern drawl introducing “John Nolan on the gee-tar”?! [YB]

Frightened Rabbit – Scott Hutchison’s death (May 2018)

What is there to write about Scott Hutchison that hasn’t already been said? Scott was a phenomenally talented musician and artist who wrote raw, soul-baring music in both Frightened Rabbit and his solo project Owl John, and the outpouring of love after his passing in May 2018 showed how he touched countless lives from afar. For so many, the lyrics Scott wrote vocalised their struggles with depression and anxiety, making them feel heard and less alone. There are endless stories of acts of kindness Scott regularly undertook, such as a heartfelt note of support sent to a fan going through a difficult time, that show his remarkably generous nature. Scott’s death still remains devastating in that he was unable to overcome the issues his music helped many others weather, but his legacy is defined by the wonderful light he brought into many of our worlds through his music and his art.

I was in Glasgow around a month after Scott’s death and gathered up the strength to listen to ‘The Midnight Organ Fight’, an album I hold dearly close to my heart, for the first time since the news. I walked the early morning streets of the city and thought of him, and when the line “as manic gulls scream “It’s okay”” kicked in, a flock of seagulls suddenly circled overhead. I won’t pretend it was much more than a small, yet startling, coincidence, but it was a sign that, as Scott once said, “when it’s all gone, something carries on”. Scott’s spirit will forever live on in his music, his art, and in the charity set up in his memory by his family, Tiny Changes. [RG]

Bonus moment: A personal and awkward encounter between our very own assistant editor, Andy Joice, and NOFX (May 2014)

This is more of a personal moment (hey, no one said they had to be genre affecting). And no one said they had to be positive either. This moment goes back to May 2014 in a small hotel in Belgium I was camped out in for Groez Rock. As we check in, an American sidles up to us, looks at a flan left on the reception counter and says, “Mmmm, Cake”. Before I can think of a snarky response, I look up to realise it’s El Hefe of NOFX. Now, we assumed that if Hefe was in the hotel, the rest of the band were likely to be skulking around too and he wasn’t just there for a free slice of flan – and sure enough, come the morning, he was eating what looked like corn flakes and croissants for breakfast. Later that day, after a few beers in the village, we walk back into the hotel, only to realise the entire band were behind us. After holding the door open for the band, Fat Mike turns to me and asks where the toilet is. I’ve got no idea, so I looked him squarely in the eyes, pointed at a door and proceeded to bolt up the stairs as fast as my legs would carry me. It was at that point, I heard him say, “that’s the fucking closet”. I almost died – partly from running up stairs, partly from misdirecting one of my musical idols to a cupboard. To this day, I still don’t know if he found the toilet. [AJ]

The alternative scene has provided us with so much value over the past 10 years, so much so that the Punktastic team couldn’t help but take a moment to reflect on the bands that have had the greatest impact on us as we’ve grown from teens to young adults, or young adults to like, real, adults (yeah right).

These are the bands we think have had their most formative years in the 2010s, and that we believe have made a difference not only to us, but to the wider industry, too.

So here they are. The most important bands of the decade according to Punktastic.

Don’t forget to check out our Albums Of The Decade and Bands Of The Next Decade articles.

Enter Shikari

Enter Shikari are one of those experimental, electronic rock outfits born out of Myspace Music’s glory days, quenching our 2007 desires for music that we could both screech and rave to in our bedrooms. But, by creating and continuing to develop their niche and genre-bending sound, Enter Shikari have managed to secure a broad-ranging appeal with momentum that has stormed through this decade with new albums every couple of years. They’re politically charged and socially conscious, taking to the stage with messages about mental health awareness and stigma, Brexit, Donald Trump, capitalism, nuclear weapons, privatization of the NHS and, more recently, the global climate crisis.

The 10th anniversary tour of Enter Shikari’s first album ‘Take To The Skies’ in 2017 included a headline spot at Slam Dunk Festival, which closely preceded the UK general election. Thousands of guests were gleefully captivated by vocalist Rou Reynolds through a performance that was so nostalgic, yet proved how relevant and loved they still were. It was only fitting that one of the first singles released later that year from album ‘The Spark’ was ‘Rabble Rouser’ as Enter Shikari’s lyrics are intentional and deeply poignant, often spurring some sort of action (whether physical or a change in perception) – speak openly about your emotions, be kind to each other, don’t give up on what you believe in, use your voice to vote and make change.

