#NewMusicFriday: July 11th 2025

Although the 2000trees Festival, and festival season in general, roll on, this week’s #NewMusicFriday releases are still worth checking out.

For starters, there is the debut album from rapidly rising “nu-gaze” band, Split Chain. They release ‘motionblur’ today, and you can read my thoughts about it below. You can read about the new albums from prog metalcore group Born of Osiris and London-based, multi-national genre-hopping trio Calva Louise.

For those looking to unwind while lounging in the hot weather, there are releases from Bring Me the Horizon and Hammock. The former release ‘Lo-files’. It sees the festival-headlining metallers team up with a host of producers from the lo-fi music scene to re-work 23 Bring Me the Horizon tracks. Meanwhile, ambient instrumental specialists Hammock deliver their latest album, ‘Nevertheless’. It offers melodic motifs that ebbs and flows through states of grief and awakening.

Elsewhere, Enter Shikari mark last year’s triumphant UK arena tour with their ‘Live at Wembley‘ album. Often forgotten 2000s post-hardcore/screamo outfit, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, soldier on with ‘Maps Written In Water’. New York melodic hardcore punk quartet Somerset Thrower deliver their third album, ‘Take Only What You Need to Survive’. Meanwhile, frenzied London noise-grind trio Why Patterns slice their way through with a second album, ‘Screamers’.

Split Chain – motionblur

It’s safe to say Split Chain have exploded over the past 24 months. Their brand of “nu-gaze” has earned the Bristol group impressive streaming numbers, shows on both sides of the Atlantic, and a string of festival slots. They’ve also found a label home on legendary independent, Epitaph. This is perhaps their most impressive achievement for a band who are still in its early days. Nevertheless, Split Chain‘s full-length debut, ‘motionblur’, arrives with plenty of eyes and ears, on them.

On the surface, they’re able to back it up with a concise record, albeit one that is understandably stylistically constrained by the band’s newness. ‘Under The Wire’ bursts out of the gate with crunching guitars and penetrative drums. While an explosive chorus that sees vocalist Bert Martínez-Cowles thriving in a newfound purpose, proving doubters wrong. Yet the narrative ‘motionblur’ provides isn’t a constant high. With the band’s origins rooted in Bert helping bassist Tom Davies through addiction, there’s a deeply personal edge to their songwriting, touching on toxic relationships, isolation, regret, and resilience. That emotional weight makes the hushed verses and desperate chorus of ‘ I’m Not Dying To Be Here’ even more raw, while ‘SPIT’s steely punch and swirling metallic guitars complement Martínez-Cowles’s self-destructive words of grief and mental anguish.

Read the full review here

Calva Louise – Edge of The Abyss

With its members hailing from all corners of the globe, Calva Louise has found a home – and name, in the UK.For nearly a decade, the trio of vocalist, guitarist, and keyboardist Jess Allanic (Venezuela), bassist Alizon Taho (France), and drummer Ben Parker (New Zealand) have delivered a steady stream of releases defined by a fearless, genre‑fusing brand of rock. Their fourth album, ‘Edge of The Abyss,’ pushes that boundary even further.

There are flashes of pulsating electro-rock on ‘Tunnel Vision’ and ‘Impeccable’. ‘Aimless’ merges South American flair with ferocious alt-metal to striking effect. Semi-titular track ‘The Abyss’ treads with John Carpenter-esque synths. Building neon‑lit tension before ‘El Umbral’ explodes with razor‑sharp industrial blasts and shifting Latin rhythms.

Throughout, Allanic effortlessly switches between English and her native tongue, imbuing the songs with an intimate yet universal energy. She’s aided by Taho and Parker, who equally add weight to the crushing ‘Hate In Me,’ dynamism, and  ‘W.T.F.’ drive to ‘Barely A Response’. The latter benefits from Parker’s propulsive drumming and Allanic’s distorted guitar and soaring melodies, delivering a colourful centrepiece.

