#NewMusicFriday: September 5th 2025

This week’s #NewMusicFriday is again loaded with plenty of new releases. Besides albums from La Dispute, grandson, Fleshwater, and blessthefall, there are also surprise drops, anniversary releases, and live albums.

Slipknot are giving their self-titled album the deluxe treatment with rarities, alternate mixes, and live performances attached. ‘I Want To Disappear In The USA’ sees The Story So Far unexpectedly launch their new Oak Grove Records label. While the emerging metalcore band, Vianova, have surprised us with the release of their debut album – ‘HIT IT!’ It sees the rising Berlin group stretch their charismatic sound from bouncy nu-metal, dramatic post-hardcore to funk-laden grooves, jazzy shifts, and flashes of  ’80’s synths.

When it comes to homegrown, independent music, today sees George Gadd + The Aftermath release their debut album, ‘Too Many Ghosts’ (see below). Carsick return with ‘Tough Luck’, showcasing their signature blend of pissed-up punk, swaggering indie sound, and deadpan social commentary at their most unfiltered. While coming-of-age DIY punk trio cheerbleederz deliver ‘(prove me wrong)’. There is also ‘Recovery Language,’ the debut album from UKHC “supergroup” Still In Love. Learn more about that below. Meanwhile, nu-hardcore mob Bodyweb look to interject cyberpunk aesthetics into their brand of hardcore.

There are also new releases from Belmont, Ten56., Winona Fighter, Peace of Mind, Fime, Beauty School Dropout, and much more.

La Dispute – No One Was Driving The Car

La Dispute are not ones to shy away from the concept album format. Throughout their career, they’ve become specialist in creating complex narratives. Whether that’s on the introspective storytelling of 2011’s ‘Wildlife’ or the deeply demanding ‘Panorama’ six years ago. Now the Grand Rapids, Michigan band has returned with ‘No One Was Driving The Car’. It’s a record that is considerably their most conceptually ambitious. Framed as a five-act film, vocalist Jordan Dreyer used the 2017 American psychological thriller, ‘First Reformed’, as inspiration, along with a 2021 story of a fatal crash involving a self-driving Tesla car. It results in an engulfing, cinematic record that peels itself with each listen.

The opening of Act I, ‘I Shaved My Head’, sees an anguished Dreyer build the intensity alongside Adam Vass’ fuzzy bass. As the rest of the band, guitarists Chad Morgan-Sterenberg and Corey Stroffolin and drummer Brad Vander Lugt, join them, the band’s assured, emotive post-hardcore is in full flow. Conceptually, it introduces us to our central character, a desperate individual who wants to be unrecognisable. ‘Man with Hands and Ankles Bound’ rushes thanks to Morgan-Sterenberg and Stroffolin’s sharp exchanges. Lyrically, Dreyer’s words are voyeuristic yet are juxtaposed by societal judgment and vulnerability. Our character’s dissent continues on ‘Autofiction Detail’ as wiry guitars lend themselves to the despair that is unfolding. Dreyer abandons the spoken-sung style here in favour of refined singing.

Read the full review here.

George Gadd + The Aftermath – Too Many Ghosts

For Nottingham-based singer-songwriter George Gadd, the journey to releasing this debut album has been a long time coming. For example, ‘Not Human’ and ‘Shake A Ghost’ have previously been released when Gadd was a solo artist. However, he now has The Aftermath joining him. Consisting of Ciaran Grant (guitar, synthesizer, keys and vocals), Dan Hess (bass guitar), and Xakarus James (drums), the trio add warmth and texture to Gadd‘s words of personal growth and reflection on ‘Too Many Ghosts’.

Its nine tracks stretch from Springsteen/Gaslight Anthem-esque Americana rock (‘Sycamore’), stirring emo, akin to The Get Up Kids (‘The Optimist’), and indie punk (‘Invisible’). Yet while GG+TA wear their influences with pride, Gadd‘s songwriting is consistently earnest. The bookended tracks of ‘Square One’ and ‘Leo’ see Gadd‘s cathartic words put to the forefront with their mournful tone. Meanwhile, ‘Little Bird’s tender tone is complemented by Grant’s hazy keys and guest saxophonist Wil Schade.

