The Daily Drop (February 20th)

Welcome to The Daily Drop, your roundup of the latest news from the rock, metal, punk, emo, hardcore, and alternative scenes. Today there is new music from Ice Nine Kills, Hot Mulligan, Arch Enemy, and Sweet Pill. There are also the latest additions from Outbreak Fest London x All Points East.

Here’s everything you need to know from February 20th 2026.

Ice Nine Kills Team Up with McKenna Grace on New ‘Scream 7’ Single

With ‘Scream 7,’ set to arrive in movie theatres later this month, it’s no surprise that metalcore horror-specialists ice Nine Kills will be appearing on its soundtrack. ‘Twisting The Knife’ is described by the band as their “tribute to Wes Craven and the Scream franchise.” The track also sees ‘Scream 7’ actress McKenna Grace duet with INK frontman Spencer Charnas.

“‘Scream’ is baked into the DNA of who I am and of ICE NINE KILLS—my love of horror, comedy, and the collision between the two. I was already obsessed with Halloween and Friday the 13th, but Scream was the first I saw in theatres. Hearing the killer talk about horror movies, in that distinctively pop-culture savvy Kevin Williamson way, blew my mind,” shared Charnes. “Marco Beltrami’s Scream scores are just as influential to me as any other component of the films. In our song, there are echoes of the moody atmospheres he’s created, with our own INK twist.”

“When we learned that McKenna Grace is a fan of our band, it made perfect sense to invite her to sing. She recorded her part in my home studio, in the same room where I keep my screen-used Scream knife prop, one of the four rubber knives made for the first movie.”

Hot Mulligan Share B-Side Track (‘I Don’t Think It’s the Right Time for Emojis’)

As they prepare to kick off a EU/UK tour, Hot Mulligan have shared a b-side titled ‘I Don’t Think It’s the Right Time for Emojis’.

Speaking about the song, vocalist Nathan “Tades” Sanville doesn’t pull punches when it comes to organised religion. Acknowledging that some people of faith are genuine and well-meaning, he argues that institutional religion has largely become a vehicle for corruption and power.

“Zealotry is probably going to kill us all. Which is fine, guess. It’s no better or worse than any other kind of annihilation. There’s some people of faith who seem to understand not everyone has to care what their book says, and that deserves thanks. But judging by how many people are showing up for the mega-church Sunday spectacular, complete with pyro and wirework, the meek are not likely to inherit the earth. Joel Osteen locked people outside during Hurricane Harvey. Kenneth Copeland uses his church to buy planes, fancy cars, and houses. The camel can apparently very easily fit through the eye of the needle. David Easterwood is a pastor who runs an ICE field office on the side. Half of the archdiocese’s job is to cover for paedophiles. I think some people can do it right. They’re nice people with a big nice ghost and I don’t mind that one bit. But I think most people are just so afraid to die that they can look past the evil thing their church has become.”

Hot Mulligan‘s tour will arrive in the UK in early March.

March (support from Delta Sleep)
6th Project House, Leeds (sold out)
7th Academy, Manchester (sold out)
8th Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow (sold out)
10th The Prospect Building, Bristol (sold out)
11th O2 Institute, Birmingham (sold out)
12th Roundhouse, London (LOW TIX)
15th The Academy, Dublin (sold out)

Outbreak Fest London x All Points East 2026 Adds AFI, Interpol, Mannequin Pussy and More

The latest names for this summer’s Outbreak Fest and All Points East gathering at London’s Victoria Park have been announced. It sees AFI, Interpol, Mannequin Pussy, Ecca Vandal, electronic act Salem, and UK dance producer Blawan join the bill on Sunday, August 23rd.

Outbreak Fest London x All Points East 2026 will be headlined by Deftones and will feature appearances from Idles, Amyl and The Sniffers, Basement, Deafheaven, Show Me The Body and more.

Arch Enemy Introduced New Singer Lauren Hart with New Single

Swedish metallers Arch Enemy have welcomed Lauren Hart (ex-Once Human) as their new vocalist. Her first release with the band is their new single, ‘To The Last Breath’.

“Connecting with Lauren has marked an important step in my journey. Working with her was an exceptional experience – her remarkable voice, coupled with her dedication and professionalism, brings a rare level of excellence. I look forward to continuing the collaboration,” said guitarist Michael Amott.

Arch Enemy will be back in the UK in August for two club shows.

August
10th The Underworld, London
11th Rebellion, Manchester

Sweet Pill Share Smouldering New Single (‘Smoke Screen’)

Philadelphia quintet Sweet Pill continue to preview their upcoming album, ‘Still There’s A Glow’. Ahead of its March 13th release, they’ve shared its final preview in the form of ‘Smoke Screen’.

“This song is sorta like the inner monologue of battling your self-doubt,” explains singer Zayna Youssef of the song. “The album has a lot of lyrics about burning or any sort of thing associated with fire: ‘Sun Blind’ mentions a sun, ‘Glow’ references haze, ‘Slow Burn’ with cigarettes and literally slow burning! For ‘Smoke Screen,’ I see myself being destructive like fire, not easy to contain and ruining everything I touch, spreading fast. Sometimes we need to slow down and clear the voices out of our head. Or in this case, blow away the smoke screen and have a little clarity. So unlike ‘Glow,’ where I want to be blanketed in ignorance, ‘Smoke Screen’ has this yearn to get out of the smoke and open my eyes.”

Today’s New Songs

Here’s a rundown of the latest additions to our ‘Newish Music’ playlist.

Foo Fighters – Your Favorite Toy
Ice Nine Kills – Twisting the Knife (feat. Mckenna Grace)
Hot Mulligan – I Don’t Think It’s the Right Time for Emojis
Arch Enemy – To The Last Breath
Sweet Pill – Smoke Screen
Chamber – violins
The Gloom In The Corner – You Didn’t Like Me Then (You Won’t Like Me Now)
ERRA – i. the many names of god
White Reaper – Need
SUNN O))) – Butch’s Guns
Hokka – Heart Said No
n0trixx – hysteria [БЕГN]
Ando San – iLL
Rising Insane – Good Enough (feat. Caskets)
Naked Lungs – Glitter
Highdrive – Something I Said
Pothamus – Heravis II.II (Let Light In)
Clarion – Blue Fairy
Spouses – Choke
Tongues Of Fire – Superficial
Roe Kapara – My Love

Keep up to date with all the latest rock, metal, punk, and beyond, by following AlreadyHeard’s ‘NewishMusic’ Playlist.

Find the playlist on Spotify and Apple Music.