The Daily Drop: April 21st 2026

Welcome to The Daily Drop, your roundup of the latest news from the rock, metal, punk, emo, hardcore, and alternative scenes.

Ahead of a busy New Music Friday, Failure (with Hayley Williams), Death Lens (with Militarie Gun), and Portrayal of Guilt share final previews as they prepare to release new albums. Likewise, Basement, The All-American Rejects, and Lost In Kyiv have also teased new releases. Furthermore, up-and-coming UK bands, unpeople and Venus Grrrls deliver new singles.

Here’s everything you need to know from April 21st 2026.

---

Basement Unveil Final ‘WIRED’ Preview with ‘Head Alight’

Basement have released ‘Head Alight’, the final single before their fifth album ‘WIRED’ arrives on May 8th via Run For Cover Records. Led by thick, bassy guitars, ‘Head Alight’ evolves into a charming and blissful offering.

Vocalist Andrew Fisher describes how the track evolved: “What started out as a love song quickly evolved into something a lot more ethereal. Alex was picking up on what I was saying in a far broader and otherworldly way, a more universal look at the idea of someone’s soul or essence being so powerful and beautiful you can’t look away.”

On the production, Fisher adds: “We were really stuck with this sound, focusing on the guitar leading it, in a very indie rock early 2000s thing. It just never felt right. The more we added, the less I liked it. John (Congleton – producer) stripped everything back and it became so much more powerful.”

The video was directed by Kaylinn Duffy.

With ‘WIRED’ just over a fortnight away, the band have a run of UK dates coming up this month. Most have already sold out, but tickets remain for their Brighton show on 7th May. They also headline Outbreak Festival in Manchester on 28th June and appear at London’s All Points East on 23rd August.

May
7th Chalk, Brighton
8th 26 Leake St, London (SOLD OUT)
9th Boom, Leeds (SOLD OUT)
10th Projekts, Manchester (SOLD OUT)
11th Mono, Glasgow (SOLD OUT)
12th Rough Trade (Acoustic), Nottingham (SOLD OUT)
13th The Fleece, Bristol (SOLD OUT)
14th The Fighting Cocks + Banquet, Kingston (SOLD OUT)
June
28th Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester (Outbreak Festival)
August
23rd Victoria Park, London (All Points East)

---

The All-American Rejects Drop New Single ‘King Kong’

The All-American Rejects are back with explosive new single ‘King Kong’. It is the latest preview from the forthcoming album ‘Sandbox’, ahead of its May 15th release.

Driven by an acoustic guitar creaking beneath a sunny vocal, ‘King Kong’ builds with a hypnotic pulse and a slippery bassline before breaking into a sharp, instantly hooky chorus. Lyrically, the track sees frontman Tyson Ritter reflect on moving back home to Oklahoma after living in L.A.

“‘King Kong’ is about leaving Los Angeles. I’m from a small town in Oklahoma, and I moved back home. When I got to L.A., I fell into an interesting crowd. It was the quintessential, ‘I’m in L.A. in my twenties and early thirties’ life. It’s a town where everyone is chasing the same industry. There’s no real life about it for me that I experienced until I left. Nick (Wheeler – guitarist) brought out the quality in the song. It was a very natural combination of our efforts.”

The All-American Rejects hit the UK this summer, including a stage headline slot at Download Festival:

June
13th Download Festival, Leicestershire
14th Academy, Manchester (SOLD OUT)
16th O2 Forum Kentish Town, London (SOLD OUT)

---

Failure Unveil ‘The Rising Skyline’ Featuring Hayley Williams

Failure has shared ‘The Rising Skyline’, a new track featuring Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams. It comes as they prepare to release their seventh studio album. ‘Location Lost’, this Friday (April 24th), via Failure Records, Arduous Records, and Virgin Music Group.

Williams has long been a public advocate for the Los Angeles trio, and her appearance in the band’s recent Hulu/Disney+ documentary ‘Every Time You Lose Your Mind’ made the collaboration a logical step. The track is a largely acoustic breakup song, and among the most understated music the band have put their name to.

“Failure doesn’t do a lot of collaborations, but my friendship with Hayley, and her long-standing support of the band, turned this song into a very satisfying duet,” explains vocalist Ken Andrews. “It’s probably the most delicate song we’ve ever done, and her vocal approach really brought that out.”

---

unpeople Return With New Single ‘clouds’

unpeople are back with ‘clouds’, a new single out now on Sharptone Records. The track takes aim at trend-chasing and the pressures that come with building a band in the social media age. It’s paired with the quartet’s assured mix of multi-person harmonies, sturdy hooks, and big melodies.

“‘clouds’ is essentially about not letting yourself be influenced by what other people think you should be doing to get ahead artistically, and trusting your own vision and process,” says frontman Jake Crawford. With unpeople quickly gaining plenty of attention with their 2024 self-titled EP and infectious live performances, Crawford and company have found themselves under pressure. He adds, “I could feel myself being pulled in lots of directions when we started the band, and I’m glad we stuck to our guns. I feel like this song is an excellent representation of us doing just that: ‘not buying it’, be it musically or the way we present ourselves as a unit.”

The band have a packed festival summer ahead, including a main stage opening slot at Download Festival on 14th June, plus Slam Dunk, Radar Festival in Manchester, and more.

May
23rd Slam Dunk Festival, Hatfield
24th Slam Dunk Festival, Leeds
June
14th Download Festival, Donington
July
31st Radar Festival, Manchester (until 2nd August)
September
3rd The Foundry, Torquay

---

Hear Death Lens & Militarie Gun’s Ian Shelton on ‘Waiting to Know’

With their new album, ‘What’s Left Now?’ set to be released this Friday (April 24th), LA alt-punks Death Lens have teamed up with Ian Shelton of Militarie Gun on new single ‘Waiting to Know’. Co-written by Shelton, the track is a punchy duet about sitting in the in-between: the looping question of what’s next, and the quiet dread that comes with not having an answer. Shelton’s hooky delivery slots against frontman Bryan Torres’ time-and-death preoccupations, the two voices locking in with a chemistry that makes the panic feel communal rather than isolating.

