South African punk rock/metal band Lefokolodi released their long-awaited debut EP ‘The Milk Was Finished Cos We Were Thirsty’ on the 23rd of May 2025. Going for anthems, all singing and bouncing anthems that every single person listening will feel compelled to join in with, Lefokolodi GET punk rock. Especially punk rock that sits on the heavier and more intense side of things. Delivering five raucous bangers that are filled with heart and soul and get well and truly jammed in the brain matter. ...
Jul 07, 2025•36 min
This year, Japanese black metal legends Sigh celebrate 35 years of existence. With a career that has seen the release of 12 studio albums, countless worldwide shows, and a relentless dedication to pushing musical boundaries, they have firmly cemented their status as one of the most revered and influential cult acts in extreme metal. To celebrate, Sigh have revisited their 2007 opus, Hangman’s Hymn. A compositional powerhouse in its own right, Hangman’s Hymn was notably Sigh’s first concept album...
Jul 04, 2025•25 min
Create, customize and command your battle wagon to conquer crazed enemy factions and save innocent survivors scattered throughout the lawless Badlands in the aftermath of a devastating apocalypse. Do you have what it takes to Build, Evolve and Fight to survive? Developed by Runner Duck and published by Curve Games, Badlands Crew is out now on Steam where it sits on ‘very positive’ for all reviews. Check out the trailer below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quH6IE0qkOo https://store.steampowered...
Jun 30, 2025•54 min
Secreum are a 4-piece metal band formed in North London in 2012. With crushing guitar riffs and pummelling drums along with an ear bursting low end in between frenetic solos, it provides the perfect backdrop to convey all the injustices we deal with in life whilst also shedding light on the things we hold most dear. Their latest single, 'Metamorphosis' is out now and can be summed up as thrashing beast of a track. Fast, intense, and very mean sounding, but with melodies and one hell of an anthem...
Jun 26, 2025•1 hr 2 min
US extreme metallers Ominous Ruin are back, transformed by significant line-up changes, with their brand-new album, ‘Requiem’, released on May 9th, 2025, via Willowtip Records. Now helmed by the fierce and enigmatic vocalist, Crystal Rose, this new album feels like a significant turning point for Ominous Ruin. Having spent many years (they formed in 2010) grinding away, this album feels like the record that pushes them upwards and into more ears around the world. It certainly helps that it’s an ...
Jun 25, 2025•36 min
TSS (formerly known as The Sunday Sadness), the dynamic French modern metal band known for their innovative blend of emo, metalcore, alternative rock, synthwave, and more, will release their brand-new album, ‘END OF TIME’, on June 27th, 2025, via Fearless Records. One of the most exciting bands in the world, when TSS release music, all fans of modern and alternative metal pay attention because if there’s one thing we can all be assured, it’s that a new TSS record will have anthems. Guess what? Y...
Jun 24, 2025•28 min
Two years on from their spellbinding debut 'The Approbation', Norwegian progressive rock group AVKRVST are poised to release their second and most formidable album 'Waving at the Sky', which is set for release on June 13th via InsideOutMusic. 'The Approbation' was praised by critics for its ambitious, immersive storytelling and its musical complexity. It was regarded as one of the best genre debuts in years, and it showcased AVKRVST as a top-tier newcomer in progressive music. Now, 'Waving at th...
May 30, 2025•27 min
Legendary Brit hardcore bruisers Desolated are back with their much-anticipated brand-new album, ‘Finding Peace’, out on May 30th, 2025, via MLVLTD. Putting it bluntly, this is as mean as it gets. Desolated bring the stompy hardcore heavy, but with metalised intensity, and deliver each track with furious focus. Chances are, you’ll end up with a bloody nose just sitting alone listening to it. Read our full review of the album here: https://www.gbhbl.com/album-review-desolated-finding-peace-mlvltd...
May 29, 2025•32 min
It’s been far too long, but finally, The Haunted are back! On their tenth studio album, ‘Songs of Last Resort’, the Swedish legends set out to reclaim the modern thrash throne and deliver their most intense and vital music to date. It is out on May 30th, 2025, via Century Media. Somehow, the five-piece (Marco Aro – lead vocals / Jensen – rhythm guitar / Ola Englund – rhythm & lead guitar / Jonas Björler – bass, backing vocals / Adrian Erlandsson – drums) have turned the clock backwards, but ...
May 28, 2025•32 min
Skies Turn Black are an electronic metal band from the North of England, taking influence from guitar driven heavy metal and incorporating features of dance music. Their brand of metal can chop and change genre, to go from being rich in 80's heavy metal nostalgia with riffs and huge choruses to keytar led synth sections with aggressive drops that still packs that heavy punch. Since the release of 'No Place Like Home' in 2018, Skies Turn Black have added a keytar to line up, diversifying their so...
