Greetings! If you’re reading this in your inbox at the time of publication, I will have been the parent of a beautiful newborn for just a little over two weeks. And if you’re late to this post for whatever reason (you do you, I’m not your Dad), then just add on the extra hours, days, weeks, months, etc. at your leisure.

After a rough and protracted labour, my resilient wife and fabulous podcast co-host ushered our daughter into the world at 6:10 am on October 11th:

Following a brief hospital stay and welcome discharge, both Mum and baby are happy and healthy, and we’ve all been nesting here at home for the last fortnight. We’re currently on a rigourous tri-hourly feeding schedule, and doing our utmost to go with Audrey’s newfound flow: pump, eat, burp, poop, sleep, repeat.

On a day-to-day, this mainly involves fractured sleep cycles, binging TV show reruns, and increased caffeine consumption. I’m also happy to report that my extensive YouTube Watch Later playlist is getting extra attention in the wee hours of the evening between sterilizing bottles and disposing of full nappies.

Now, for reasons that should be rather obvious, I’ve already taken some time off from this illustrious newsletter and will continue to do so for the next few weeks. Being a longtime freelancer, the idea of paternity leave has a somewhat ‘looser’ feel than other jobs might permit, but I’d be lying if the idea of extensive time-off from the perpetual, nebulously defined ‘grind’ doesn’t have its upsides.

With that in mind, I’m dropping some links here to recent podcast episodes I published prior to and immediately following Audrey’s arrival (don’t worry, we’re also on pod hiatus), along with some new releases I’m enjoying when I have some precious minutes alone to walk our dog or run desperate supply errands. Enjoy!

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

I’ve been mates with Dominic Harper and Liam Holmes for the better part of a decade. The three of us take part in a casually infrequent group chat. We talk about Motion City Soundtrack, philosophy, and the intricacies of human consciousness. They were both at my wedding, and they’re both inseperable components of Meanjin/Brisbane alternative outfit The Comfort.

After years of threatenting to do a proper pod interview, the boys jumped on the show to chat about their phenomenal and incredibly vulnerable third studio album, Let The Love In (out now). Check it out below:

Jess Eastwood from Isle of Wight indie rockers Coach Party chats about all things Caramel (out September 26th through Chess Club Records).

Jess opens up on how the band wanted to follow-up their well-received 2023 debut LP, crafting a bonafide anthem in the form of rollicking single “Girls!”, using therapy and narrative abstraction as writing tools for emotional depth, and how trash TV can be a little slice of peace in an otherwise crazy world:

Artist, tattooist, F.O.T.S. and Going Off stage-stomper Jake Huxley returns to the show to chat about the Manchester hardcore crew’s latest effort, KILL LIST II (out October 31st).

We go in on splitting time between Manchester and Paris, writing the spiritual successor to 2023’s KILL LIST EP, splitting the difference between fast ragers and savage beatdowns, and how explorations of loss make for the group’s most thrilling material to date:

God Save The Gun, the brand new LP from indie-punks Militarie Gun (out now through Loma Vista Recordings), is easily the band’s best record, chock full of hummable guitar lines, stratopsheric choruses, and untold spiritual dimensions.

Frontman Ian Shelton joins the show to discuss music as a counter to the pull of organized religion, the misguided trappings of wellness culture, exploring his internal desire for salvation, and the underappreciated art of album sequencing:

SIMPLY EAR-RESISTIBLE:

Yep, that’s right: Dad jokes. (You’re welcome.)

• The Acacia Strain - You Are Safe From God Here

• AFI - Silver Bleeds the Black Sun

• Agriculture - The Spiritual Sound

• Dust - Sky Is Falling

• Heavensgate - A Heart Is A Heavy Burden

• Invoke - Enemy of the Sound Perception

• The Midnight - Syndicate

• Post Heaven - The Space That’s In Between

• Speed - All My Angels

• Tribal Gaze - Inveighing Brilliance

• Spiritual Cramp - RUDE

• Scorching Tomb - Ossuary

GOT PLUG?

If you want more behind the scenes pod shenanigans, please consider signing up to the TPD Patreon!

By joining, you become part of our alternative music community, get access to our existing bonus content, and have the opportunity to send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

Not one, not two, but three extra videos for y’all this week.

First up: I have officially entered my video essay era. Yes, that’s right! Real deal YouTuber shit, folks. This one is part of an ongoing retrospective series I’m working on titled, “MXC Canon,” where I take a look at the 20th anniversary of Parkway Drive’s highly influential debut full-length, Killing With A Smile. If you’re an Australian alternative music fan from the 2000s, then you know just how important this record is to our heavy music scene. Watch now:

For the pod, we had returning champion and longtime F.O.T.S. Lewy Glass in the studio. Lewy chats about Perfect Dark, the phenomenal debut LP from Volatile Ways, and why starting a label to release your own record just makes the most sense. We cover his work as CEO and head riff honcho of Bereave In God Records, run through his stellar catalogue of releases, and the health of regional scenes across the country. Lewy’s a deadset legend and this one was lots of fun:

And for my ongoing Dispatch Bay series, I had a chat with Dave LePage about the upcoming 50 LIONS full-length, New Reality, out October 3rd via Last Ride & Six Feet Under. We discuss the logistics of recording an album with members spread across the country, why Aussie hardcore is in such a good place, how creative freedom opened the group up to new sounds and ideas, and if we’ll ever get that CARPATHIAN reunion. You can check it out below:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

Sleepazoid – “NEW AGE”

After dropping one of my favourite EPs of 2025 back in March, Naarm/Melbourne indie-punks SLEEPAZOID are losing no steam as they enter their “NEW AGE.”

The quintet’s latest cut weaves and darts with bright, brash verses and frontwoman/guitarist Nette France’s streetwise confidence, before doing a hard 180-degree pivot into a lush, dreamy chorus. The group pull off both registers effortlessly, and I can’t wait to hear what they do next. Watch the video for “NEW AGE” below:

Father Deer Hands – “Nothing Down Here Blooms”

This week’s new find comes courtesy of Shogun (Antenna, Royal Headache), so shout out to unsolicited DMs. FATHER DEER HANDS hail from Gadigal/Sydney and their newest single, the catchy “Nothing Down Here Blooms,” runs the gamut of just about every alternative-adjacent sound we have adjectives for: heartfelt emo, upbeat pop-punk, cathartic screamo, and pummeling hardcore.

According to the quartet’s Instagram profile: “This Guinea pig has seen some shit, man.” So if you know the deep lore behind that single artwork, please let me know. Stream the single here (DSPs).

Bloom – “Tongue Tied” (feat. Mikaila Delgado)

Guest features are very much dime-a-dozen these days. But how often do we get a genuine, tearjerking, heart-string-pulling duet? You know, those harmony-fuelled belters that used to absolutely dominate the airwaves?? (Make Duets Great Again, et cetera, etc.)

Case in point: Sydney/Gadigal melodic hardcore crew BLOOM decided to switch up their usual penchant for bone-breaking aggression and have instead delivered an incredibly effective, primarily acoustic duet with YOURS TRULY frontwoman and F.O.T.S. Mikaila Delgado. Now, this is what I’m talking about. Watch the visualizer for “Tongue Tied” below:

Divedown – “In My Head”

Anxiety can be entirely overwhelming. Trust me, nothing gets you staring at the ceiling for hours on end like the prospect of becoming a parent in 2025. Or better yet, let DIVEDOWN frontman Sam Bianco tell you himself:

“This song is about dealing with intense anxiety and all the feeling surrounding it. I have been with dealing these feelings for a while, and I've felt it come in waves throughout my life. This song captures a very specific and difficult period for me. The lyrics aren’t subtle, I wanted to be straight to the point and I feel they capture exactly where my headspace was at the time.”

“In My Head” is the second single from the Naarm/Melbourne emo rockers for new label Ninth Life Records. You can stream the single here (Bandcamp).

Guilt Trip – “Burn”

I’ve been shuffling through the same gym playlist for the better part of fifteen years now, and one track that’s always remained in near-exclusive rotation is “Burn” by Throwdown from 2005’s Vendetta. That record saw the Orange Country hardcore vets finally embrace their love for Pantera-aping grooves to great effect.

So I don’t think it’s a huge leap to see a similar progression going on under the hood with Manchester’s GUILT TRIP. 2023’s Severance LP laid out their own metallic hardcore blueprint, and given their recent signing to the coveted Roadrunner Records, their latest single is easily their most groove-laden, stadium-ready pit starter to date. Watch the video for “Burn” below:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

Want more tracks? Well, I have some good news for you. I’ll be posting my Side B write-ups on THORNHILL, VARIALS, MIRRORLESS, and CASTLE RAT on the TPD Patreon. If you'd like to check them out, please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month).

By joining, you become part of our alternative music community, get access to our existing bonus content, and have the opportunity to send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

Two extra videos for this week! On the main show, we had Alex & Toby from Naarm/Melbourne metallers MÉLANCOLIA. Their uncompromising sophomore LP, random.access.misery, is out now through Greyscale and Nuclear Blast Records, and we spoke at length about why white is really more goth than black, why the future is forever shiny, blue, and chrome, why “blackened nu metal” is both a provocation and a challenge, and why the mighty fridge cigarette is the frostiest beverage of them all. Check it out in full below:

And for my ongoing Dispatch Bay series, Pete Abordi—one of the godfathers of Australian hardcore— muscled his way onto the show to chat about NO APOLOGIES and their insane new record, Life, out now through Last Ride Records. Pete gets into why it took so long between albums, not wanting to be just a “reunion” band, ideas of legacy, fatherhood, grief, and mortality, and why Australian hardcore is on top once again. You can check it out in full below:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

Post Heaven – “Exit Wound”

Last week heralded some stellar news for one of Naarm/Melbourne’s best underground artists. POST HEAVEN announced their signing to Greyscale Records, and the impending release of the quintet’s sophomore EP and debut for the label, The Space That’s In Between, arriving on October 3rd.

