The Daily Drop (March 24th 2026)

Welcome to The Daily Drop, your roundup of the latest news from the rock, metal, punk, emo, hardcore, and alternative scenes.

Today’s round-up features previews of new albums from Portrayal of Guilt, Death Lens, and The Prestige. There is also album news from Denver-based Indigenous punk rockers Dead Pioneers, and a debut single from A Forest.

Here’s everything you need to know from March 24th 2026.

Portrayal of Guilt Preview New Album with ‘Object of Pain’ and ‘Death from Above’

Portrayal of Guilt continues to build towards the release of ‘…Beginning of the End’. As previously announced, the album arrives on 24th April via Run For Cover. Today, the band have shared two further previews of the record.

‘Object of Pain’ and ‘Death from Above’ both demonstrate Portrayal of Guilt‘s brooding intensity. The former contains hypnotic guitars that tread with a murky intent. The latter proves to be a heavier affair with big guitars that soon sinks into an equally murky area.

Listen to the Latest Preview of Death Lens’ ‘What’s Left Now?’

Death Lens has shared another taste of their forthcoming album ‘What’s Left Now?’ Ahead of its 24th April release on Epitaph Records, The Southern California quartet have shared a new track called ‘Debt Collector.’

The track serves as ‘What’s Left Now?’s album closer, proving to be an explosive charge of bouncy punk rock. Lyrically, it sees frontman Bryan Torres (and video director) address the worry of trying to stay financially afloat. It’s about “The enslavement of society and just having to pay, pay, pay,” Torres laments. “And there’s really no way out.”

“‘Debt Collector’ came from that constant pressure of feeling like you’re already behind before the day even starts. It’s fast and chaotic on purpose, like your thoughts when you’re trying to stay afloat in a system that’s designed to drain you. I wanted it to feel like panic, but also like fighting back, like you’re sprinting even when you know something’s always chasing you. It was also the first music video I wrote and directed myself, which made it feel even more personal, like I could fully translate that anxiety visually, not just sonically.”

Dead Pioneers Announce New Album ‘Wagon Burner’

Denver-based Indigenous punk rock outfit Dead Pioneers has announced their new album. It’s called ‘Wagon Burner’ and will be released through Hassle Records on June 26th.

It follows last month’s UK and European headline tour, and is accompanied by the release of a track called ‘No Kings’.

Grontman Gregg Deal pulls no punches on the political intent behind the track. “Last summer, there were protests all over the United States called ‘No Kings’, in opposition of the current administration, the policies they’ve been implementing, and the rights they’ve been taking away from citizens. While the issues are obvious, it’s important that we all say it out loud. It’s important that we show up and make our opinions known, that we won’t allow our inherent rights to be trampled upon for the benefit of the Epstein Class,” explains Deal.

“Not unlike ‘Nazi Teeth’, ‘No Kings’ is meant to bring the points home. ICE, rights being taken away, mass shootings, greed over life, demonizing immigrants, black, brown and queer people, widened economic gaps by the Epstein class, and the sincere frustration Americans feel over this. While this is happening, we realise that the right-wing politics coming out of the United States is emboldening conservative right-wing politics all over the world. We are against dictators, authoritarian regimes, Nazis, fascism or any other power structure, political, social or otherwise that seek to take away the rights, freedoms or lives of human beings trying to live their life. To that, we keep it simple: NO KINGS.”

Dead Pioneers‘ fearless third album will feature guest appearances from The Interrupters, Sleaford Mods‘ Jason Williamson, and Stephanie Byrne of Cheap Perfume.

The quintet will be back in the UK in the summer when they appear at the 2000trees Festival on July 11th.

A Forest Release Debut Single ‘Something I Need’

A Forest is the project of solo artist and songwriter Matthew Hughes, who works alongside Andrew Groves (Arcane Roots) and mixer and mastering engineer Mark Roberts (Black Peaks, Delta Sleep, Jamie Lenman). Today, the project released its debut single, ‘Something I Need’, a track rooted in the difficulty of processing difficult information and big emotions.

Taken stylistic cues from influential singer-songwriters such as Bon Iver and Paul Simon, ‘Something I Need’ sees A Forest arrive with plenty of promise. Its pleasing chord progression, paired with its lyrical sentiment and vulnerability, makes the track a satisfying offering.

“This first single had a working title of ‘Bad Call’ for maybe four years, but it seemed a bit too on the nose,” says Hughes. “I think when writing the music for the EP, this was always going to be the first thing I released. It’s perhaps a bit more rock-influenced than a lot of the music from a forest, but as a statement, musically and lyrically, it’s perfect. As much as originally in my head, I wanted the whole thing to sound as bleak as ‘Nebraska’ by Springsteen.”

On his collaborators, Hughes is equally candid: “Andrew is my brother. Without him, there is no a forest. Without him, I would never have taken the time to write, and learn how to write, over the last few years, and without him, these songs would not sound anywhere near as great as they do. That is all him, and I owe him everything. Equally, Mark is the rock. He is the glue that pieces everything together, and he is what helps makes a forest sound like it does.”

A Forest will be appearing at this year’s 2000trees Festival, with further live dates yet to be announced.

The Prestige Teases New Album with ‘The Ascend’

Parisian hardcore outfit The Prestige have shared ‘The Ascend’, the latest preview of their forthcoming album ‘Isthmos’.

Opening with a wall of feedback, ‘The Ascend’ builds with intensity before the quartet unleashes a dense brand of hardcore, lending itself to La Dispute’s storytelling. While their previous single, ‘Noire Nuit,’ suffocated listeners with its atmospheric charge, ‘The Ascend’ looks to deepen ‘Isthmos’‘ narrative as it tells a broader story told through fragments begins to become apparent.

The track is accompanied by a visualiser directed by the band, filmed in a single continuous take, closely following vocalist Alex Diaz as he struggles to ascend through a woodland. “The single-take approach interested us because it leaves no refuge,” explains Fabien Gagnière (guitar and video director). “Like the song itself, it moves forward without interruption. You have to stay inside it until the very end.”

Julien Bouladoux (bass) adds, “This ending isn’t there to soften the track. It’s more the moment when the tension transforms. After everything that has been endured, something remains — not necessarily peace, but a kind of clarity.”

‘Isthmos’ is scheduled to be released on April 24th via Banshies.

Today’s New Songs

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

The Maine – Palms
Portrayal of Guilt – Object of Pain
Portrayal of Guilt – Death From Above
Death Lens – Debt Collector
A Forest – Something I Need
Dead Pioneers – No Kings
The Prestige – The Ascend
Gnaw – Star
untitled – Restless
Not Richard & Her Majesty – Stress Is A Killer
Brocarde – F.E.M.I.N.I.S.T

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

Find the playlist on Spotify and Apple Music.