May 22, 2025•32 min
Following on from the success of her debut EP ‘Existence Is Temporary’, British progressive metal guitarist/vocalist Grace Hayhurst has returned with her debut full length album ‘The World Is Dying’. The album is set for release on June 27th, 2025. Starting life as a pianist before moving onto French Horn, performing with various orchestral ensembles across Europe, at age 18, Grace began dabbling on guitar with the likes of Yes and Opeth acting as her gateway drug. She proudly composed and recor...
May 21, 2025•36 min
The already-expansive world of Calva Louise is growing even more! Their new album ‘Edge of the Abyss’, comes out on July 11th via Mascot Records. This one-of-a-kind band found each other from opposite corners of the world and has combined influences and experiences to create a myriad of captivating threads entwined into their existence. Metal, punk, electronica, and art rock weave through grandiose narratives and cinematic storytelling with a mind-blowing visual delivery on the new album. They b...
May 20, 2025•44 min
Following a period of uncertainty (line-up changes and COVID-inspired roadblocks), Bury Tomorrow have spent the past few years laying out new paths with new possibilities previously thought unavailable resulting in a reinvigorated belief and fresh outlook on what the band can encompass. Now, they present ‘Will You Haunt Me with That Same Patience’, their brand-new album, out now via Music for Nations / Sony Music UK. This isn’t the best Bury Tomorrow album to date, in my opinion, but it’s a migh...
May 16, 2025•21 min
Michigan metallers Wounded Touch will release their brand-new album, ‘A Vivid Depiction of Collapse’ on May 16th, 2025, via Smartpunk Records. What also makes this album special is the creative touches that give Wounded Touch’s metallic hardcore sound a different vibe. Namely the mathcore side of things. Often where the record ends up being particularly creative sounding, especially as it creates a whole new degree of challenge. Challenge that most will delight in experiencing though, as in a wo...
May 15, 2025•32 min
EBM icons Youth Code return with their brand-new EP ‘Yours, With Malice’, their first new music in four years. Dropping on 16th May via their new label home Sumerian Records, the EP is the result of an extended period of self-reflection. One of the most unique bands out there, Youth Code have always challenged musical norms and been impossible to place in a genre, yet this new record pushes that summation even further with a new sonic style and evolved state that makes this a record like nothing...
May 14, 2025•33 min
London metalcore quartet Confessions Of A Traitor will release their new album ‘This Pain Will Serve You’ on May 16th via Facedown Records. While it’s not always easy to get that excited about metalcore these days, purely because of oversaturation, when a band as strong as Confessions Of A Traitor has new music, excitement is all anyone will be feeling. The Londoners are a mighty band, capable of delivering brutish heaviness, but also immense melody, and almost always wrap this all up in an anth...
May 13, 2025•41 min
Post-metal artist Shuggah is set to unleash her debut album, ‘Her Chrysalis’, an immersive, conceptual journey born from years of musical and artistic exploration. Inspired by Russian Circles, Chelsea Wolfe, Psychonaut, Cult of Luna, and Tool, the instrumental album will be released on May 9th, 2025, via Mongrel Records. Music you feel, rather than hear, even though it’s so ethereal in nature. Shuggah’s debut is immensely weighted with post power and vibrant melody. A true showcase of creativity...
Apr 29, 2025•39 min
Higher Walls are a London based hardcore quartet that fuses blisteringly fast guitar work, polyrhythmic drumming and technical bass, to create a sound unlike any other band on the London hardcore scene. Formed in 2020 by Jordan Kaad (Vocals), Radu Ghidirim (Guitar) and Stefan Babara (Drums), Higher Walls have built a catalogue of heavy hitting technical music that is proudly grounded in the traditions of bands such as Raised Fist, Terror and Antagonist A.D. Whilst also blending the ferocious ene...
Apr 25, 2025•42 min
For UK alternative metal band, Acres, 2025 has already been a significant year, and their momentum shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. Not only are they due to head back to the US for a massive tour with The Devil Wears Prada but they will release their brand-new album, ‘The Host’, on May 2nd. 2025, via Solid State Records. The US is becoming a bit of a second home for the band, as not only were they recently there touring with The Plot in You, but in October 2024, they hopped over the...
Apr 17, 2025•29 min
Born out of persistence, the crossover group Headcount blend the speed and articulation of the thrash genre with the undisputed no-BS approach of hardcore. In the short time they’ve bene around, they’re released two singles, the first of which ‘Powertrip’, we described as: Fast, furious, and freaking fun, Headcount’s crossover sound will be very familiar to those who enjoy a bit of thrash and hardcore slammed together. Stompy and mean, the song’s attitude might be aggressive in tone, but Headcou...