With intense live performances in support of Bloom, Trophy Eyes, and Touche Amore, alongside a diverse range of sonic influences—think alternative, grunge, post-hardcore; Glassjaw, Poison The Well, and Fleshwater—Post Heaven have already landed on my most anticipated EPs of 2025 list. Watch the video for “Exit Wound” below:

The Brave – You Know I Love the Pain

After roaring to life once more with their 2024 comeback cut, “Breaking Out,” Meanjin/Brisbane-based alt-metallers THE BRAVE are back again with a seductive new offering.

The group’s latest single, “You Know I Love the Pain,” finds them at the dawn of a bold new era. Combining serpentine metalcore riffage with pulse-raising rhythms and a soaring chorus, the track marks the band’s first truly independent release: with writing, recording, mixing, mastering, and artwork—along with filming, directing, and editing for the track’s accompanying music video—all completed in-house. Stream the single here (DSPs).

Severed – “W.O.R.L.D”

The heavy hardcore space may be reaching a point of saturation, but a crowded field means nothing to Nipaluna/Hobart outfit SEVERED—especially when their music feels weaponised to weed out the weak-willed and thin the herd.

The latest three-track release from the five-piece, Seizure Dreams (out now through Bereave In God Records), builds off their impressive 2024 demo, integrating their destructive beatdown tendencies with a dark atmosphere of hostility and grim resignation. Watch the video for “W.O.R.L.D” below:

Excide – Bastard Hymns

Speaking of hardcore, remember when mosh parts and soaring alt-rock hooks sat side-by-side without nary a raised eyebrow? Well, if you long for the days when Snapcase, Quicksand, and Failure were ascendant, EXCIDE should have you covered.

With production from Austin Coupe (PSYCHO-FRAME), the group’s forthcoming LP, Bastard Hymns (expected on November 28th through SharpTone Records), follows on from the groove-oriented hardcore template laid down on 2022’s Deliberate Revolver LP and 2024’s Humdinger two-track. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (DSPs).

Poppy, Amy Lee & Courtney LaPlante – “End of You”

Now here’s something that’s had the Internet is various stages of anticipatory meltdown for weeks. “End of You” is a collaborative single between three of heavy music’s most iconic vocalists, both old and new: online sensation-come-rockstar POPPY, Evanescence frontwoman AMY LEE, and Spiritbox frontwoman COURTNEY LAPLANTE.

Given the calibre of talent in this team-up, it’s hardly surprising then that the track is a fierce rager with metalcore chugs saddled up comfortably against power-chord chorus moments and blissful three-way harmonies. Oh, and don’t forget those screams. Watch the video for “End of You” below:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

Want more tracks? Well, I have some good news for you. I’ll be posting my Side B write-ups on SOFTCULT, CRIPPLING ALCOHOLISM, MANY EYES, and LA DISPUTE on the TPD Patreon. If you'd like to check them out, please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month).

By joining, you become part of our alternative music community, get access to our existing bonus content, and have the opportunity to send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

Three videos for this week! Yes, that’s right! The mighty triple threat. My wife/lovely co-host and I were guests on the Music Is My Life podcast last week, run by F.O.T.S. Lochlan Watt (RUN). It’s a very fun, rambling meta-conversation about running podcasts, music discovery, our early career jobs, technical difficulties, and why we need to bring back haters (but only as a treat). Check it out below, drop a comment, and follow Lochlan’s show while you’re there:

On the main show, we had industrial doomsayer and returning champion KING YOSEF drop in for a guest episode to chat about his insane new LP, Spire of Fear, out now through Bleakhouse. If you’re into any kind of abrasive music that isn’t afraid to get both vulnerable and weird, then you should be listening to this project. This is some of the most creative and uncompromising heavy tunes you’ll hear all year. Check it out in full below:

And for my ongoing Dispatch Bay series, the boys in HOT MULLIGAN stopped by for a quick chat about verbose song titles and the stories behind their stellar new post-emo classic in-waiting, The Sound a Body Makes When It's Still (out now through Wax Bodega). You can check it out in full below:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

Joyce Manor – “All My Friends are So Depressed”

SoCal punk rockers JOYCE MANOR have dropped their first taste of new music in three long years. “All My Friends Are So Depressed” is a breezy, acoustic-guitar-led cut produced by Epitaph label founder and Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. According to frontman and F.O.T.S. Barry Johnson, the track was inspired by, of all things, Mexican beer and Lana Del Rey:

“The first line I came up with for this song was ‘Lord above in a Tecate truck’ after passing a Tecate delivery truck with Jesus shit all over it on the freeway driving back to Long Beach after a show in Fresno… It’s kind of my take on what I imagine Lana Del Rey lyrics are like. Instead of icy, detached cool 50’s Americana, it’s all dirty shag carpet, bong rips, Peter Frampton Comes Alive, key lime pie and suicidal ideations.”

Watch the video for “All My Friends are So Depressed” below:

Going Off – Kill List II

As much as I love delisioursly fast, balls-to-the-wall hardcore punk that’s seemingly designed to break ankles and shred skin with sub-minute-long ragers, sometimes I just wanna listen to ignorantly heavy, knuckledragging beatdown tunes. Thankfully, Manchester brusiers GOING OFF satisfy both of these primal urges.

Follwoing the release of their ripping second LP, Die Fast, the quartet are dropping Kill List II, on October 31st. It’s the spiritual successor to their stupidly heavy 2023 EP and first Kill List volume, promising yet another evolution in throatshredding, beatdown aggression and unrelenting sonic extremity. Stream the EP’s pre-release singles here (DSPs).

The Barbarians of California – “Modern Fashion”

“Hopefully, ‘Modern Fashion’ can become a metaphor for whatever you feel like wearing and for whatever music you feel like listening to...never having to explain yourself.”

That’s Aaron Bruno (AWOLNATION) talking about the intent behind the latest single from THE BARBARIANS OF CALIFORNIA. Picking up where the band’s 2024 debut And Now I'm Just Gnashing My Teeth LP left off, the track hinges on a monstrous groove and swaggers through punk and alt-metal flavours with a cheeky off-kilter hook.

The group are currently on tour supporting Deftones in North America, and this one’s likely to get those stadium crowds jumping. Watch the video for “Modern Fashion” below:

Mastiff – For All the Dead Dreams

UK metallers MASTIFF are building up to their new EP release for F.O.T.S. over at Church Road Records. For All the Dead Dreams is out on October 24th, and is billed as “pure rage, misery, and riffs.”

If you’re a fan of metallic hardcore, sludge, the occasional prog freak-out, and howling vocals inspired by “embittered misanthropy,” then this East Yorkshire quintet are for you. Stream the EP’s pre-release singles here (DSPs).

Soul Blind – “Hide Your Evil”

New York rockers SOUL BLIND definitely love the ‘90s. While their previous efforts successfully blended the alternative and grunge sounds of that End of History decade, Red Sky Mourning—the band’s forthcoming second LP and debut for Closed Casket Activities, due on October 10th—presents a harder, heavier edge, leaning on the legacy of posthardcore greats like Helmet, Quicksand, and early career Deftones. As guitarist Justin Sarica puts it:

“The whole song is around this one riff and collectively we were pretty pissed off and angry, so what came out was very hard and very fast. I think this song is also the closest thing to our previous stuff but is emblematic of the vibe we're trying to catch with the record–anger coupled with heaviness while simultaneously opening up to these melodic and pretty sections.”

Watch the video for “Hide Your Evil” below:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

Want more tracks? Well, I have some good news for you.

I’ll be posting my Side B write-ups on SUN RUN, PUBLIC OPINION, AUTHOR & PUNISHER, and DEAD MALL on the TPD Patreon. If you'd like to check them out, please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month).

By joining, you become part of our alternative music community, get access to our existing bonus content, and have the opportunity to send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

Two more videos for everyone this week! Dyl & Stew from Naarm/Melbourne moshers BLOOD ON MY HANDS drop in to TPD HQ to chat about their excellent new EP, Death Through Devotion, out now through Kingpin Records (Aus) & Third Impact Records (US). We chop it up about finding hardcore in their youth, ongoing metalcore revivals, the undeniable influence of Killing With A Smile, the chaos and catharsis of really hard pit parts, and prepping for their debut headline tour. Check it out below:

And for my ongoing Dispatch Bay series, Shane Told from post-hardcore mainstays SILVERSTEIN goes long on the band’s “mf’in’ emo time machine” setlist for their ‘25 Years of Noise’ Australian tour this month, the group’s natural sonic evolution, their enduring friendship and parallel career trajectory with The Amity Affliction, plus what’s been on shuffle in his headphones for 2025. You can check it out in full below:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

AFI – “Behind The Clock”

Say what you will about AFI (or frontman Davey Havok’s knack for headline-worthy aesthetic presentation), the Californian quartet steadfastly refuse to make the same record twice.

Billed as a “bold new era for the iconic band,” their forthcoming twelfth studio album, Silver Bleeds the Black Sun… (arriving October 3rd via Run For Cover Records/Civilians), promises yet another branch in the group’s curious sonic evolution following 2021’s Bodies. The record’s lead single is a resolutely mid-tempo affair, with a plodding bassline wandering around Havok’s Ian Curtis-aping baritone.

Watch the video for “Behind The Clock” below:

Secret World – Tomorrow Is a Mystery To Me

With members serving time in active Sydney and Newcastle-based acts like SPEED, Trophy Eyes and Downside, melodic rockers SECRET WORLD already know their way around a great tune.

Having successfully bridged the sounds of hardcore and alt-rock on 2024’s Guilt Is Good EP, the group’s follow-up, Tomorrow Is A Mystery To Me (out September 19th via Last Ride Records, Sunday Drive Records, and Ice Grills), aims to level-up their songwriting through “emotive storytelling and extended anecdotes.” Latest single “Good Faith” has a ripping guest feature from Shogun (of Royal Headache/Antenna fame), and also sports one of the catchiest hooks I’ve heard all year, so they’re making good on that promise at least.

Stream the EP’s pre-release singles here (DSPs).

Death Goals – “Even A Worm Can Turn”

It’s not a great time to be a trans person living in the UK right now. Or anywhere else, really, for that matter. For heavy merchants DEATH GOALS, this sense of vulnerability and basic freedoms under threat fuels their forthcoming EP, Survival Is An Act of Defiance, set for indepedent release on August 29th.

