#NewMusicFriday: March 21st 2025

There is no slowing down with these weekly #NewMusicFriday lists getting bigger every week. Today there are over 40 releases listed. It’s led by an abundance of heavy releases including A Day To Remember and Bloodywood, both of which you can read about below. There are also releases from notorious extreme metallers Cradle of Filth, Danish death metallers Cabal, and masked avant-gardge New Yorker’s Imperial Triumphant.

If you want something with the occasional melody, radio hard rockers Pop Evil, UK pop-punks The Bottom Line, and instrumental prog metallers Sometime In February might be your answer. Equally, Southern California’s Greer shows their fair share of melodic indie rock charm with ‘Big Smile’.

When it comes to homegrown talent, there’s the debut EP from Iron Form. ‘Cut From Cold Blood’ sees Alex Heffernan and Mario Gambardella come together to deliver a punishing set of metallic hardcore that leans into its early 2000s influence. While on the UK emo front, we have Brighton’s Had Sandy returning with their second EP. With comparisons to Tigers Jaw, Citizen, and Balance & Composure, ‘Desire Paths’ is a digestible 3-track offering, tiptoeing on dream pop and grunge.

If all that isn’t enough to fill your ears with, you can also hear new releases from Sicksense, Calyces, SpiritWorld, Lordi, Molotov Solution, and much more.

A Day To Remember – Big Ole Album Vol. 1

In a time where streams are often prioritised above music-buying fans, Ocala, Florida’s A Day To Remember surprised us last month with a “physical-first” release of their new record – ‘Big Ole Album Vol. 1’. It’s an intriguing tactic and one that rewards die-hard fans. For the rest of the casual listeners, you’ve had to wait until now to hear ‘Big Ole 1’. 

After the polarising ‘You’re Welcome’ saw ADTR tweak their sound, the prospect of a new album is sure to be met with scepticism. However, longtime fans are sure to find something amongst the 12 songs on here. ‘All My Friends’ and ‘Flowers’ thrive in a familiar heavy pop-punk skin. The latter flourishes with positivity, appreciating family, lovers, and friends. Likewise, ‘Lebron’ is done in a bombastic manner with group vocals and heavy drive.

If you’re looking for even weightier songs, ‘To The Death’ and ‘Miracle’ are on hand. ‘To The Death’ is a pit-made onslaught with descending synths, Jeremy McKinnon’s scathing vocals, and a predictable menacing breakdown. While ‘Miracle’ might have been released as a single almost three years ago, it’s holstered up by Alex Shelnutt’s thunderous percussion.

To ADTR‘s credit, they have evolved from the often-expected mix of heavy pop-punk and metalcore yet thankfully don’t stray too far from this out. ‘Same Team’ has hints of hard rock before ‘Silence’ sees them at their most metallic. Taking a darker tone with steely industrial rock, Its chorus is dense and elevated by Shelnutt’s impactful, reverberating drums.

Admittedly, there are moments where ADTR do regress. The aforementioned ‘Lebron’ and the adrenaline rush of ‘Feedback’ are signs of the band returning to a tried and tested formula. While themes of defiance, unity, and introspection thread ‘Big Ole 1’ together, you’re still left with a mixed bag of songs. It can be inconsistent yet understandable. A Day To Remember knows what works as they easily shift from towering pop-punk hooks to crushing breakdowns. It’s not exceptional but ‘Big Ole Album Vol. 1’ considerably corrects the course the quartet had swerved off.

Bloodywood – Nu Delhi

For decades, metal has connected with people far and wide. People from various backgrounds and cultures have put their spin on metal in that time. It often results in a cultural clash of predominantly Western songwriting mixed with local influences. That’s one way of describing what Bloodywood does. The Indian metallers have become one of the genre’s most talked about acts in recent years, and as they return with their second album, ‘Nu Delhi’, it’s easy to see why.

The eight new songs that the sextet offers confidently thrive in crushing rap-metal with regional elements weaved in throughout. However, when compared to 2022’s ‘Rakshak’, the chaotic energy is taken to another level. For example, the opening track, ‘Halla Bol’ cinematically gallops with Indian folk before erupting like a ball of fire. Driven by djent guitars and flashes of whirlwind electronics, it’s a thrilling introduction that sets the tone for the rest of ‘Nu Delhi’. ‘Hutt’ is a fist-pumping charge that sees Bloodywood stand up for themselves, confronting any negativity thrown at them. A wiry sitar provides a brief respite before romping home to the song’s finale. ‘Dhadak’ maintains the momentum, embracing nu-metal tendencies with a KoRn-esque bite. Karan Katiyar’s buzzsaw guitars, Vishesh Singh’s domineering drums, and Sarthak Pahwa rattling dhol drum thrive off Jayant Bhadula’s menacing vocals.

Read the full review here.

What is out on #NewMusicFriday?

A Day To Remember – Big Ole Album Vol. 1 (DSP release)
Cradle of Filth – The Screaming Of The Valkyries
Bloodywood – Nu Delhi
Cabal – Everything Rots
Imperial Triumphant – Goldstar
Sometime In February – Where Mountains Hide
Pop Evil – What Remains
The Bottom Line – Life Lately
Greer – Big Smile
Sicksense – Cross Me Twice
Calyces – Fleshy Waves of Probability
SpiritWorld – Helldorado
Lordi – Limited Deadition
Iron Form – Cut From Cold Blood
Molotov Solution – Void
Veil of Serpent – Gallery Of Sin (Deluxe)
Afterlove – Copenhagen Closure
Had Sandy – Desire Paths
Ground Swell – Things That Were Yours
ANYONE – Echoes Of Man
Kazea – I. Ancestral
Stormo – Tagli/Talee
Azshara – Ashen Skies
Time X Heist – The Unforgiving Minute
Black Opal – Divine Accusations
Euphrosyne – Morus
Gates To Hell – Death Comes To All
Gotthard – Stereo Crush
Thorn In Side – SYNTHETIC:DEATH
Noisepicker – The Earth Will Swallow The Sun
The Infinity Ring – ATARAXIA
Patient Sixty-Seven – What If It Never Gets Better (Deluxe Edition)
Upfall – Artificial
Weatherday – Hornet Disaster
Young Widows – Power Sucker
Water Margin – Gleaming Cursed
Seashine – Seashine
Once More, Autumn – Foals
Life Pilot – Life Pilot
Dutch Interior – Moneyball
Dedalus Project – PAIN (wear it loud)

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.