In 2019, Enter Shikari broke the record for the highest number of performances at Reading and Leeds Festival, demonstrating their versatility across the Main Stage, The Pit/The Lock Up tent, and a surprise acoustic performance to flaunt their more delicate side. After releasing the single ‘Stop The Clocks’ this year, work is underway for Enter Shikari’s sixth studio album which will firmly secure their place in the industry for another decade, where they will undoubtedly continue to challenge our society in the way only Enter Shikari know how. CATIE ALLWRIGHT [CA]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Sorry You’re Not A Winner, We Can Breathe In Space, ‘Gandhi Mate, Gandhi’, The Last Garrison, Rabble Rouser, Shinrin-Yoku

Highly Suspect

Just three albums into their career, Highly Suspect have had a lot to say over the past 10 years. The beauty of this band, though, is that they’re not trying to prove a point or please anyone in particular; their stance is that they make the music they love and they appreciate those with whom it resonates, and somehow by entering the creative process with this mindset, they’ve picked up one of the most authentic fan bases a band can muster.

Whether it’s the political statement of 2016’s ‘Viper Strike’, or the painful mourning that’s expressed in ‘For Billy’, there’s a great fearless vulnerability in all of Highly Suspect’s music. We listen to songs about drug abuse and sexual endeavours and cheating, and in doing so we’re allowed an insight into the lives of people who want to share a little piece of themselves without every censoring it to make themselves sound like anything other than normal people.

As a result, fans allow themselves some slack when it comes to self-assessment. If our favourite bands can fuck up and act in ways that are morally questionable and still be worth loving, then why can’t our actions be forgivable? Aren’t we worth loving through our flaws too?

And more than that, aside from the thematic content of this band’s discography, there’s the cacophony of genres that Highly Suspect have pulled from, often not even making an attempt to blend them together. The way we consume music has changed so much this decade, from the decline in CDs to the resurgence of vinyl and – most importantly – the takeover of streaming platforms that allow consumers to venture beyond one particular genre, and musicians to experiment. The stark hip-hop, rock, synth, electronic music that Highly Suspect create means they unknowingly have the potential to become an inspiration to others, as well as reaching new fans that may have been entirely disinterested at the start of the decade. Their fearlessness crosses from controversial themes to chaotic sonic choices and all of it has the potential to impact the wider industry, as well as inspire fans as they’ve been doing since day one. YASMIN BROWN [YB]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Viper Strike, For Billy, My Name Is Human, Lydia, Mom

Deafheaven

If there’s one genre that’s more impenetrable to most people than any other, it’s got to be black metal. That was, until Deafheaven came along. Whilst they may not be the originators of ‘blackgaze’, or whatever you want to call it, they’re certainly the popularisers of it, and their blend of cinematic post-rock, white-hot blastbeats and harrowing vocals has opened the floodgates for the wider alternative world to embrace what used to be a very insular scene. 2013’s ‘Sunbather’ was the best-reviewed album on Metacritic that year, the artwork for that album was featured on Apple adverts, and in 2018 the band received a Grammy nomination for their track ‘Honeycomb’. The black metal gatekeepers may not like it, but Deafheaven are the reason their precious scene is no longer solely the domain of genre purists and those guys are THE WORST, so that can only be a good thing. LIAM KNOWLES [LK]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Dream House, Honeycomb, You Without End

Paramore

It’s easy to box Paramore into pre-2010 with ‘Riot’ or ‘All We Know Is Falling’, and these may well be their more widely known albums, but it’s really been the past five years during which they’ve made their real impact.

Despite lineup changes – founding members leaving and old members returning – this decade has seen Paramore achieve more than ever on a huge scale across the industry. With self-titled and ‘After Laughter’ especially, Paramore took the expectations that were set on them, and threw them completely out the window. When they returned after ‘Brand New Eyes’ with leading self-titled single, ‘Now’, it wasn’t exactly met with positive reactions, but it’s this album that led to the band’s first ever Grammy win for ‘Ain’t It Fun’.

The band pushed themselves and refused to be confined to any one genre, and this wasn’t only an incredible comment on the potential of ‘emo’ bands, but it also highlighted that women not only belong in this genre, but that they can achieve great things for it, too.