“The phrase ‘even a worm can turn’ appeared in numerous books I’d been reading, and it really resonated with me,” says guitarist/vocalist Harry Bailey on the EP’s latest single. “The queer community is not violent nor malicious, however due to the rise in animosity against us we are being riled up and made to protect ourselves with greater force. This idea inspired the message and ideals that became the Survival… EP.”

The EP finds Death Goals joined by a roster of queer guest vocalists (including members of HIRS Collective, Burner, Cainhurst, and Victim Unit) to give voice to the duo’s most politically-charged and aggressive material to date. Watch the video for “Even A Worm Can Turn” below:

Algernon Cadwallader – Trying Not To Have a Thought

Twinkly guitar shouting enthusiasts ALGERNON CADWALLADER previously broke up in 2012, right before that decade saw a series of “emo revival” waves that featured them as a deeply respected fixture. However, like all good reunions, the quartet’s own revival in the present brings things comfortably full circle.

The band’s new LP, Trying Not To Have a Thought, is thier first since 2011’s Parrot Flies but also their first with the original lineup—vocalist-bassist Peter Helmis, guitarists Joe Reinhart and Colin Mahony, and drummer Nick Tazza—since their seminal debut record, 2008’s heralded Some Kind of Cadwallader.

As Helmis puts it: “I almost see it as fate that it boiled us down to this core, our original form. There’s a certain magic to that that couldn’t really be replicated.” Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (DSPs).

Dust – “Drawbacks”

Well, it’s finally here, folks. After years of non-stop touring, Aussie post-punk sensation DUST have finally announced their highly anticipated debut full-length, Sky Is Falling, out on October 10th through Kanine Records.

“Drawbacks,” the record’s lead single, kicks off with rolling hi-hats and bright instrumentation before locking into a mid-tempo groove as bandleader Justin Teale meditates on thoughts of confusion and self-doubt:

“Feelings of shame and regret in social surroundings where you should feel comfortable, and you can’t shake off the head noise. I guess this song is a way of talking to myself in the same way I do with my thoughts without sounding pretentious.”

Watch the video for “Drawbacks” below:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

Want more tracks? Well, I have some good news for you.

I’ll be posting my Side B write-ups on OUSTED, DESPISED ICON, GUILD, and ASUNOJOKEI on the TPD Patreon. If you'd like to check them out, please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month).

By joining, you become part of our alternative music community, get access to our existing bonus content, and have the opportunity to send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

Two more videos for everyone this week! On our last guest episode, we had Lachlan Ferruccio and Cat Xi, one-half of Naarm/Melbourne “metalcore throwback” outfit IDENTITY ERROR, on the show. With their upcoming debut EP, You Still Have Tomorrow, dropping next month, Lachlan and Cat chat about their love for heavy music, the band's early beatdown origins, the democratic nature of collaboration, perfecting the art of a clean chorus, stepping up to headline their own shows, and the strength of Melbourne’s thriving metalcore scene. Check it out below:

And for my ongoing Dispatch Bay series, resident rifflord Luke Bentham joined the show from the road to chat about THE DIRTY NIL’s ripping fifth LP, The Lash, out now through Dine Alone/Civilians. We chop it up about songwriting habits, treating inspiration like an everyday 9-5, the influence of country legend John Prine, The Beatles: Get Back TV documentary series, and more. Go on, get lashed and check it out below:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

Don Broco – “Cellophane”

On their new single, the rollicking “Cellophane,” DON BROCO frontman Rob Damiani is throwing down curious lyrical breadcrumbs. “I just pulled a sickie, woke up in the matrix” kicks off the track’s explosive pre-chorus, while “Love that fetal position, yeah, I can’t stop shaking/Uppercut my own face mid-conversation” lays the smackdown in the second verse.

While it’s hard to parse the exact context behind the latest missive from the UK rockers and newfound Fearless Records signees, the quartet’s rock-solid propensity for genre-bending “hooligan music” (cheers to my lovely wife & co-host for that exquisite descriptor) is still on full display. Watch the video for “Cellophane” below:

Bodyweb – deadwired

My new find this week comes all the way from Leeds, in the form of “nu-hardcore” quintet BODYWEB. What exactly is nu-hardcore, I hear you ask, ever so hesitantly? Well, dear reader, think raging heaviness, off-kilter hooks, abrupt switchups and transitions, all suffused with what can best be labelled as ‘grim and unsettling’ synth layers—aka spooky heavy shit.

Bodyweb’s upcoming four-track EP, deadwired, was self-produced by the band and vocalist Louis Hardy (Higher Power, Big Cheese), and it drops on September 5th through the good folks over at Flatspot Records. Stream the EP’s pre-release singles here (DSPs).

Thrice – “Gnash”

Back in 2005, post-hardcore luminaries THRICE dropped their (still impossible to pronounce) Vheissu LP, at a time that would ultimately turn out to be a significant hinge point for their storied career.

With the impending release of Horizons/West, the spiritual successor and companion album to 2021’s Horizons/East, arriving later this year (October 3rd through Epitaph), it feels like the group may be approaching another artistic milestone: unabashed creative freedom. As frontman Dustin Kensrue puts it:

“We’ve always just followed our curiosity, wherever it leads. We want to keep growing, exploring, and making something that feels honest to who we are right now.”

Watch the lyrics video for “Gnash” below:

Greyhaven – Keep It Quiet

Louisville outfit GREYHAVEN have always been one of those bands that I’ve heard of but never really heard. You know? I’ve seen them around, I’ve listened to the records and EPs, but nothing has ever really clicked the way it does for subconscious repeat listening and eventual staying power. That said, Keep It Quiet, the band’s forthcoming LP, produced by Will Putney and slated for release on October 10th through Solid State Records, might sway me.

Greyhaven will be touring across the UK and Europe in support of Better Lovers later this year, and that should give you a rough idea of the sonic register they work within. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (DSPs).

Heavensgate – “Rain”

It’s been a busy year for Naarm/Melbourne metalcore heavyweights HEAVENSGATE. They dropped their previous single “Oblivion” back in February and signed to Pure Noise Records, right before kicking off their first-ever US tour supporting Thrown, and then came home to pick up a national run with Chelsea Grin and Currents. And later this year, they’ll head over to the UK and Europe for a debut tour alongside We Came As Romans and Brand of Sacrifice. Suffice to say, dude’s have been B-U-S-Y.

Which may explain why their latest single, “Rain,” sounds so monumentally, aggressively pissed in the most ignorant way possible, even for Heavensgate. Maybe it’s the near-constant rhythmic tumult, the sidewinding fight riffs, or the piledriving percussive assault. Whatever it is, it sounds heavy, urgent, and entirely unruly. Listen at your own risk. Watch the video for “Rain” below:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

Want more tracks? Well, I have some good news for you.

I’ll be posting my Side B write-ups on THE SOUND OF ANIMALS FIGHTING, WEDNESDAY, PEELINGFLESH, and POST ANIMAL on the TPD Patreon. If you'd like to check them out, please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month).

By joining, you become part of our alternative music community, get access to our existing bonus content, and have the opportunity to send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

Two more videos for everyone this week! Our latest bonus episode was guest-less for the first time in a long while. However, in the absence of the desired company, I decided to run through my favourite releases of 2025 so far. So, if you want to hear the very best in metalcore revival, “Melbourne boltdown,” Montreal oi!, screamo, American melodeath, jangle-pop, and more, check it out below:

And for my ongoing Dispatch Bay series, MICROWAVE vocalist, guitarist, and psychedelic enjoyer Nathan Hardy joined the show. Returning Down Under alongside their longtime pals in Free Throw later this month, Nate chats about the group’s ongoing sonic evolution, what precipitated their “In Utero turn,” and how philosophy, Jungian archetypes, and introspection allowed them to “reach through the abyss” on their 2024 LP, Let’s Start Degeneracy. Check it out below:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

Terminal Sleep – “They Circle Below”

Naarm/Melbourne crew TERMINAL SLEEP have just finished their second victory lap of the UK/Europe, absolutely dominating festival summer stages and introducing newcomers to their brand of metallic hardcore chaos. With the coveted backing of Nuclear Blast Records label, the quartet have dropped a monstrous track, hinting at the beginning of an exciting new era.

On their latest single “They Circle Below,” vocalist and F.O.T.S. Bec Thorwesten states:

“The song explores the journey of navigating one's self-doubt and the drowning pressure of self-set expectations; overcoming mental turmoil and the only way out being through.”

(Editor’s Note: Fun fact, I’m also an extra in this music video, and one of the faceless cloaked apparitions haunting Bec’s inner psyche. Exciting stuff.)

Softcult – “Naive”

Canadian riotgaze duo SOFTCULT have been a regular fixture of this humble newsletter rag for years now, so it gives me great pleasure to write that the group appear to be teasing out their imminent debut full-length.

While album details are sparse (for the time being), the Arn-Horn siblings released the dreamy “Pill To Swallow” in April and have now followed with “Naive,” an immersive cut that practically begs for 3 am introspection and fatalistic, bedroom-floor yearning. Stream the single here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Deftones – “my mind is a mountain”

In 2025, DEFTONES are positioned as a genre unto themselves. No longer touted in critical circles as the only “nu metal band you’re allowed to like,” the group’s mixture of lush textures, horned-up lyricism, and serpentine riffage can be felt across practically every subgenre of alternative music.

After literally teasing their long-awaited tenth record for years, the quintet have finally announced the upcoming release of their new LP, private music, the follow-up to 2020’s Ohms, due to arrive on August 22nd via Reprise/Warner Records. As for their latest single and album opener, you should know what to expect at this point: crushing grooves, Chino’s breathy delivery, pretty guitar layers, etc. Watch the video for “my mind is a mountain” below:

Brooklyn Comic – Define Happiness

My new find this week comes from a TPD Patron, so shout out to Chris! You’re a legend. (This could be you! Sign up for the Patreon!) Emo outfit BROOKLYN COMIC hail from Gadigal/Sydney, and their debut album, Define Happiness, is dropping on August 8th through the good folks at Def Wolf Records.

