Incoming: 6 Must Hear February 2016 Releases

With all the New Year previews out of the way, our monthly “Incoming” feature returns this month at full force. To say we’re spoilt for choice this month would be putting it lightly. February 2016 is full of must-hear releases. Exciting and emerging names such as Catch Fire, Somos, Masts, Loner Chic, and Across All Oceans were just some of the bands who missed out on being included in this feature.

Nevertheless the Already Heard team has highlighted six releases we think you need to hear in the coming weeks.

Creeper – The Stranger EP

By now we don’t need to introduce you to Creeper. Over the past 18 months they’ve become one of the most talked bands in the UK and beyond. With shows alongside Neck Deep and State Champs taking place right now and a plethora of headline shows to follow, ‘The Stranger’ is released just in time.

EP number three sees the now sextet push the boundaries of theatrical grandeaur further than before yet retain their punk rock sensibilities. Songs like ‘Valentine’ and ‘Black Mass’ flourish with urgency whilst ‘Misery’ is probably Creeper’s most compelling and poignant song to date. It’s topped by the impassioned finale that is ‘Astral Projection’.

The rise and rise of Creeper will surely continue as ‘The Stranger’ is another stepping stone to greater things. (SR)

‘The Stranger’ EP by Creeper is releaed on February 19th through Roadrunner Records.

Hands Like Houses – Dissonants

The release of ‘Colourblind’ this past week has teased a roaring introduction to their eagerly anticipated album ‘Dissonants’. Social media has already expressed their desperation for the album to be right here right now having had their taste buds well and truly watered with ‘Colourblind’.

Though this latest preview isn’t the only song we have been offered, they have been generous in releasing other absolute corkers for our listening pleasure. The critically successful ‘New Romantics’ and ‘I Am’ have been riding the airwaves over the past few weeks only acting as a catalyst in our anticipation for a third album from Hands Like Houses.

The Australian rockers have always been experimental however their latest offering promises to push the boundaries of our simplistic ideologies. Something that is apparent in the title. An unhappiness at the current state of our world. They have consistently delivered quality giving their hardcore group of followers a reason to stick around, but now is the time to push beyond the core and reach out the eager ears of rockers everywhere. We have a sneaky feeling the album itself will not be dissonant. (GR)

‘Dissonants’ by Hands Like Houses is released on February 26th through Rise Records.

Anthrax – For All Kings

Following last year’s release from Slayer and January’s new Megadeth album, February 26th sees the release of ‘For All Kings’ the first Anthrax album in five years and their second since the return of vocalist Joey Belladonna, the singer from the band’s most successful period. It’s no accident that Anthrax are considered one of the big four thrash metal bands; even during their most turbulent times Scott Ian, Charlie Benate and Co. maintained a stream of high quality albums and the fact is that they just don’t make bad records. During the late nineties and early 2000s they experimented with different elements to their sound, they never had been metal purists exactly, but returned to their trademark furiously fast thrash roots on 2011’s ‘Worship Music’. If first release, the mass shootings inspired ‘Evil Twin’, is anything to go by, we can expect another hard thrashing album in the vein of classic Anthrax. (EL)

‘For All Kings’ by Anthrax is released on February 26th through Megaforce.

Lacey – I Don’t Owe The World A Thing EP

Acting as their follow up to their debut album, Lacey release I Don’t Owe the World a Thing just before embarking on a number of dates with Bowling For Soup.

We have already been blessed with the undeniably fierce single ‘Hoax’ and are relinquishing our patience in hearing the darker side of the Nottingham alt rockers. We hope ‘Hoax’ is just a taster, the beginning of something far greater, knowing these guys, their passion and dedication will guarantee a killer EP.

It’s fair to say that EPs are usually a water treader when, nothing ever overly spectacular however in a rare glimpse of diversity, Lacey are promising to demonstrate their desire to experiment with their sound. It is an exciting time to be a fan as they head in a slightly new direction and will inevitably open them to a wider audience. In general 2016 looks set to be a defining year for the boys who having been steadily garnering a tight-knit fan base who have dedicated their time and funds to keep them going. They may say they don’t owe the world a thing but we feel we are owed a solid EP, thankfully it seems that is what we are getting. (GR)

‘I Don’t Owe The World A Thing’ EP by Lacey is releasd on February 5th.

The Cult – Hidden City

Also hitting the racks in February is the tenth studio album from Brit rockers The Cult, which will be their fifth with uber producer Bob Rock and their first with new bassist Grant Fitzpatrick. Considered to be the final part in a trilogy of albums examining humanity, ‘Hidden City’ is the follow up to 2012’s well received ’Choice of Weapon’ and is described by vocalist Ian Astbury as a “metaphor for our spiritual lives, our intimate interior lives.“

Judging by the initial releases of the rocking ‘Dark Energy’, their tribute to the Paris attacks of 2015 in Deeply Ordered Chaos’, and the stylistic ‘Hinterland’, Astbury’s inimitable baritone and Billy Duffy’s unique guitar sound are firing on all cylinders. ‘Hidden City’ promises to be a thoughtful record on "the profoundness of being” (Astbury) and is shaping up to be another high quality offering from one of Britain’s most underrated bands. (EL)

‘Hidden City’ by The Cult is released on February 5th on Cooking Vinyl.

Textures – Phenotype

In 2011 Dutch Tech-Metal outfit Textures released the incredible ‘Dualism.’’ Now five years later, the entire scene is full of buzz with band’s imminent ‘Phenotype’ release. Much like the rest of the scene, we here at Already Heard share the same sentiments.

Recent singles ‘Illuminate’ and ‘New Horizons’ quickly remind us of Textures’ ability. Harsh vocals battle it out with flawless clean tones throughout in the midst of grooves that rival the greats such as Periphery and Tesseract. When you add all that to a song structure to keep us guessing, you have a real potential great album on your hands. (AM)

‘Phenotype’ by Textures is released on February 5th through Nuclear Blast.

Words by Sean Reid (SR), Georgie Robbins (GR), Edward Leyland (EL), and Andy May (AM).