The inclusions ‘Not Human’ and ‘Shake A Ghost’ are appreciated, coming off as reinvigorated with a vibrant, full-band, musical spine. The former flourishes with a rich, prosperous coat that radiates through Gadd‘s candid words. ‘Shake A Ghost’ has been a longtime live favourite, and it’s easy to see why. Given a punchy, full-band treatment, it retains its charm through the earworm “waoh oh oh oh” refrain.

By breathing new life into older cuts and pairing them with vulnerable and sincere songwriting, ‘Too Many Ghosts’ is a rewarding listen.

Still In Love – Recovery Language

Made up of members of Dead Swans, Throats, Brutality Will Prevail, Last Witness and Bring Me The Horizon, Still In Love is a tantalising proposition for anyone who has had an interest in UK metalcore and hardcore over the last 15 – 20 years. After testing the waters with a couple of EP’s, the Brighton-based outfit shows their true intentions with debut album, ‘Recovery Language’.

Its eight tracks are unabashedly raw, ripping through with hunger and an insatiable metallic crush. The quintet’s energy is relentless, allowing the opening pairing of ‘Tell The Truth’ and ‘Nervous Impulse’ to pounce through with pulsating hardcore groove.  ‘Preserve & Cherish’ utilises Architects‘ Sam Carter for a cameo to bring the themes of personal struggle, resilience, and emotional catharsis to the forefront. As vocalist Nick Worthington and Carter scream “I can’t stop now”, crescendoing guitars build to a hefty and riveting conclusion.

Away from the pulverising prevalence of ‘Feathered Nest’ and the crunching slam of ‘Inherit, Worthington’s anguished vocals on ‘The State Of Things To Come’ address the ongoing genocide in Gaza. It allows their lyrical scope to be widened, yet retains the frustration that fuels the record. Andrew Fisher of Basement pops in on ‘You Have To Let It Go ‘ as Still In Love lean towards a melodic direction without sacrificing their hardcore ferociousness.

The tension that builds throughout erupts on ‘Pillar Of Strength’. Here, Worthington roars with pent-up aggression: “Don’t give me hope, I don’t want to face another day,” before ringing guitars lend a momentarily sense of comfort. Yet Marc Richards’ frantic drum work, along with Mark Ringrose and Curtis Ward’s cascading and sludgy guitars, brings a sense of finality to proceedings.

With the personnel involved, it’s no surprise that the sonic denseness on show is executed with precision. A thorough 23-minute onslaught that’s paired with welcomed introspective depth.

What is out on #NewMusicFriday?

La Dispute – No One Was Driving The Car
Slipknot – Slipknot (25th Anniversary)
grandson – INERTIA
The Story So Far – I Want To Disappear In The USA
Fleshwater – 2000: In Search of the Endless Sky
blessthefall – Gallows
Belmont – Last To Love
Vianova – Hit It!
George Gadd + The Aftermath – Too Many Ghosts
Carsick – Tough Luck
cheerbleederz – (prove me wrong)
Winona Fighter – My Apologies To The Chef (Deluxe Edition)
Ten56. – IO
Bodyweb – Dead Wire
Still In Love – Recovery Language
Peace of Mind – Blood Is The Price
Various / Run For Cover – I Will Swim to You: A Tribute to Jason Molina
Fime – Just Can’t Win
Beauty School Dropout – Where Did All the Butterflies Go?
Black Satellite – Aftermath
Primal Fear – Domination
Teen Creeps – Today Is The Day
Rome Is Burning – Rome Is Burning
Tallah – Primeval: Obsession // Detachment
Lawn Chair – YOU WANT IT! YOU GOT IT!
Nailed To Obscurity – Generation Of The Void
Swollen Teeth – Ask Nothing
Shallowater – God’s Gonna Give You A Million Dollars
Daisy World – i bet you missed me
Wolves – Wolves
Glenn Hughes – Chosen
Eleine – We Stand United
Connor Kaminski – Tapestry
Faun – HEX
Gjallarhorn’s Wrath – The Silver Key
Electric Jaguar Baby – Clair-Obscur
Les Dunes – From Etne To The Edge Of Space
Pulley / Fire Sale – Split Personality
Orsak:Oslo – Silt and Static
Syncolima – Move Mountains
Cheater Slicks – Don’t Like You (30th Anniversary Reissue)
Modern Life Is War – Life on the Moon
Revnoir – Coma EP
Moletrap – Mid Welsh, Pt. 1
On The Water – Rebirth
Whitehall – National Finals Rodeo
bodie – No Skips
GRIN – Incantation
Containecks – Musik zum Putzen

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.