As proud allies of the LGBTQIA+ community, the group’s sound “blends emo, hardcore, indie and alternative rock, tackling themes such as loss, self-doubt, heartache and personal growth.” If you’re into Movements, Jimmy Eat World, Spanish Love Songs, and anything else on that comprehensive sonic spectrum, this is for you. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

ERRA – “Gore of Being”

Metalcore progressives ERRA have returned with their first taste of new music since last year’s critically acclaimed CURE LP. “Gore of Being” plays out like a greatest hits of the band’s phenomenal career progression: winding, jackhammer grooves, crushing distortion, and stellar vocal interplay between F.OT.S. J.T. Cavey’s harsh midrange screams and Jesse Cash’s soaring melodies. On the single’s thematic intent, the band states:

“‘Gore of Being’ started as an idea that Clint brought into the studio and marks his first songwriting contribution to the band. Lyrically, ‘Gore of Being’ turned out to be a musing on mortality. Despite not writing the lyrics, Clint later had a conversation with Jesse connecting the serendipity between the lyrics and the working title Clint had for the instrumental, which related to his Dad’s sudden and tragic passing. The song’s context took a new shape from there, becoming a catharsis and being that much more special to the band.”

Watch the video for “Gore of Being” below:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

Want more tracks? Well, I have some good news for you. I’ll be posting my Side B write-ups on BY A THREAD, ANGEL DU$T, AGRICULTURE, and MISERY WHIP on the TPD Patreon.

If you'd like to check them out, please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month). By joining, you become part of our alternative music community, get access to our existing bonus content, and have the opportunity to send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like.

I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

Two more videos for everyone this week! Returning champions, Ads and Pip, drop in to chat about levelling things up for their 2025 instalment of A COLD DAY IN BNE fest. ‘Tis the season once again, and the third time is indeed the charm, folks! Can you survive… three years in a row? ⚔️❄️💀

We discuss the lessons learned from previous fests, the importance of keeping a consistent crew, the ebbs and flows necessary for perfect set orders, overcoming on-the-fly changes, Hail Mary email saves, and pulling together another banger lineup of primo heavy talent. Check it out below:

And for my ongoing Dispatch Bay series, the ever-affable Jeremy Bolm of post-hardcore staples TOUCHE AMORE returns to the show. On this episode, we’re talking exclusively Real S***™ and pulling zero punches. Jeremy goes in on playing 2 am festival sets in Germany, mid-life crisis mosh bands, why algorithms are cheapening the album listening experience, the ecstatic joy of audiobook conversion, why Heat 2 rips, and why the original Final Destination film is boring, actually. Jeremy rules, and this one was lots of fun. Check it out below:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

Bilmuri – “More Than Hate”

The Hogcranker-in-Chief is back, baby! Fresh off a (mostly) sold-out Australian tour (that we sadly had to miss), BILMURI, Johnny Franck’s (ex-Attack Attack) latest effort, has dropped a new banger. “More Than Hate” is a heavy rager featuring Bilmuri as the elusive “Hogman,” a rogue antihero being hunted in the woods by a squad of special guest stars. If you’ve ever accidentally stumbled upon reruns of Finding Bigfoot, then you’ll clock this vibe immediately.

While there’s no word on a new Bilmuri record at this stage, as he’s no doubt busy with hectic touring schedules, if it’s anything close to 2024’s American Motor Sports, then hogs will indeed be cranked in anticipation. Watch the video for “More Than Hate” below:

Homesick – This Is A War

If you’re into raw, melodic hardcore of the mid-00s Deathwish variety (IYKYK), with an impassioned anti-colonial perspective, then boy, do I have something for you. First Nations outfit HOMESICK are back with their first proper release in several years following their acclaimed sophomore album, 2018’s Terra Nullius.

Breaking their hiatus with last year’s standalone single “Legacy of Nothing,” the group’s latest project is a three-track EP titled This Is A War, out now through Bad Apples Music, the label initiative of rapper Briggs (A.B. Original). Stream the three-track EP in full here (Spotify).

King Yosef – “Molting Fear”

F.O.T.S. and Oregon bruiser KING YOSEF is back with the first taste from his forthcoming full-length album, Spire of Fear, which arrives on August 15th via Bleakhouse. This record is the long-awaited follow-up to 2023’s breakout LP, An Underlying Hum, which fused industrial and hardcore with hefty metallic riffs and skittering electronic textures. The self-produced album was recorded and mixed at the legendary GodCity Studio with longtime collaborators Kurt Ballou and Zach Weeks.

To my ear, Yosef specialises in making music that matches the embodied intensity of being gleefully tossed through a farm thresher, dropkicking a 56K dial-up modem into a blackhole, or that fiery Steel Mill showdown in Terminator 2. (You know the one.) Watch the video for “Molting Fear” below:

RUN – Ash + Soil

Speaking of F.O.T.S., Lochlan Watt’s blackened post-metalcore project RUN is back with new material, with a two-track single release, Ash + Soil, out now digitally with a limited vinyl release through Thirty Two Records available for pre-order. According to Watt:

“‘Ash’ is a 1:30 blistering rager, while ‘Soil’ is a doomy, atmospheric epic that comes in at almost 5 minutes. Two opposite ends of the RUN spectrum, with a next level drum performance provided by Paul Seidel (The Ocean, Nightmarer, War From A Harlots Mouth).”

Both tracks embody that RUN sound through and through, running the gamut from August Burns Red and Misery Signals to Svalbard and Deafheaven. Stream the two-track release in full here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Love Is Noise – “Hole In Me”

UK outfit LOVE IS NOISE is the project of Cam Humphrey (formerly of Lotus Eater), and they’ve been making, ahem, noise ever since the release of their debut album, To Live In A Different Way, back in February via Century Media Records. Never ones to rest, the quartet have already dropped two new singles: “Hole In Me” and “All Eyes Shut,” which features a guest appearance from Loathe guitarist/vocalist Erik Bickerstaffe.

I found the former to be the most captivating, with a stratospheric chorus hook reminiscent of Static Dress at their most anthemic, before it descended into a frenzy of utterly surprising blastbeat chaos on the back end. Watch the video for “Hole In Me” below and see what I mean:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

Want more tracks? Well, I have some good news for you. I’ll be posting my Side B write-ups on HUNDREDS OF AU, DAZEY DOOM, VVARP, and RINGLETS on the TPD Patreon.

If you'd like to check them out, please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month). By joining, you become part of our alternative music community, get access to our existing bonus content, and have the opportunity to send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like.

I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

Two videos for y’all again this week! With their album launch tour wrapping up last week, we had CHASING GHOSTS frontman Jimmy Kyle on the pod to talk about their phenomenal new record. Pairing a genuine “coming of age” moment with the band’s most intimate and compelling material to date, Therapy ruminates on Indigenous history, generational trauma, masculinity, suicide, domestic abuse, and fatherhood with a sensitivity that demands attention, curiosity, and personal growth. It’s a ripping chat, and you can check it out below:

And for my ongoing Dispatch Bay series, Aussie pop-punk mainstays YOURS TRULY are finally bringing their TOXIC tour back home. Frontwoman Mikaila Delgado joins the show from the cosy comfort of her bedroom floor to scan through YouTube comments and discuss everything from video game soundtracks and favourite lyrics to artist comebacks and ‘Punk Goes…’ cover compilations. Check it out below:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

Fallweather – I Must Be Sick // Rain

Lately, I’ve been hearing good things about Naarm/Melbourne up-and-comers FALLWEATHER. The band’s latest two-track release, “I Must Be Sick // Rain,” which essentially functions as one complete sub-four-minute banger, provides proof-of-concept for blending post-hardcore, melodic hardcore, emo, and metalcore into something wholly uniform and captivating.

With the group fresh off a national tour supporting French metalcore crew Landmvrks, and their own release shows scheduled for the coming weeks, it’ll be interesting to see where the young outfit goes from here. Watch the video for “I Must Be Sick // Rain” below:

Ho99o9 – Tomorrow We Escape

One of the things I love about discovering new music is finally listening to a band that has operated on the periphery of your musical knowledge or taste for years, and being pleasantly surprised by the result. Enter L.A. rap-punk duo HO99O9 (pronounced “Horror” for those playing at home).

The duo, comprised of TheOGM and Yeti Bones, have announced their forthcoming third LP, Tomorrow We Escape, out on September 9th through Last Gang Records. The album’s lead single, “Upside Down,” continues their genre-bending mix of hip-hop, digital hardcore, punk, metal, industrial, and more, featuring nu metal grooves, moody croons, rapped vocals, and booming, blown-out production. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Spotify).

Castle Rat – “WIZARD”

Now, I’ve said something to this effect before in this hallowed newsletter rag, so forgive the repetition. Still, if your band’s aesthetic—be it a simple promo shot, music video, stage prop or otherwise—involves the intentional use of medieval weaponry, I will unequivocally fuck with it.

Brooklyn doom quartet CASTLE RAT know this, and that’s why frontwoman Riley ‘The Rat Queen’ Pinkerton is wielding a big ass sword on top of a glorious unicorn steed for the cover of their upcoming LP, The Bestiary, out on September 19th through King Volume Records (North America) and Blues Funeral Recordings (UK/Europe). Watch the video for “WIZARD” below:

Moving Mountains – Pruning of the Lower Limbs

Did I have the return of post-rock-meets-emo outfit MOVING MOUNTAINS on my 2025 bingo card? No, but it’s a hell of a lot better than Trump 2.0 and nuclear war with Iran, so I’ll take what I can get at this point.

The New York group have an album on the way, their first in 12 years, titled Pruning of the Lower Limbs, which arrives on June 27th via Wax Bodega. The band are rocking with the same line-up as their acclaimed 2013 self-titled album, and from the sound of lead single “Ghosts,” they’re also picking back up right where they left off. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

DRAIN – “Nights Like These”

Back in March, I had a chat with DRAIN’s main man, Sammy Ciaramitaro, in which he mentioned enthusiastically learning bass to write songs for their new album. Well, it turns out that record is called …IS YOUR FRIEND, it’s dropping on November 7th through Epitaph, and one of those new songs is the delightful hardcore punk rager known as “Nights Like These”.