The lyrics across the self-titled record are angry and honest, and it showed that it’s possible to combine these themes with a more accessible sound that will end up plastered across radio stations worldwide. That’s not to say that this necessarily needs to be the goal of every band, but the fact that it is possible, means that those who have that dream can push themselves to achieve it. Particularly for women who – as festival lineups prove over and over again – continue to take the back seat when it comes to media exposure.

‘After Laughter’ took this even further. Arguably Paramore’s best album, I don’t think anyone expected ‘Hard Times’, or indeed anything that followed. The blatant addressing of depression, bitterness and total dismay that this album conveys was again combined with bubblegum pop beats. It continued to appeal to pre-2010 Paramore fans, yet it brought on a whole new fanbase too – people that were now open to talking about mental health. Because if Hayley Williams can be brave enough to talk about this stuff, so can we.

Paramore have been one of the catalysts for acceptance of the alternative genre and for the women within it and while they’re taking a break at the moment, their impact continues every time someone listens to any of these tracks and feels just that little better because of it. [YB]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Hate to See Your Heart Break, Ain’t It Fun, 26, Hard Times, Last Hope, Fake Happy, 26

Fever 333

Jason Aalon Butler has time and time again ripped apart the boundaries of performance. Whether in his former outfit letlive or now in Fever 333, the singer creates art onstage with a live show that is unrivaled. Most importantly is that Butler’s art carries weight. Fever 333 are a collective more than a band. They don’t perform just concerts, they hold demonstrations. In a time of uncertainty around the world, Fever 333 offer messages of hope and unity within the confines of some the most incredible music that explores beyond the confines of what is considered alternative. Something that hasn’t been done with such a heavy political stance since Refused’s ‘Shape of Punk To Come’. They are the sound of a new, angry generation tired of injustices and Fever 333 deserve to be listened to. LOUIS KERRY [LK]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Made An America, Hunting Season, We’re Coming In, The Innocent, One of Us

Parkway Drive

Starting out back in 2003 as a hardcore band, it wouldn’t be fair or true to say that none could’ve predicted where Byron Bay quartet Parkway Drive would end up. This is a band who’ve had star power from the outset, and as they gradually evolved their sound over the years, everything else about them leveled up, too – by the time this decade came around, Parkway were making genre leading metalcore in the form of ‘Deep Blue’ (2010) and ‘Atlas’ (2012). It’s the sound that propelled them to the forefront of heavy music – and yes, they were already well on their way to stardom (their top slot on the Never Say Die! tour in 2008 and 2010, along with 2000+ cap venues on headline tours, can attest to that), but what they’ve done with that success since is truly staggering.

As the decade rolled on, we began to hear something new from Parkway. A turn away from the metalcore that had made them famous led to a broader heavy metal sound, with every last drop of aggression driven into earth-shattering breakdowns and unforgettably melodic riffs – 2015’s ‘Ire’ and 2018 masterpiece ‘Reverence’ do not know the meaning of holding back. Still, ‘Reverence’ displayed a depth that we had not yet seen the like of; great sorrow and beauty lies within, and it marked the change from a band at the top of their genre, to a band who sit far above any such labels. And then, of course there are the live shows. Oh, the live shows.

If ever anyone had been concerned about the future of main stage headliners, Parkway Drive smash all of those fears to pieces. From drummer Ben Gordon’s ‘cage of death’ to some seriously eyebrow-singing fire antics, everything about their performance is a perfectly orchestrated spectacle – work in some powerful moments from ‘Reverence’, and you find yourself with one of the most jaw-dropping, moving shows you could encounter. It’s no wonder that this is a band now finding themselves topping bills to huge crowds, and their ascension is clearly set to continue into the next decade. We can’t wait to see what they come up with next. GEM ROGERS [GR]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Bottom Feeder, Shadow Boxing, The Colour Of Leaving, Karma

IDLES

It’s not often there’s a sound so bespoke that it reinvigorates the genre but IDLES have managed to do just that. While they may not see themselves as a punk band, the truth is they have inspired a spate of up and coming bands who focus on similarly heavy rhythm sections and angry, passionate vocals. It’s a sound that makes you sit up straight.