“‘Waiting to Know’ sits somewhere between growing older and not knowing if you ever really do,” Bryan Torres says. “It’s fear and acceptance sharing the same skin, looping the same question until it stops sounding like a question at all. What’s next? My biggest fear: the unknown. It’s about spending your whole life waiting to know, waiting to go, like the answer is always just out of reach but already written somewhere you can’t read yet.”

The music video was directed by Joél Verges and features Shelton alongside the band.

Death Lens hit Europe and the UK in June, including an appearance at the Outbreak Festival.

June
6th Kliko Festival, Haarlem, Netherlands
9th Hus 7, Johanneshov, Sweden
10th Beta2300, Copenhagen, Denmark
11th Vaterland Trattoria, Oslo, Norway
13th Berlin Breakout, Berlin, Germany
14th Trix, Antwerp, Belgium
16th Cafe Glocksee, Hannover, Germany
17th Vera, Groningen, Netherlands
18th Effenaar, Eindhoven, Netherlands
19th Farewell Youth Fest, Dresden, Germany
20th Last By Schachermayer, Linz, Austria
21st Kafe Kult, Munich, Germany
23rd Sedel Club, Lucerne, Switzerland
24th Supersonic, Paris, France
26th Mighty Sounds Festival, Tábor, Czechia
27th Vainstream, Münster, Germany
28th Outbreak Festival, Manchester

---

Venus Grrrls Release New Single ‘Eve’

Venus Grrrls have shared a new single called ‘Eve’ via Killabop. Thematically, the track harnesses the power of a bisexual awakening, combining it with grungy riffs and bubbling industrial textures. It follows ‘3×3’, the band’s debut on the label, released earlier this year.

Vocalist GK explains the inspiration: “‘Eve’ was written after our guitarist had a bi panic crash out over Gillian Anderson. With the use of industrial textures juxtaposed with lush guitars and synths, we wanted to really communicate the duality of a bisexual awakening, and how it is as much a beautiful thing as it is turbulent. It was deeply important for us to write a song that conveyed true romantic attraction towards women rather than a platonic appreciation… ‘Eve’ is the love child of Nine Inch Nails and Fleetwood Mac, that grew up to be deeply passionate about women.”

The video for ‘Eve’ premieres this Friday, 24th April at 6pm. The band also have a run of UK festival appearances coming up this summer.

May
20th-24th Bearded Theory Festival, Derby
24th BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend, Sunderland
July
8th 2000Trees Festival, Cheltenham

---

Portrayal of Guilt Tease ‘…Beginning of the End’ with ‘Total Black’

Austin experimental trio Portrayal of Guilt have shared ‘Total Black’, the final preview from fourth album ‘…Beginning of the End’, due this Friday (24th April) via Run For Cover.

The record pulls from an unusually wide well for a band with a reputation for blackened hardcore intensity: nu-metal, alternative rock, trip-hop and dark ambient all colour the edges, nodded at beside heavier touchstones like Deftones, Massive Attack, Dystopia, Deathspell Omega and Celtic Frost.

‘…Beginning of the End’ was recorded and mixed by Phillip Odom between March and June 2025, with mastering handled by Will Yip. It follows ‘Let Pain Be Your Guide’, ‘We Are Always Alone’, ‘CHRISTF*CKER’ and the more recent ‘Devil Music’ EP and ‘CHRISTF*CKER II’.

---

Lost In Kyiv Share New Single ‘Eclipse’

Lost In Kyiv have shared ‘Eclipse’, the latest preview of their forthcoming album ‘We’re All Going To Be Fine’, due 19th June via Pelagic Records. We covered the album announcement and debut single ‘Burst’ last month; ‘Eclipse’ is the second taste of what’s to come.

Where ‘Burst’ leaned into the heavier end of the band’s sound, ‘Eclipse’ pulls in both directions at once, opening with sweeping melodic arrangements and a brass section before shifting into something more ferocious.

“‘Eclipse’ is a journey through contrasting atmospheres, shifting between light and darkness. The track moves from epic, melodic arrangements highlighted by a beautiful brass section, straight into one of the most violent moments we’ve ever composed,” the band say. “This contrast perfectly represents those dark phases within ourselves, the heavy and destructive thoughts that can sometimes arise within us.”

---

Today’s New Songs

Here’s a rundown of the latest additions to our ‘Newish Music’ playlist.

Basement – Head Alight
Failure – The Rising Skyline featuring Hayley Williams
Bowling For Soup – In Too Deep
Devin Townsend – Home At Night
The All-American Rejects – King Kong
The Pretty Reckless – Love Me
Dead Pioneers – Never Alone
unpeople – clouds
Venus Grrrls – Eve
Death Lens – Waiting to Know
Nevertel – Otherside
Portrayal of Guilt – Total Black
Lost In Kyiv – Eclipse
Belvedere – Crimson
Pryti – Zero
Civil Villains – Punching Down
Balmora – Inheritance & Solitude
Friko – Something Worth Waiting For
Glasswaves – fvck.me.up –
100 Demons – Meat for the Beast
Bone China – Heaven Now
Dan Byrne – Home

Keep up to date with all the latest rock, metal, punk, and beyond, by following AlreadyHeard‘s ‘NewishMusic’ Playlist.

Find the playlist on Spotify and Apple Music.