If, like me, your heart still yearns to stage dive, despite your feet and spine screaming “No!! Please, sir! We cannot take any more punishment!!!” then this is for you. Watch the video for “Nights Like These” below:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

Want more tracks? Well, I have some good news for you. I’ll be posting my Side B write-ups on WITCH FEVER, NUOVO TESTAMENTO, DELIQUESCE and PUFFER on the TPD Patreon.

If you'd like to check them out, please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD or $5 AUD per month). By joining, you become part of our alternative music community, get access to our existing bonus content, and have the opportunity to send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like.

I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

Two videos for y’all this week! Here’s my chat with Dan & Elly Vex: the symbiotic halves of Naarm/Melbourne indie punks MANNEQUIN DEATH SQUAD. We chat about the group’s not-so-dramatic origin story, crafting their career-best material for their recently released Wise and Dangerous LP, rocking DIY tours, opening for Suicidal Tendencies, delirious rave visits at the foot of the Himalayas, and why Eurovision decided to double down on corny cringe. Check it out below:

And for my ongoing Dispatch Bay series, Aussie chaos merchants TOTALLY UNICORN are hitting the road yet again to celebrate the launch of their latest single, “Hard Feelings”: a righteous ode to growing up, overcoming anxiety, and sticking it to your brain in the wee hours when it ceases to STFU. Frontman and all-round legend Drew Gardner took time out of his precious day off to jump on the pod for a quick yarn. Check it out below:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

The Amity Affliction – “All That I Remember”

With the much-publicised exit of bassist/vocalist and original member Ahren Stringer now behind them, Aussie metalcore staple THE AMITY AFFLICTION are confidently ushering in a new era.

The group has released their first taste of music with the new addition of Johnathon Reeves (also of Kingdom of Giants) on clean vocals, and it’s a fiery, pummeling cut that deals with fractured familial relationships.

Now look, all personal drama aside, I’ve been an Amity fan for nearly twenty years, and I feel like Jonny sounds right at home here. So, I’m all for it. Watch the video for “All That I Remember” below:

Dead Mall – Superliminal

On their forthcoming debut full-length, Newcastle newcomers DEAD MALL aim to fuse elements of alt-rock, nu-metal, power-pop, and electronica with their hardcore roots. Now, is it an ambitious goal? Sure. But does it work in practice? Abso-fucking-lutely.

Take one listen to the ripping title track from Superliminal (out August 21st), and tell me you don’t wanna hum that soaring hook all goddamn day. (Yes, I’ll wait.) Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Spotify).

50 Lions – “Misery”

Byron Bay bruisers 50 LIONS were one of the first hardcore bands that really “clicked” for me. Having a local band embody the fun and fury of the subgenre eventually led me to revisit the classics and find artists and styles that I adore to this day. So, having the group return with new music after a nine-year absence feels like a full-circle moment for little hardcore kid me.

I’ve also seen reports of a new LP in the works for both Last Ride & Six Feet Under Records, with release rumoured for later this year, so watch this space. Listen to “Misery” here.

The Maggie Pills – “Velobell”

Led by Argentinian frontwoman Delfi Sorondo and Venezuelan drummer Mario Perez, Naarm/Melbourne-based punk rockers THE MAGGIE PILLS formed in 2019 shortly after both members immigrated to Australia.

The band’s latest single, “Velobell,” is billed as “a blistering fusion of grunge distortion and punk urgency,” with mixing from Brad Jackson and mastering by Grammy-winning engineer Emerson Mancini (Kendrick Lamar, Paramore, Linkin Park). As the quintet states:

“Whether you’re wrestling grief, burnout, addiction, or just the quiet emptiness of everyday life, ‘Velobell’ is a howl from the void that says: ‘You’re still in there, and you're not alone’.”

Stream the single in full here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Psycroptic – “Architects of Extinction”

Tasmanian tech-death dealers PSYCROPTIC have officially joined the esteemed Metal Blade Records roster for the release of their forthcoming full-length album and follow-up to 2022’s Divine Council LP.

Guitarist Joe Haley described this announcement as “a surreal and humbling moment” for the long-running band, as they prepare to forge ahead and push onward into extremity once more:

“We’re currently in the final stages of finishing our new album, and we can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on. To kick off this awesome new chapter on the right note, we’re dropping our brand-new single, ‘Architects Of Extinction.’ Enjoy.”

Watch the video for “Architects of Extinction” below:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

I’ll be posting my Side B write-ups on CARDBOARD CUTOUTS, TWIABP&IANLATD, HOLY FAWN and STRAY FROM THE PATH on the TPD Patreon. If you'd like to check them out, please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD or $5 AUD per month).

By joining, you become part of our alternative music community, get access to our existing bonus content, and have the opportunity to send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

For our most recent guest episode, we’re joined by none other than the formidable Chris Penney: Carlton Dry agnostic, N2O evangelist, Mandela Effect proponent, all-round good bloke, and stage-averse vocalist for Naarm/Melbourne party starters PRIVATE FUNCTION.

With a new full-length album on the way–the animatedly titled ¯\_(ツ)_/¯–Chris talks about stadium tours with meh bands, why concept albums are mostly bullshit, getting stranded during cyclones, how to level up the band’s antics from state bans and LP’s full of literal piss, the ecstatic joy of writing simple punk songs, and why Australians are fascinated by big (and sometimes terrifying) statues of inanimate objects.

It’s a ripping chat, and you can check it out below:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

President – “In the Name of the Father”

Oh, what’s that you say? Another enigmatic group using anonymity and masked mystique to drum up online hype for new music drops? Colour me curious. (Look, if it’s working for Sleep Token, why not?) Post-hardcore outfit PRESIDENT have revealed their debut single, “In The Name Of The Father,” billed as “a raw meditation on existential fear and the inevitability of death, referencing the ‘King of Terrors’.” As the band states, somewhat cryptically:

“Something has been stirring. A growing noise, a ripple through the republic of the underground. We called. You listened. Your curiosity, your questions, your conversation… We have witnessed it all. Here, we make our first proclamation… This is the first crack in the surface. This is your PRESIDENT. We'll be seeing you soon. Godspeed.”

I’m not entirely sure what jacking the Twitching Tongues logo has to do with this… but watch this space, etc., and watch the video below:

Maruja – Pain to Power

Experimental UK punk outfit MARUJA have announced their highly anticipated debut full-length, Pain to Power, due for release on September 12th via Music For Nations. I featured the band last year for their track “Break The Tension” (which ruled), and they also dropped an instrumental EP earlier this year, titled Tír na nÓg. On the album’s lead single, the nerve-wracking “Look Down On Us,” frontman Harry Wilkinson says:

“The first half of the song paints a grotesque and vivid picture of the super wealthy, and the impact they have on our culture. The second half is about the need to come together in solidarity and embrace love as a wider community, especially in times of oppression. The song ends full circle, arching back to where it began as a reminder to the listener of the struggle from which it came, and the struggle that still remains.”

Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Spotify).

Coach Party – “Girls!”

Speaking of previous mentions, COACH PARTY’s 2023 debut LP, KILLJOY, was a standout from that year, and a raucous slice of upbeat indie-punk. On their sophomore follow-up, Caramel (arriving September 26th via Chess Club Records), the Isle of Wight quartet celebrates human connection through “the other side of those truths and shared experiences.”

According to band leader Jess Eastwood, the album’s lead single “Girls!” is a mosh-ready incitement to freedom of expression, feminine empowerment, and hedonistic euphoria:

“When it’s over, you can go back to being whoever you usually are—but for right now, let loose and have fun.”

Watch the video for “Girls!” below:

Consequence – XL Mindset

Shout out to Josh from Gold Coast hardcore crew CONSEQUENCE for sending this one over. The band have prepped their debut EP, XL Mindset, for release later this year, with the title track single out now. The EP was recorded by F.O.T.S. Brendan Auld at Blackblood Audio, mixed by Andy Nelson, and mastered by Brad Boatright.

If you’re into no-frills metallic hardcore with lots of energy, stomping rhythms, and hard-as-fuck riffs, this is for you. Stream the EP’s pre-release single/s here (Spotify).

La Dispute – “I Shaved My Head”

It’s been a long while, but post-hardcore luminaries LA DISPUTE are finally back with their first album in six years. Released in multiple acts over the next few months, No One Was Driving The Car will be available in full on September 5th via Epitaph.

Act I—consisting of “I Shaved My Head,” “Man with Hands and Ankles Bound,” and “Autoficion Detail”—is out now, and finds the group heavily inspired by “malaise in the shadow of the looming apocalypse,” the clash of technology and human agency, and writer/director Paul Schrader’s 2017 psychological thriller First Reformed.

If you’re at all familiar with that last one, then you know this album will hit in all sorts of ways. Watch the video for “I Shaved My Head” below:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

I’ll be posting my Side B write-ups on EN MASSE, LIQUID MIKE, CRUST, and THE CALLOUS DAOBOYS on the TPD Patreon. If you want to check those out, please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month).

By joining, you become part of our alternative music community, get access to our existing bonus content, and have the opportunity to send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

Fresh off their sold-out supporting run for F.O.T.S. Thornhill last month, we were stoked to have the boys from Naarm/Melbourne bruisers MELTING on the pod.

Mastermind, six-stringer and “creative visionary” Alex Bertuna gives us the lowdown on how the project came about, evolving from “demo jail” riff ideas into the fully-fledged metalcore barnburners found on the quartet’s upcoming debut EP, You Exist Because We Allow It (out now through Greyscale Records).

Drummer Johnny Foti talks about his love for heavy music, playing in punk bands, the catharsis of live shows, and following his desire to play more extreme music. Check it out below:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

Mudrat – “YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT POOR PEOPLE”

With our recent Australian election results all but confirmed as of writing (suck shit, Dutton, you Voldemort-looking dog), it’s about time for some class consciousness-raising. Fusing their love for punk, metal, and hip-hop, Naarm/Melbourne provocateur MUDRAT has delivered a fiery screed aimed squarely at the 1%: “YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT POOR PEOPLE.”