Thunderous rhythms and frenetic, screeching guitars cushion vocalist Joe Talbot, who spits lyrics with such animosity and venom, it should be off putting. But the combination works so entirely well, it’s almost impossible not to appreciate it, not to be moved by it, both physically and spiritually.

Lyrically, they represent a subsection of society that hasn’t had a voice. Heavy advocates of the NHS and mental health support, as well as fighting against political discord and shrewd observations of the country, it’s no surprise they’ve been nominated for numerous awards, released two standout albums and played a Glastonbury set that will go down in infamy. They’re the new voice of a jilted generation, long may they reign. ANDY JOICE [AJ]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Never Fight A Man With A Perm, Television, Danny Nedelko, I’m Scum, Mother

twenty one pilots

What could possibly be more important than a band that brings together millions of fans to tell them that everything is going to be okay? And more than that, a band that helps these fans believe that this is true?

For years, twenty one pilots wrote their truth only for a handful of people to hear it. Back in 2014, outside of America, the name ‘twenty one pilots’ was largely met with a blank face whenever uttered. But to those who knew this band, knew they were something special. Playing to rooms of 800 people, fans were encouraged to repeat “we’re broken people”, “our brains are sick but that’s okay”, and – most importantly – “the sun will rise and we will try again”.

For fans going through a period of great distress – depression, anxiety, personality disorders, PTSD – it was this unwavering acceptance that drew them to twenty one pilots. What kept us here were the theatrics of the live show, the social media interactions, and the record that was to follow in 2015 – ‘Blurryface’ – that was made just for us.

What’s interesting about twenty one pilots’ impact is that it came entirely organically. The success that followed ‘Blurryface’ was by no means anticipated, and so the inside jokes and comments weren’t explained or generalised for the greater public, and yet somehow, enough people understood the messaging for this record to lead to multiple international arena tours.

They had, unintentionally, opened up a discourse around severe mental health issues that simply doesn’t exist in the mainstream world of music. We’re surrounded by stigma and it keeps us quiet, but by creating music with almost no expectation, twenty one pilots removed so much of this stigma and created a community (or ‘clique’) that extends worldwide. People became proud to talk about the issues they were battling or overcoming because their favourite band was telling them to do so.

In just 18 months, twenty one pilots went from singing along with 800 people to 13,000 and by the end of 2019 they’ve headlined most alternative or pop festival you can think of (Glastonbury won’t be far behind). We’ve spent so much time pretending to be okay, but thanks to twenty one pilots, and bands like them, this wall is breaking down and we’re really starting to believe that there’s no shame in our mental illnesses.

As long as our expectations don’t affect the band’s ability to be raw and vulnerable with us, this impact is sure to extend well into the next decade, too. [YB]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Neon Gravestones, Goner, My Blood, Fairly Local, Holding onto You, Truce, Screen, Guns for Hands

PUP

Forming in 2010, PUP really are a band that’s come to prominence this decade. From the release of their debut, self-titled album in 2013, their brand of garage inspired pop punk has helped them sell out multiple tours, both in their native Canada and across the globe. Of course, three critically acclaimed albums helps too.

Sophomore album ‘The Dream Is Over’ is particularly poignant – not necessarily in content but in context. After extensive touring, vocalist Stefan Babcock found a cyst on his vocal chords, one that was haemorrhaged and had the potential to not only affect the band but affect Babcock’s voice. Permanently. Babcock was advised to give up the dream of being the bands frontman, for the sake of his life. But as the battle weary champions that they are, they came back stronger and better than ever, using the title as a middle finger to the doctor who wrote him off.

One of the selling points, aside from their excellently written songs, is their sense of humour. Dry wit and cynical snark sits in almost every track, coupled by Babcock’s gravelly vocals, they’re a band we desperately want to spend a night in the pub with, talking about shit stories and a love of music over a cold beer. It’s been a great decade for PUP – here’s to the next decade. [AJ]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: DVP, Sleep In The Heat, Kids, Reservoir, Morbid Stuff

Wolf Alice

Wolf Alice’s decade is defined not just through their unique and powerful sound and style, although that is to be noted, but through the rare trait of being able to capture the spirit of an entire generation. Their 2015 debut ‘My Love Is Cool’ is a solid and enjoyable indie rock outing, but its their Mercury prize-winning effort of 2017’s ‘Visions Of A Life’ that sets them apart from other efforts. As Drowned in Sound’s Luke Beardsworth wrote in his review: “It has captured on record the thrill, angst, sadness and uncertainty of being in your twenties and not really knowing what’s going to happen or should happen.”

