Although some are fine-tuning their end-of-year lists already, there’s still plenty of new releases coming out with this #NewMusicFriday being no exception. There is a mixed bag of choices available to consume. If you want to gnarly hardcore thrash, then look no further than DRAIN and their new album, ‘…Is Your Friend’. Meanwhile, ahead of their headline slot at Outbreak next summer, Alexisonfire have paid tribute to some of their inspirations with ‘Copies Of Old Masters: Volume 1’.
When it comes to homegrown music, the return of Pupil Slicer is a welcome one. Their third album, ‘Fleshwork,’ is a viscerally sharp outing, turning the brutality a notch. Its bruising nine tracks are full of anguish, allowing the trio to paint a picture of an all-encompassing industrial hellscape. In comparison, Leeds post-hardcore quartet Caskets continue to leave a lasting impression. On their third full-length outing, ‘The Only Heaven You’ll Know,’ they struggle to develop a distinguishable identity, resulting in a collection that comfortably plays it safe.
Longtime UK underground emo group, The Maple State, return with their original line-up after 17 years on ‘Don’t Take Forever’. The Manchester quartet humbly deliver a record that reflects on lost time, friendship, and mental health struggles. It’s paired with vibrant hooks and a sound rooted in 90s indie rock and midwest emo. Brighton DIY group, Give Up, inject harmonious shoegaze into their brand of fuzzy indie punk on second EP, ‘The Possibility That Love Is Not Enough’. Tracks such as ‘Long For Your Touch’ thrive on urgency, whereas the heartbreaking ‘Daisy’ highlights Give Up‘s sonic texture.
Further afield, Set It Off‘s self-titled album sees them pivot into alt-metal territory with expected slick, albeit unimpressive, results. Canadian pop-rockers Bearings pack a punch on ‘Comfort Company’. Their fourth full-length delivers an abundance of energy. While newcomers Unwell show plenty of potential on their debut album, ‘Allegoria’. The Detroit-formed quartet weaves in dramatic storytelling to a sound that spans across muscular alt-rock, soaring pop-punk, and melodic post-hardcore.
For the more “seasoned” names, it’s the time of year to treat loyal fans with a special release. Whether that’s Frank Turner delivering another collection of covers, radio session tracks, acoustic renditions and collaborations, ‘The Next Ten Years,’ or Slash releasing a live album, or Caligula’s Horse celebrating the 10th anniversary of ‘Bloom’. Whereas both Northlane and Thornhill go down the remix route on ‘Node: Reloaded’ and ‘Bodies X’ respectively.
There are also new releases from Portugal The Man, Armor For Sleep, White Lies, Agnostic Front, Astronoid, Finger Eleven, The Devil’s Trade, Rituals, and more out today.
What is out on #NewMusicFriday?
Alexisonfire – Copies Of Old Masters: Volume 1
Drain – …Is Your Friend
Caskets – The Only Heaven You’ll Know
Pupil Slicer – Fleshwork
Frank Turner – The Next Ten Years
Northlane – Node: Reloaded
Portugal The Man – Shish
Set It Off – Set It Off
Armor For Sleep – There Is No Memory
Bearings – Comfort Company
Caligula’s Horse – Bloom (10th Anniversary Edition)
Slash – Live At The S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival
The Maple State – Don’t Take Forever
Thornhill – Bodies X
Unwell – Allegoria
Agnostic Front – Echoes in Eternity
Cold In Berlin – Wounds
The Devil’s Trade – Nincs Szennyezetlen Szép
White Lies – Night Light
Astronoid – Stargod
Rituals – Hope In Hatred
Finger Eleven – Last Night On Earth
Glimmers – The Art Of Shattering
Give Up – The Possibility That Love Is Not Enough
Counter Intuitive Records – Cosmic Debris Vol. 2
Danny Brown – Stardust
Novembre – Words Of Indigo
Assemblage 23 – Null
Austin Meade – Almost Famous
601 – We Are Not The Same
Centinex – With Guts And Glory
Cevilain – VII // SINS
Cold Steel – Discipline & Punish
Coma Waves – What Makes Me Complete
Descape – As We All Wither
Dysentery – Dejection Chrysalis
Ellereve – Umbra
Hatchie – Liquorice
Indigo Blaze – UTB
Man-Made Sunshine – Love Wins Forever
Maybsomeday – We Built This To Burn
Mini Trees – Slow It Down
Moonball – Parallel Frame
Night Resident – Total Obscurity
Omnium Gatherum – May The Bridges We Burn Light The Way
Plague Of The Fallen – Torturous Ascension
Predeceased – Weirdo Riffers
Ptolemea – Kali
REDDSTAR – TH3 R3DR3SS
Revis – Killing Time
Squint – Drag
STELLVRIS – Shatter & Bloom
The Mendozaz – The Completely Fictional History of This Great Nation of Canada
Whitney – Small Talk
MAUDITS – In Situ
Linnea Hjertén – Steg för steg
If you think I’ve missed something or have a new album/EP/song to tell us about, tell us about it here.
Follow the #NewMusicFriday playlist on Apple Music
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.