The track acts out an “unlikely hero’s journey and presents a satirical conversation between MUDRAT and a mysterious bartender,” taking aim at toxic masculine tropes, inner-city gentrification, and the exclusivity of white feminism. Watch the video below:

Armlock – Strobe

Last year saw the release of Seashell Angel Lucky Charm, the debut full-length from Naarm/Melb slowcore sensation ARMLOCK for Run For Cover Records. After heavy touring across the UK, Europe, North America and at home, the Aussie duo are back with their first piece of new music, a jubilant cut titled “Strobe.” On the single’s release, the band states:

“‘Strobe’ is about cherishing the small, grounding moments amidst life’s chaos and challenges. It’s a reflection on commitments—both to others and to oneself—framed by a sense of cyclical motion, resilience, and the urge to return to what matters most.”

Stream the track in full here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Talk Heavy – “Die 4 U”

Keeping things local still, Australia has a new home for sad punk bangers. Ninth Life Records was founded by Joshua Merriel (Greyscale Records; Triple J’s Short.Fast.Loud) and his partner Tayla Ellerby.

The label’s first signing is Brisbane/Meanjin outfit TALK HEAVY (which also features Ellerby on bass), who dropped their latest single, “Die 4 U,” to celebrate the announcement. The track is a playful homage to pop-punk staples like Blink-182 and Motion City Soundtrack, self-recorded and self-produced by vocalist and guitarist Matt Cochran, with mastering by the legendary Will Yip (Movements, Scowl, L.S. Dunes). Watch the video for “Die 4 U” below:

Béton Armé – Renaissance

BÉTON ARMÉ’s Second Souffle EP was one of my favourite releases of 2023. Last year, I finally got to see the Montreal crew in action, and it was fucking unreal. Real-deal, living proof that “good punk makes you feel invincible.”

The band have recently announced the upcoming release of their debut full-length, Renaissance, out on June 13th through La Vida Es Un Mus Discos, and it’s already one of my most anticipated albums of the year. According to the group’s Bandcamp bio, their new record:

“Borrows from sounds outside the subculture, orchestrating harmonies to unite the punks, skins and moshers… However, on this LP, there is a subtle influence of early American hardcore bands, adding more stomping rhythms and upping the pace of the songs.”

Stream the LP’s pre-release single/s here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Johnny Booth – “Get Well Soon”

Speaking of 2023 and standout releases, New York pit-starters JOHNNY BOOTH are following up their phenomenal Moments Elsewhere LP with a new rager. “Get Well Soon” is the band’s first new music in two years, and guitarist Adam Halpern also directed the accompanying video.

It’s another stupid heavy cut from the quintet, proving their restless creative vision yields seductive hooks and crushing aggression in equal measure. There simply isn’t anyone doing modern metalcore on this level, and it’s time for everyone else to put some respect on the Booth. Watch the video for “Get Well Soon” below:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

My Side B write-ups on TURNSTILE, LOATHE, DEADGUY, and SLUNG are available now on the TPD Patreon. So please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month).

You can join our alternative music community, access our existing bonus content, and send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

Okay, a few points to cover at the top here. Yes, I have changed the name. This is now a ‘Release’ Roundup rather than a weekly edition so that I can be a little looser with the temporal frequency of the newsletter (hence the tardiness, again).

Why do you ask? Well, my gorgeous wife and illustrious co-host is currently 16 weeks pregnant, so I’m getting ahead of my life’s imminent chaos. Please send your thoughts, prayers, and congratulations in a timely manner.

We also took last week off for the Easter break (praise be, he is risen, etc.), but I still want to shout out our most recent guest episode.

Guitarist Sammy Urwin and vocalist Justine Jones joined the show to chat about their numerous collaborative endeavours (including CHURCH ROAD RECORDS and Since Always Press), EMPLOYED TO SERVE’s stellar new record, Fallen Star (out tomorrow through Spinefarm), getting their band momentum back post-pandemic, learning tips from tourmates Gojira, and how the communal catharsis of heavy music endures as a powerful, unifying force. Check it out below:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

Private Function – “Koala”

Fresh from warming up stadium crowds for Green Day (and getting stuck on the Gold Coast during a cyclone), Naarm/Melbourne party starters PRIVATE FUNCTION have announced the impending release of their 4th LP: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (yes, that’s right) is a sprawling 19-track record, and arrives on May 23rd.

According to frontman Chris Penney, the album’s lead single—the extremely earwormy “Koala”—is both a departure from their usual sound and also the most Private Function song to date; a carefree ode to “hugging the ones you love and holding them as tight as you can for as long as life lets you.” Watch the track’s tongue-in-cheek video below:

Ritual – Songs for the Haunted

Here’s a sick recommendation courtesy of TPD patron Chris (shout out to Chris! You rule!). European hardcore outfit RITUAL are back after a 13-year hiatus with their new album, Song for the Haunted, dropping on September 12th through Through Love Records.

The group formed in 2005 and played over 300 shows in 19 countries before disbanding in 2012. Now they’re back and sounding more vital than ever. But don’t take my word for it. Here’s how they feel about their reunion:

“Whereas the old Ritual were above all an angry band, here we hear a new hope, which is perhaps also based on the sense of community that has always welded childhood friends together and is now more than ever aesthetically effective… It feels good to be back.”

Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Somerset Thrower – “Never Going to Therapy”

Being from the other side of the world, it’s wild to think about how formative the Long Island scene and sound have been to my musical development. Emo and melodic hardcore staples like Taking Back Sunday and Crime in Stereo, as well as newcomers like Iron Chic and Koyo, are essential listening in my household and have been for years.

Well, now I’m adding SOMERSET THROWER to that storied list. Back with their first new music following 2020’s exceptional Paint My Memory LP, their third album, Take Only What You Need to Survive, is set for release on July 11th through Smartpunk Records. Watch the video for “Never Going To Therapy” below:

Sledges – Losing Pace

San Diego alt-rockers SLEDGES originally released their Losing Pace EP in 2024. Why does this matter? Well, that release caught the attention of Quiet Panic Records, who liked it so much they signed the band, adding them to a stacked roster that includes Slow Crush, Filth Is Eternal, M.U.T.T., and more.

Now that EP is getting a June 9th reissue that comes with two extra tracks. If you frequent Reddit enough to argue with strangers about whether Deftones are shoegaze or not (wait, just me?), then this is for you. Stream the EP’s re-release single/s here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Blood Vulture – “A Dream About Starving To Death”

Following Neon Nightmare’s spectacular debut last year, it seems to be the season for resurrecting a particular brand of mid-90s metal: namely horny and heavy, gothic-adjacent, Type O Negative worship. Helmed by multi-talent Jordan Old, one-half of Two Minutes To Late Night, BLOOD VULTURE are coming in hot with their debut album, Die Close, due out on June 27th through Pure Noise Records. Speaking on the project’s debut single, Old states:

“‘A Dream About Starving To Death’ is a song I wrote about a vampire who realises he is about to watch the world end. He has lived past the extinction of humanity and lost count of how many days he has been hungry, and he realises that soon there won't be an Earth anymore. He’s not sure whether it will explode or just rot and crumble, and he’s curious about whether he’ll disintegrate or just float forever in space.”

Watch the video for “A Dream About Starving To Death” below:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

My Side B write-ups on HOON, BLOOD COMMAND, DOMESTICATED INCELS, and SUPERHEAVEN are available now on the TPD Patreon. So please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month).

You can join our alternative music community, access our existing bonus content, and send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

With their highly anticipated third LP finally out in the world, Jacob and Ethan from THORNHILL gave me the down-low on BODIES and the band’s ongoing evolution. In a true feat of interview multi-tasking, the boys chat about the lessons learned from 2022’s Heroine, the science of physical grooves, pulling from disparate 2000s influences, and what it means to make sexy, heavy music–all from the golfing green, mid-backswing. Greg Norman could never. Check it out below:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

Belle Haven – “it’s not that deep”

Naarm/Melbourne alternative emo rockers BELLE HAVEN are back with a catchy single following 2024’s something new EP release. “it’s not that deep” was produced by and engineered by Jack Newlyn (Between You And Me, Teenage Joans, Eat Your Heart Out, Stuck Out), and comes after the group’s national tour supporting the UK’s As December Falls in February.

Continuing his knack for raw, heartfelt lyricism delivered with a gorgeous croon, frontman David De La Hoz states:

“You don’t have to carry the weight of someone else’s version of you. People will paint you however they need to fit their story, but sometimes that’s all it is: ‘it’s not that deep.’”

Watch the video below:

Balmora – Prologue

If you’re a regular reader, the name BALMORA should be familiar. I covered last year’s Six Pacts Etched In Blood, their crushing split with (the now defunct) Since My Beloved, here, and their contribution to the raging One Scene Unity compilation here. Well, the Connecticut metalcore revivalists surprise dropped a new three-track titled Prologue last week through DAZE/Ephyra, pitched as “what The Black Dahlia Murder sounded like if they had irate mosh parts.”

The band are currently destroying venues across North America as part of the DAZE tour alongside Torture, Sanction, Final Resting Place, and Azshara, and if we don’t get a debut full-length in 2025, I’m going spinkick myself into oblivion. Stream the three-track promo in full here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Teenage Joans – “Sweet and Slow”

After spending 2024 mostly quiet, Aussie pop-punkers TEENAGE JOANS are back with an infectious new single, aptly described by the duo as their “Disney Channel” song. “Sweet And Slow” was co-produced by fellow Jayden Seeley (ex-With Confidence), and according to vocalist/guitarist Cahli Blakers:

“It emanates that early 2000s pop-punk sound. We brought this super catchy chorus we had written to Jayden Seely, who co-wrote the song with us. It was our first session with him, and the energy in the room was great—we all knew we were writing such a fun song.”

Watch the cheeky video for “Sweet and Slow” below:

Stateside – Where You Found Me

It’s been a long time coming, folks, but hardcore-adjacent pop-punk outfit STATESIDE have finally announced their debut album. Where You Found Me is due out on June 6th via Pure Noise Records, and includes guest appearances from members of Knuckle Puck and Vamachara.