This chaotic aimlessness is what fuels Wolf Alice at their best: their quest to use music to understand and come to terms with a kind of secondary coming of age that inspires so much dread in their peers. The latter half of this decade has been defined by this emotional turmoil, and Wolf Alice has encapsulated it perfectly and used it to create the sound of the decade. FIACHRA JOHNSTON [FJ]

NOTABLE TRACKS: Moaning Lisa Smile, Don’t Delete Those Kisses, Beautifully Unconventional, Bros, Visions of A Life, Silk

Pissed Jeans

In the unlikely event that humankind was asked to place one album in a time capsule as a representation to future generations of where noise punk was at in the 2010s, either Pissed Jeans’ ‘Honeys’ (2013) or ‘Why Love Now’ (2017) would make an ideal submission.

Plenty of explicitly political punk rock has been made this decade and rightly so, but more than anyone, Pissed Jeans have documented the everyday frustrations of the salary slave such as wishing food poisoning upon an obnoxious co-worker on ‘Cafeteria Food’ or the awkwardness of being the oldest person at a house party on ‘Bathroom Laughter’. That’s not to say Pissed Jeans’ music isn’t political though; Matt Korvette rails against the objectification of women on ‘Male Gaze’ and ‘It’s Your Knees’, as well as the mistreatment of service sector workers on ‘Have You Ever Been Furniture’. The band put out three albums in the 00s but it’s been their work this decade that’s made Pissed Jeans a (sub)culturally significant band, as they’ve gone from playing pubs to selling out packed concert halls, all the while maintaining day jobs in the insurance and retail industries. This could be due to Bradley Fry’s guitars meshing better with Randall Huth’s bass on their work this decade or the band’s overall songwriting turning out more memorable choruses (‘The Bar Is Low’ being a notable example). Either way, the combined strengths of their fourth and fifth albums represent a distillation of everything great about the noise punk scene that’s blossomed on both sides of the Atlantic these past ten years. The sub-genre has swelled with new entrants in that time, but none of these bands have demonstrated the overwhelming sonic power and fun of Pissed Jeans. GREG HYDE [GH]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Bathroom Laughter, The Bar Is Low

State Champs

It was the genre that seemed unstoppable back in 2007, but over the years, pop punk has… well, it’s fizzled out a little. Many bands that find themselves under the label these days tend to take more influence from other genres, and true ‘pop punk’ feels almost impossible to find sometimes. It’s not too surprising, in a way – it’s a genre that can too frequently rely on clichés and cookie-cutter riffs, making finding something new and interesting tricky. And that’s where State Champs come in.

After forming in 2010 and releasing a couple of (maybe slightly questionable) EPs, State Champs perfected their identity on 2013’s ‘The Finer Things’, and proved in an instant that pop punk can still be truly great. Never falling back on identikit power chords or tired lyrics, there’s a life and energy in this Albany five piece that is unrivaled – taking the classic sound and complimenting it with the kind of outstanding musicianship naysayers would never expect to find (the basslines on ‘Prepare To Be Noticed’ and ‘Something About You’ – enough said). Not only that, but they know how to deliver live, too, with the slickest and most captivating of performances that induce a never ending sea of crowd surfers.

This is a band who continue to go from strength to strength without ever abandoning their roots, and 2018’s ‘Living Proof’ isn’t just one of the best pop punk albums of the decade – it’s one of the best ever. This is pop punk as it should be, and State Champs are leading the way for an entire subculture. [GR]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Criminal, Mine Is Gold, Secrets, Elevated

The Menzingers

There are not many questions that resonate more with millennial punks than “Where are we gonna go now that our twenties are over?”, and not many bands could document this coming of age better than The Menzingers. Starting this decade in very much the mid-card role of the punk scene, playing bars and small clubs, the Pennsylvania natives enter 2020 headlining packed shows on both sides of the pond.