Apr 15, 2025•31 min
Two years since the release of their debut album ‘MCLXXX’, it’s time for the Kraken to rise once again. The new album, ‘March of the Gods’, will be released on April 18th, 2025. A staggeringly good and hugely addictive chunk of hard rock heaviness and groove, King Kraken have outdone themselves here. March of the Gods is an album of the year contender, and a must listen for just about everyone. Read the full review here: https://www.gbhbl.com/album-review-king-kraken-march-of-the-gods-self-relea...
Apr 14, 2025•36 min
For over two decades, Caliban has stood as one of the defining forces in metalcore. With their upcoming album ‘Back from Hell’ that is scheduled for a release 25th April 2025, the German band continues to evolve their sound while staying true to the intensity and emotion that have defined their career. Led by founding members Andreas Dörner (vocals) and Marc Görtz (guitar), the band’s current lineup includes new vocalist and bassist Iain Duncan, whose clean vocals, songwriting skills and diverse...
Apr 06, 2025•34 min
Hailing from Turku, Finland, Svarta Havet are set to release their sophomore album, titled ‘Månen ska lysa din väg’, via their new label home Prosthetic Records on May 9th. On ‘Månen ska lysa din väg’, the self-described dyster (gloomy) post-hardcore group cast a critical eye over the negative effects of Western colonialism, capital greed and convenience at the cost of sustainability, presenting a rallying cry for change whilst never losing sight of the light that this world has to offer. Formed...
Apr 06, 2025•37 min
Parisian alt-rockers Storm Orchestra will release their brand-new album 'Get Better,' on April 11th, 2025, via Mascot Records. The album touches on societal issues, relationships, and the inner struggles that we all have, along with the dark side of your personality. Clearly in a very inspired and creative place when it came to writing this album, Storm Orchestra (Maxime Goudard – vocals/guitar, Adrien Richard - bass, and Loïc Fouquet - drums) have crafted a hefty record filled with accessible d...
Apr 03, 2025•34 min
Slovenia’s most awesomely audacious, genre defying metal pioneers Within Destruction will release their new album ‘Animetal’, on April 11th, 2025, via Sumerian Records. ‘Genre-defying’ – those are the words every fan of Within Destruction should be well aware of, especially those that have been there since the beginning. You simply cannot put this band in a box, and shouldn’t want to, as their creativity comes from their freedom to do what they want. The album is heavily inspired by anime both l...
Apr 03, 2025•29 min
Hailing from Nottingham, Those Once Loyal have been on quite the journey since last releasing music. One of the reasons being due to a revolving door of bassists, but this has now led to them finally having a solid line up. Since the release of their 2023 EP 'Relentless Cycle' they have played many shows around the Midlands area, something that has helped get their name out there and seem them play higher profile shows such as with Atreyu, Heart of a Coward, Attila, Rxptrs, High on Fire, Cane Hi...
Apr 03, 2025•40 min
Kicking off in Las Vegas in April 10th, before heading over to the UK and EU, ‘Oppressing the Masses for 35 Years’ will see Bay Area thrashers Vio-Lence playing their iconic album in full, which celebrates its 35th anniversary this summer. The set will also include songs from the band’s back catalogue. The line-up for the shows are now complete, with the recent additions of former Falling in Reverse guitarist Max Georgiev, bassist Jeff Salgado (Psychosomatic), drummer Nick Souza (Hatriot) and re...
Apr 03, 2025•27 min
Danish death-metallic hardcore band Lifesick’s latest (and first for label Metal Blade) album ‘Loved by None, Hated by All’ was released late 2024 to much acclaim. A record that showcased a tumultuous masterwork of bleak aggressive beauty, Lifesick in all its glory, but with so much more to it as well. It has been, rightfully, lauded as their best work yet which is saying something when you consider the heft and weight of their previous releases. Now, it’s all about maintaining the momentum, get...
Apr 03, 2025•36 min
German thrash three-piece Warfield are back with their brand-new album, the unstoppable inferno that is ‘With the Old Breed’, out March 28th, 2025, via Napalm Records. An album that sees Warfield explore the unembellished and emotional depiction of societal, historical, social and internal wars – expressing criticism of the bitter part of reality. A staggering step up in all departments for Warfield, this new album has the band sounding tighter and stronger than never. All because they’ve focuse...
Apr 02, 2025•31 min
This Summit Fever, the riff-worshipping fuzz rock duo, will unleash their self-titled debut album on April 4th, 2025, via Majestic Mountain Records. This Summit Fever have delivered a rousing riff-drenched head banger of an album with varied and creative ideas throughout. It’s exciting, it’s really digestible, and meets all expectations that long term listeners will have for them. You can read our full review here: https://www.gbhbl.com/album-review-this-summit-fever-this-summit-fever-majestic-m...
Apr 02, 2025•38 min