If you’ve listened to and/or enjoyed any flavour of pop-punk over the last three decades—Saves The Day, New Found Glory, The Story So Far, The Wonder Years, Koyo, Anxious, One Step Closer, etc.—but (like me) are especially fond of Fall Out Boy’s stellar debut Take This To Your Grave, then this might be your AOTY contender. Stream the LP’s pre-release single/s here (Spotify).

Static Dress – “face.”

Back in 2022, my wife and I saw UK post-hardcore sensation STATIC DRESS play a sold-out show at The Underworld in Camden, and—without hyperbole—it was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen in my entire life: truly electric, life-changing shit.

2022’s Rogue Carpet Disaster is still one of my favourite albums of the decade, and the group’s latest single is but further proof of their inimitable talent. So, believe me when I say you need to be listening to this band, at the very least to say you managed to board the hype train before it screams out of the station. Watch the stunning video for “face.” below:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

My Side B write-ups on THE CHAIN, THE HIVES, WE LOST THE SEA, and FLORIDA MAN are available now on the TPD Patreon. So please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month).

You can join our alternative music community, access our existing bonus content, and send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

There are two videos again this week! The first is my special chat with Spencer Chamberlain, vocalist of Floridian post-hardcore giants UNDEROATH and crooner for alt-indie outfit SLO/TIDE. Underoath’s tenth album, The Place After This One (out now through MNRK Heavy), finds the quintet at the dawn of a new era, one forged in the search for creative freedom and a firm rejection of expectation.

Spencer chats with us about finding the right producer to realise the group’s collective vision, the tension between the risk of new music and familiar fan-favourite records, and how the last five years have changed his lyrical outlook:

The second features JOYCE MANOR frontman and all-around affable guy Barry Johnson. We chat about whether Joyce is a “real emo” band, playing shows on late-night TV shows, hitting a confident stride in their 15-year career, their whirlwind anniversary tour celebrating 2014’s stellar Never Hungover Again, and what it’s like to rip through a “perfect 45-minute set.” Check it out below:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

Split Chain – “bored. tired. torn.”

Years ago, I wrote a whole thing about “nu-grunge” and how the evolution of punk and alternative subgenres in the 90s goes a long way to explaining our current (and some might add, everlasting) fixation on a particular form of aesthetic revivalism.

Case in point: Bristol outfit SPLIT CHAIN really love the 90s, and they have an entire album dropping soon to prove why. The group’s full-length debut motionblur is out on July 11th through Epitaph Records and speaks directly to growing up with and still adoring acts like Deftones, Hum, Failure, and more. As bassist Tom Davies puts it:

“We wanted to honour the things that shaped us: the lifestyles, the music, and the pop culture that became part of our identity.”

Watch the video for “bored. tired. torn.” below:

Dance – Demo

Speaking of revivalism, y’all fuck with late 90s/early 00s metalcore like I do? Yeah?? Dope. Well, you should definitely check out Sydney youngbucks DANCE and their shiny new four-track demo.

Everything from their logo to their merch to the sonics and impeccable use of samples speaks to a very hyperspecific style of shrieking mosh music, and folks, let me be absolutely clear: Violence has never sounded so sweet. Stream the demo in full here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Age of Apocalypse – “Mortal Coil”

While we’re talking about the 90s, let’s talk about playing stupid-heavy riffs but also singing like a soulful yet perpetually depressed person. Obviously, the explicit reference point here is the almighty Crowbar, but you could also shout out Twitching Tongues for a more modern flavour.

As it happens, both Taylor and Colin Young of Twitching Tongues show up on this new AGE OF APOCALYPSE record, for production and vocal appearances, respectively. The group’s second full-length LP, In Oblivion (arriving on May 23rd through Closed Casket Activities), follows 2022’s Grim Wisdom and promises more groovy metallic hardcore from the Hudson Valley crew. Watch the video for the album’s lead single, “Mortal Coil,” below:

Leatherman – Turn You On

In September, I pushed a single brave thought out into this vast, uncaring universe: ‘Oi, lets get a LEATHERMAN album happening next year. Yeah? Cheers!’ And would you know it, my non-denominational prayers have been answered! Turn You On is out on April 10th via Legless (AU), This Charming Man (UK/EU), and Green Noise (US), and finds the “Hard rockin’, power poppin’” outfit in devishly fine form.

The Naarm/Melbourne quintet have crafted a record that boasts “songs about partying, freaking out, true crime, taking the piss out of footy players, lust and heartbreak,” with “the stomp and gallop of 80s metal gods and classic power pop hooks fused with modern kicks.” Sounds like a good fucking time to me. Stream the LP’s pre-release single/s here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Snooze – “Harked”

Look, I know the world kind of sucks right now, because of *looks around and shrugs aimlessly*, and a lot of this misery can be blamed on one thing: algorithms. They secretly govern our lives, hollow out the meaningful joy of creative jobs (oh hey, that’s me!), dictate what becomes news and/or discourse (or some strange flattened version of both), and they’re also responsible for sending me truly unhinged Temu ads for nightmare fuel products that would make David Lynch cackle like a hyena (RIP to the GOAT).

But sometimes, the mighty algorithm suzerain (I’m looking at You, Tube) flicks a new band my way that makes me stop and go, “Hey, this is cool.” One such band is Chicago “happy heavy” math-rockers SNOOZE and their latest jam “Harked,” which is taken from their forthcoming LP, I Know How You Will Die (out this Friday). Wait, does the algorithm know something I don’t? Hello??

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

My Side B write-ups on VIAGRA BOYS, PUP, CROSS CHECK, and DEAFHEAVEN are available now on the TPD Patreon. So please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month).

You can join our alternative music community, access our existing bonus content, and send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

For our guest episode this week, we’re joined by Travis Stever, resident shredder for esteemed prog-rockers COHEED AND CAMBRIA, along with post-hardcore supergroup L.S. DUNES.

Travis chats about Coheed’s career longevity, how the band’s latest record–the expansive Vaxis Act III: The Father of Make Believe–represents a sonic “victory” for the quartet, working with producers like Zakk Cervini and Will Yip, the joy of listening to his “Dental Chair Vision Quest” road trip playlist, and the “endless flow” of creative chemistry among his brothers in L.S. Dunes:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

CIVIC – “Chrome Dipped”

The last time I mentioned Naarm/Melbourne indie punks CIVIC in this humble newsletter rag, it was for the release of 2023’s Taken By Force. That record put the band on the international radar, with European tours and festival slots, and now the quartet are hungry for a follow-up. Chrome Dipped, out May 30th through ATO Records, speaks to the group’s creative desire to push for something new.

“One of the main objectives for this album was to make a drastic turn in our sound,” explains frontman Jim McCullogh. “Break the mould, melt the steel… We didn’t really know what we were going to make, but we went into it very open for change.” Watch the video for the record’s title track and lead single below:

Gush / Spouse – SPLIT

Since I moved to Naarm/Melbourne at the end of 2023, one of the buzziest bands on the local scene has been shoegaze/slowcore sensation GUSH. Following the release of last year’s promising the stars seem closer than you are EP, the group have teamed up with Canberra’s SPOUSE for a collaborative two-track release titled—wait for it—SPLIT, out now through Gutwrench Records.

Recorded in a converted garage at the GRALM Farm on Ngooraialum land run by Spouse member Ezra Ryan’s grandparents, the “concrete-floored, high-ceilinged studio, complete with foldout table mixing desks, noise proofing made of family picture frames and shelves of olives and dried rosemary,” allowed the two groups to create dense, emotional music in a “place of love and family.” Stream the split release in full here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

XweaponX – “Everybody Breaks”

Full disclosure: I have never been, nor likely ever will be, straight edge. While I have the utmost respect for the ‘edge’ and its dedicated history, it’s never been a part of the subculture I’ve actively participated in. That said, however, I do enjoy hard-ass edge metal anthems, and this new one from the gloriously monikered XWEAPONX is an absolute doozie.

With the group featuring members of established scene heavyweights like Knocked Loose, Gates To Hell, and Inclination, they’ve already got the collective mosh credentials to make this latest rager sound both stupid heavy and utterly *ahem* intoxicating. Listen to “Everybody Breaks” below:

Ringlets – The Lord Is My German Shepherd (Time For Walkies)

We last heard from Aotearoa indie rockers RINGLETS in 2023 with the release of their S/T debut album and lead single “Sever.” While it seems they also released a song last year, I missed that one, so whoops—my bad. Never fear, dear reader, for the Auckland-based post-punkers have announced a new record for 2025.

The group’s highly anticipated sophomore album, The Lord Is My German Shepherd (Time For Walkies), is dropping on June 27th via Flying Nun Records and Leather Jacket Records. The album purportedly “conjures mystic visions; takes raucous, unkempt yet solely committed turns, twists, and tiptoes delicately between the absurd and the divine.” How do you say “LFG” in Māori? Stream the LP’s pre-release single/s here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Malevolence – “If It’s All The Same To You”

Steel City heavy riff crew MALEVOLENCE are back with their highly anticipated full-length follow-up to their 2022 LP. The new album is titled Where Only The Truth Is Spoken and is billed as a “level up in every sense – musically, lyrically, and visually.”

According to the quintet, “The production, the songwriting, the videos – everything about this record is bigger, heavier and more refined.” Word. They’ll also be back in Australia this year as primary support for Alpha Wolf’s upcoming “Terrible Days Across Australia” regional tour this May/June. Watch the Guy Ritchie-inspired video for “If It’s All The Same To You,” which sports a winking cameo from British acting legend Alan Ford aka ‘Brick Top’:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

My Side B write-ups on ANORAK!, EYES, HAYWIRE and the latest undead rager from SPIRITWORLD are available now on the TPD Patreon. So please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month).