We are used to Greg Barnett and Tom May spinning beautiful tales of their beloved hometown and young love in diners and gas stations, but 2017’s ‘After The Party’ broke the mould. It tugged on the heartstrings and tapped into the worries of anyone hitting the big ‘three-oh’, and was, in their own words, “a love letter to our twenties”. The Menzingers just know how to hit us right in the feels. Whether crafting delicate lullabies of drinking “forties” with pals down at the Stone Pony or creating the ultimate party anthem which has us screaming “everybody wants to get famous, but you just want to dance in a basement”, they will be there to document every relatable aspect of growing old. As 2019’s ‘Hello Exile’ already looks to be an album of the year contender and sold out shows planned for the next 12 months, there seems to be no slowing The Menzingers. And if there’s one thing we can thank them for is that it’s really taken the edge off being 30. TOM WALSH [TW]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: After The Party, I Don’t Wanna Be An Asshole Anymore, In Remission, Tellin’ Lie, Strangers Forever, Sun Hotel

Every Time I Die

If the past decade has taught us anything, it’s that Every Time I Die are the undisputed kings of hardcore. When you have the combination of the poetry of Keith Buckley, the shredding, intricate riffs of Jordan Buckley and Andy Williams, and the earth-shattering bass lines of Stephen Micciche, you have the perfect storm of hardcore.

With each record they’ve produced over the past ten years they’ve fine tuned the edges and culminated in 2016’s ‘Low Teens’. Even by Buffalo five-piece’s high standard this album was something else. Fuelled by loss, torment and delved from the darkest of places, it’s their most intense album to date with ‘The Coin Has A Say’, ‘Map Change’ and ‘It Remembers’ instant all-time classics.

Their songwriting continues to push boundaries where their contemporaries would not tread. Collaborating with everyone – from Panic! At The Disco’s Brendan Urie and The Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon – it demonstrates a desire to think outside the box and not confine themselves to an accepted sound. And then, there are their live shows.

Every Time I Die have played everywhere. They’ve played in your mate’s back garden, they’ve played your city’s most iconic venue, they’ve played on a boat that sails around New York’s East River and they’re still playing the huge Christmas show in Buffalo every year. Each performance is as raucous and chaotic as they like it and for those that haven’t experienced it, go and experience it.

Now with a new album penned for 2020, we can safely crown Every Time I Die the goddamn kings of hardcore. [TW]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Map Change, Underwater Bimbos for Outer Space, Decayin’ with the Boys, The Coin Has A Say

The Hotelier

At the start of the decade, few were even aware of the genre-evading Worcester band The Hotelier, let alone able to fathom the impact their stunning second album ‘Home, Like Noplace Is There’ would come to have on the slowly emerging so-called emo revival. The devastation that unfolded on ‘Home…’ was only briefly alluded to in their exuberant and youthful pop-punk tinged debut record ‘It Never Goes Out’. But if ‘Home…’ was the despairing feeling of crushing dark autumn nights slowly giving in to winter, their third album ‘Goodness’ transcended the clutches of the emo genre and emerged like the first leaves on a spring tree, bringing with it a newfound hopefulness in the admiration of natural beauty.

Both ‘Home…’ and ‘Goodness’ demonstrated The Hotelier’s remarkable ability to progress their songwriting skills on each release. Their blistering, cathartic live shows, defined by a chorus of voices screaming back the words of ‘Your Deep Rest’ (and of course the infamous “fuck” in ‘An Introduction To The Album’) cemented their place in the upper echelons of the ‘scene’, and Holden’s profound and poetic lyricism on both ‘Goodness’ and ‘Home…’ set a bar few of their peers could hope to live up to. ROMY GREGORY [RG]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: An Ode To The Nite Ratz Club, Your Deep Rest, Dendron, Soft Animal, Two Deliverances

The Ghost Inside

The Ghost Inside may have been mostly inactive for half the decade, but the influence they’ve had on the scene as a whole is impossible to ignore. Their music surging with positive energy, their live shows are unrelenting and intense, and they’re some of the nicest guys that you’ll find in the hardcore scene. Album after album saw them reach new heights on a seemingly endless upwards trajectory, and then tragedy struck in the form of a devastating accident involving their tour bus in 2015. The collision resulted in serious physical injuries for the entire band, bringing their thriving career to what most would consider an immediate halt. But it simply didn’t stop them. Their hunger to return to music grew larger with each passing day, their strength to pull through and get back to the things they loved getting closer and closer with every tiny shred of improvement. The music industry rallied behind them, peers surrounded them with love and support and fans did the exact same, sending them well wishes and positivity continuously for years.