Allanic’s love of science fiction continues to shape the narrative, exploring the unknown, questioning existence, and searching for purpose. These themes thread through the eleven tracks without ever feeling forced, woven naturally into the music’s fabric. The whirlwind of styles doesn’t always land, but Calva Louise’s conviction remains undeniable. Their deliberate genre‑scattering gives rise to bold hooks and vivid textures. Ultimately, it’s proof of how far they’ve come and how willing they are to keep pushing forward.

Born of Osiris – Through Shadows

‘Through Shadows’ marks the end of a chapter for Born of Osiris. In the lead-up to its release, the band parted ways with Lee McKinney. As the lead guitarist in the technical/progressive metalcore band, McKinney’s role is considerably the most important. It also follows the departure of keyboardist Joe Buras last year. Nevertheless, as a collective, Born of Osiris have proven to be consistent, and ‘Through Shadows’ ticks all the right boxes from what you expect from a BOO record.

Tracks such as ‘Seppuku’ and ‘Transcendence’ allow McKinney’s frantic fretplay to shine. Ronnie Canizaro delivers (fairly) routine soaring metalcore choruses on the title track and ‘The War That You Are’. Yet he’s versatile and reliable, delivering throat-ripping screams on the dizzying ‘A Mind Short Circuiting’. There’s also the djent-y stabbing and Cameron Losch’s double bass peddling on ‘In Desolation’ before ‘Torchbearer’ pounces through with a heavy groove.

Flourishes of electronica prove to be beneficial. ‘Elevate’ is one of them, gifting it with a playful synth melody. Meanwhile, ‘Activated’ sees Underoath‘s Spencer Chamberlain turn up, complementing the track’s urgency, even if the inclusion of a pastel saxophone is unexpected. Glistening keys subtly ring out on ‘Dark Fable’s towering chorus, adding another layer to BOO‘s often textured sound.

The pairing ‘Transcendence’ and ‘Blackwater’ makes for a fitting finale. First, ‘Transcendence’ is full of proggy twists, rising orchestral synths, and time signature shifts. It allows Canizaro, McKinney, Losch, and guitarist Nick Rossi to demonstrate their abilities. As space-y keys segue into ‘Blackwater,’ the mood shifts. Drifting guitars and rolling drums build to a humongous payoff. It sees Canizaro at his most vocally venomous, and BOO as a whole, vibrant. Losch especially attempts to steal the show during its final moments with a kinetic display.

Having been through the ringer with numerous member changes, McKinney’s departure will be a big void to fill. However, the remaining trio of  McKinney, Losch, and Rossi have enough technical prowess to maintain Born of Osiris’ level of consistency. This may be the end of an era, but there’s still life in Born of Osiris yet,

What is out on #NewMusicFriday?

Bring Me The Horizon – Lo-files
Split Chain – motionblur
Born of Osiris – Through Shadows
Calva Louise – Edge of The Abyss
Enter Shikari – Live at Wembley
Beartooth – I Was A… Live
Scary Kids Scaring Kids – Maps Written In Water
Hammock – Nevertheless
Wet Leg – moisturizer
Diamond Head – Live And Electric
Somerset Thrower – Take Only What You Need
Why Patterns – Screamers
Crown Lands – Ritual I
Anger Machine – Human Error
Just Kids – saccharine EP
Kill The Robot – Kill The Robot
Cronos Compulsion – Lawgiver
Emma Harner – Taking My Side
World’s First Cinema – Something Of Wonder
dead7 – Love What You Can While You Still Got Something Left To Love
Flooding – object 1
Glacier – More Distant/More Violent
Stars Go Dim – Roses
Split Persona – War Within Ourselves
Palecurse – Dark Room
Pygmy Lush – Totem
Chalk Talk – Sun Lies Heavy

If you think I’ve missed something or have a new album/EP/song to tell us about, tell us about it here.

If you’re looking for the latest tracks focusing on rock, punk, hardcore, metal, emo, and everything in between, then check out our ‘Newish Music’ playlist on Spotify or Apple Music.