Empire State Bastard – ‘Rivers of Heresy’

If idle hands are the devil’s playthings, then Simon Neil is holiest among us. Between his return to pop-rock outfit Marmaduke Duke and teasing the upcoming valium-laced project Tippie Toes, the Biffy Clyro frontman has his plate filled to the brim for the foreseeable future. So naturally,

LIVE: ArcTanGent Festival 2023 – Friday

ArcTanGent is the sort of festival where more you put in, the more you get out. Almost all of the bands on the bill are underground, so there’ll be a good chunk of bands you’ll have never heard of. However, the curators are incredible at what they do, so

Arctangent Festival 2023 – Friday

Arcangent Festival 2023 – Thursday

Jeff Rosenstock – ‘HELLMODE’

Punk cult hero Jeff Rosenstock’s latest record ‘HELLMODE’ is a glorious contradiction. A record that melds poppy melody with deep personal introspection, gleefully scrappy punk rock with issues that face humanity as a whole. Rosenstock is not an artist who shies away from a difficult topic or a catchy

LIVE: ArcTanGent Festival 2023 – Thursday

Thursday was perhaps the most stacked day on the entire bill, with hardcore legends Converge headlining the mainstage. The undercard is also stellar, with Svalbard, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, and Chat Pile particularly standing out. None of them are household names, but all of them have

Taking Meds – ‘Dial M For Meds’

Taking Meds are a classic “except for” band. I don’t like hip-hop except for Run DMC. They’re all softcore bands on the bill, except for Turnstile. All shredder bands are metal, all 90’s nostalgia sucks, all bands lose their edge when they get sober… except for Taking Meds. Combining

LIVE: ArcTanGent Festival 2023 – Wednesday

In the decade since its inception, ArcTanGent Festival in Bristol, England has become a mecca for fans of music that is loud, experimental and, often, downright weird. It has carved out a niche as the go-to place for fans of the metal underground in the UK and further afield,

Spanish Love Songs – ‘No Joy’

Returning for their fourth album, Spanish Love Songs have a difficult challenge upcoming. Their previous albums have all been adored, with 2018’s ‘Schmaltz’ introducing many to the LA-formed quintet, and 2020’s ‘Brave Faces Everyone’ being the perfect soundtrack to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. Telling stories

Asking Alexandria – ‘Where Do We Go From Here?’

After fifteen years of dedication and seven studio albums, not to mention frontmen coming in and out like a cat next to an open door,