Then, in 2019, they returned to the stage. Despite everything, after an accident that would’ve ended most bands careers, they performed a headlining set in their hometown and performed like they’d never been injured at all. They are the embodiment of hardcore and continue to be a shining light for the entire alternative scene. Long live The Ghost Inside. DAVE STEWART [DS]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Engine 45, White Light, Unspoken, Shiner, Avalanche, Dear Youth (Day 52)

Conjurer

There’s something about a band like Conjurer where the music is just as good on stage as it is on record. In the past decade, the band went from playing shows in the UK, to touring in America, to playing festivals like Bloodstock and Download. These achievements have not gone unnoticed and for that, Conjurer have gained fans and caused a bigger love for the heavier side of metal. Albums like ‘I’ and ‘Mire’ showcase who they are as a band, especially the ferocity and the power of the music which leaves fans just wanting more.

The band recently teamed up with label mates from Holy Roar Records, Pijn and formed Curse These Metal hands, an album that shows the diversity of each band and how it works so well together. Check out Conjurer at any show, whether as a support band or the main act, and you’re guaranteed to have a very lovely time because they play every set like it’s their last show. For me, Conjurer were that band that brought me back to metal after a long break of moving away from rock and metal, and only listening to the same five bands on rotation. Metal always has a way of bringing back that passion that once was felt. SARAH TSANG [ST]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Frail, A Chasm Forged in Dread and Disarray, High Spirits, Choke

While She Sleeps

Born out of Sheffield in 2006, While She Sleeps have proven in the years since their inception that they’ve got the steel their city’s known for running through their veins. However, as hard – and unapologetic for it – as they are, this band has truly made metal accessible to the masses. More melodic than your run of the mill metalcore band, While She Sleeps have become celebrated for their anthemic choruses and innovation when it comes to presenting political issues in a way that can more easily resonate with listeners. Probably why all four of their studio albums made it into the Top 40 on the UK Official Chart, their 2017 album, ‘You Are We’ cracking the Top 10.

But their music isn’t their only attractive quality. While She Sleeps have also become synonymous for their great community and DIY spirit. This year’s album, ‘SO WHAT?’ was completely crowdfunded, allowing fans the opportunity to really become part of the Sleeps family and even offering fans the chance to come along and record gang vocals before the album was released on their independent label, Sleeps Brothers, in collaboration with Spinefarm and UNFD.

Despite singer, Loz Taylor’s previous vocal surgery and a brief personal absence this year, this band is stronger than ever, continuously pushing boundaries and challenging conceptions of what rockstardom is. RENETTE VAN DE MERWE [RVDM]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Seven Hills, This is the Six, Dead Behind the Eyes, New World Torture, Silence Speaks, Anti-Social, The Guilty Party

Architects

Architects influence on today’s metal scene is impossible to ignore. There’s an addictive air that continuously surrounds them, endlessly drawing more and more people in to breathe it in deeply. From their raw mathcore beginnings with their ‘Nightmares’ record, the early evolution of their sound on ‘Hollow Crown’ and their genre defining record ‘All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us’, they’ve grown from little local noise makers into global metal heroes.

Their fans were already in large numbers before the tragic loss of founder and guitarist Tom Searle, but they way they dealt with it was far beyond admirable. Every single show became a dedication to his talent, choosing to share Tom’s gift with the world rather than shut down and keep it hidden. Their enormous heart and undying passion for what they do is hard to ignore, and has earned them a horde of loyal fans as well as an extended network of loving and supportive peers. There’s no one else like them, and there never will be.

They’re true pioneers of British metalcore, and will proudly fly the flag high for years to come. For Tom, always. [DS]

MOST NOTABLE TRACKS: Gone With The Wind, Momento Mori, These Colour Don’t Run, Holy Hell, Doomsday, Follow The Water

Scheduled for the 4th July 2020 at 02 Brixton Academy, you can be sure it’ll be on hell of a show. Their only – that’s right, ONLY – UK show next year, they’ll also be headlining Full Force Festival in Germany.

They’ve also announced they’re currently working on brand new music, with more details to drop soon.

The Ghost Inside will be playing at London’s O2 Brixton Academy on July 4th 2020. Tickets available from 9am on Friday 15th November