You can join our alternative music community, access our existing bonus content, and send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

This week’s bonus video is something a little different for the pod. With ERRA back Down Under once again for their headline run with Silent Planet and Resolve, I caught up with returning champion J.T. Cavey (also of TEXAS IN JULY) for a very wholesome Dispatch Bay episode and Q&A backstage at The Forum in Naarm/Melbourne. I sourced my questions from Reddit’s passionate r/Metalcore community (IYKYK) and put the hard word on J.T. about vocal patterns, Crocs, setlist decisions, album remixes, and more. Check it out below:

For our guest episode this week, we’ve got our KNOTFEST AUSTRALIA 2025 supercut featuring artist interviews and backstage shenanigans with HEALTH, IN HEARTS WAKE, SUNAMI, POLARIS, and returning champions ENTER SHIKARI. We chatted about their touring highlights, writing new material, playing festival sets, and hearing headliners and fest namesake Slipknot for the first time. Check it out below:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

The Southern River Band – “Fuck You, Pay Me”

As someone who’s been actively working in and around the music industry for close to two decades, there isn’t another sentiment that I resonate with more than “Fuck You, Pay Me.” On their latest single, Thornlie rock’n’rollers THE SOUTHERN RIVER BAND have crafted a super catchy radio anthem in the spirit of Thin Lizzy and Powerage-era AC/DC, bolstered by a sharp live show honed to a razor’s edge in support of legends like Cold Chisel, Rose Tattoo and The Darkness. As frontman Cal Kramer puts it:

“This song is for everyone who has ever been stiffed, ripped off, bullshitted or flat out not received what they were promised. To the guilty parties (see; thief): ‘Fuck You, Pay Me.’”

Watch the video for “Fuck You, Pay Me” below:

Gravitate – Endless War b/w Dressed For Friend Requests

Naarm/Melbourne metallic hardcore outfit GRAVITATE have dropped a brand new two-track via Loudmouth Records, and it fucking rules. Their new cut “Endless War” showcases the band’s rhythmic fury and F.O.T.S. Cat Rosemary’s incendiary vocals, alongside an intense guest feature from Matt Maunder of Aussie legends MINDSNARE. Side B is a cover of “Dressed For Friend Requests” by Drop Dead Gorgeous, throwing it back to the MySpace era, with guitarist Paul Hammond lending Peter Steele-inspired clean vocals to the track. Stream the two-track release in full here (Spotify).

Prompts – “Stranger” (feat. Landon Tewers)

For years, Aussie heavyweight label Greyscale Records has been putting on for Asian bands like Fukuoka’s Paledusk and Bangkok’s Annalynn. Well, now we can add Japanese-Korean metalcore outfit PROMPTS, who have released their first single of the year, “Stranger,” featuring Landon Tewers of The Plot In You. On the track, vocalist PK states:

“I lived in Korea for 21 years before moving to Japan, and over time, I became fluent in both languages. But the more I switched between them, the more it felt like my personality changed with each one… It was confusing and sometimes even scary. I didn’t know which version of myself was real, and it felt like I was losing myself.

This song doesn’t have all the answers—I’m still lost and figuring things out. But I wanted to bring my own experiences to the music, and I hope that people going through similar things can find comfort in it and maybe, together, we can find some answers. Do you have a ‘Stranger’ inside you? Let’s figure out how to live with that part of ourselves.”

Watch the video for “Stranger” below:

Rivers of Nihil – S/T

When I last featured Pennsylvania extreme metallers RIVERS OF NIHIL in 2023, it was for the release of “The Sub-Orbital Blues” (which rocked). We now know that the single will be featured on the band’s upcoming fifth and self-titled full-length, due on May 30th through Metal Blade Records.

Like most self-titled records, this one represents a soft sonic reboot, a “return to basics and/or a fresh beginning” for the group, with founding bassist Adam Biggs slotting in as the new lead vocalist/bassist and guitarist Andy Thomas (ex-Black Crown Initiate) adding his stupendous vocal talents to the mix. Stream the LP’s pre-release single/s here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Sleep Token – “Emergence”

Is there currently a band more hyped in alternative music than SLEEP TOKEN? I doubt it. Is this hype deserved? Debatable. The anonymous collective’s latest offering, the smooth jazz aping “Emergence,” sounds like an iron fist wrapped in a velvet glove, continuing the genre-agnostic musical digressions found on 2023’s stellar Take Me Back To Eden. Now, look, your mileage may vary; however, I fuck with it, and I’m excited to hear more. But, for the love of all that’s holy, someone tell the kids to stop calling it emo. Watch the visualiser for “Emergence” here:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

My Side B write-ups on CHARMER, IRKEN ARMADA, DEADSHOWWS, and the phenomenal new LP from COHEED AND CAMBRIA are available now on the TPD Patreon. So please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month).

You can join our alternative music community, access our existing bonus content, and send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

Editor’s note: Tardy once more, yes I know… but this is actually me right now (if you even care):

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

This week has two bonus videos for y’all. I was out at New Bloom Fest on Monday, and it was a total blast. DRAIN had people crowdsurfing at the bar, and BALANCE AND COMPOSURE absolutely crushed their return Down Under. If you missed it (or lived in QLD), that’s a real bummer for you. However, you can overcome said FOMO by watching my chat with the affable Zayna Youseff from SWEET PILL below:

Our guest episode for last week featured drummer Chas Levi from JUSTICE FOR THE DAMNED, who joined the pod to chat about the band’s new era. Chas discusses the challenges of writing new material, the desire to streamline performance for maximum fun and crowd participation, the mental fortitude required for weeks of touring, and overcoming personal adversity. “Will you break down, or will you break through?”:

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

The Comfort – “Somebody Else”

Disclaimer: I am not and likely never will be “The 1975 Guy.” I missed that boat a long time ago, and now the tide is really far out, and I can’t be bothered to swim to catch up. Belaboured and clumsy nautical metaphors aside, I am perhaps the most emphatic and ardent “THE COMFORT Guy” you will ever meet.

I’ve got a lot of love for the Brissy alt-rockers, and their cover of “Somebody Else,” taken from 2016’s brilliantly verbose, Tumblr-shorthand I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It proves—rather definitively, I think—that they deserve to be one of the biggest bands on the planet. More music is on the way, so watch this space and watch the video for “Somebody Else” below:

Forewarned – Only God Forgives

Do you like All Out War? Do you like Kickback? Do you have that one bumper sticker that refers to the eponymous track from God Hate’s 2021 self-titled record? If you answered to any/all of the above, then you should be fucking with Naarm/Melbourne hardcore crew FOREWARNED.

The quartet’s debut full-length, Only God Forgives (also a dope and/or baffling Ryan Gosling x Nicolas Winding Refn joint), drops on April 11th through the good folks at Kingpin. The album is tipped to overflow with “furious, high-intensity hardcore,” divebombs, mosh parts, and gang vocals for all the homies. Stream the LP’s pre-release single/s here (Spotify).

Blanket – “Levitate”

Last year, I featured Blackpool alt-rock/shoegazers BLANKET and their full-length Ceremonia through Church Road Records. I enjoyed that record and appreciated the band’s knack for crafting “artsy space rock of the Cave In and Hum variety meets the crushing, wall-of-sound approach of Ride and Swervedriver.”

I was pleased to find out that they’re now focusing on their roots and are hard at work on their fourth studio album, set for release later this year. The group’s latest single is self-explanatory by design and aims to make you “ feel like you’re floating.” Take that, Isaac Newton. Listen to “Levitate” below:

Gridiron – Poetry From Pain

As far as hard-ass quotables are concerned, there’s a line from “Trench” on GRIDIRON’s 2022 full-length, No Good At Goodbyes, that stuck with me for its simplicity and weaponised mixed metaphor: “You on the bench/We in the trench.”

With Poetry From Pain, the group’s album follow-up, now on the way (due on May 30th through Blue Grape Music), we have a spiritual successor track and even more worthy lyrical diss: “You ain’t even on the bench no more/No, no/You just a mascot.” Ouch. Stream the LP’s pre-release single/s here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Melting – “874”

This week, the new band on my radar are Naarm/Melbourne metallers MELTING, recent signees to Aussie heavy hitter Greyscale Records.

The raging “874” dropped last week, but before I could even get this newsletter edition out, the group released another heater (the extremely girthy “Into The Suffering”) and announced their debut EP, You Exist Because We Allow It, arriving on May 2nd. Get on board now, or get left behind. Watch the video for “874” here:

SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:

I’m trying something new this week: I'm posting my Side B write-ups on FALLUJAH, YOUR SPIRIT DIES, CRAWLING, and the new SPIRITBOX record over on the TPD Patreon rather than restarting subscriptions and paywalls here on Substack. The reasoning for this decision is two-fold:

1. I already split Sides A and B for the podcast version of the show on YouTube & Spotify, and patrons get full access to both sides.

2. I also spend a lot of time (multiple hours every single week) working on bonus content for the show. My hope is that this gives people who already support us extra bang for their hard-earned bucks and motivates readers of this very fine newsletter to join us, kick in some $$$, and support the show.

So, if this is you, please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month), joining our alternative music community, getting access to all of our existing bonus content, and then sending me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!

Okay, the ‘call to action’ is now over. You’re welcome.

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

Editor’s note: My apologies for tardiness yet again. I’m up visiting family on the Sunshine Coast, and they’re about to brace for Cyclone Alfred to make landfall. It’s all a bit grim…

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

Not one, not two, but four bonus videos for y’all this week, so don’t ever say I’m not generous. As part of our rolling New Bloom Fest coverage for 2025, I had two excellent chats with Ned Russin (GLITTERER, TITLE FIGHT) and Ryan Savitski (ONE STEP CLOSER). Check out both of those below:

Canadian institution ALEXISONFIRE are returning Down Under this week for a four-show run with Underoath & GEL. Frontman and resident throat-shredder George Pettit dropped into the show mid-rehearsal to chat about the tour, playing old songs, and what art inspires him. This is a big one for longtime fans of 2004’s seminal Watch Out! (aka ME), and sixteen-year-old Owen is very stoked:

Lastly, our guest episode for last week featured the Lone Star State homies in DRUNK UNCLE. Will, Peyton & Jake jump on the pod to talk about their upcoming release, Fiction Years II (out on March 14th through Tiny Sounds Collective). The Texas boys chat about Metallica as a musical gateway, finding each other through a Craigslist ad, returning to a trio, the band’s creative evolution across releases, and the state of the (emo) union. Check it out below:

Have you joined the TPD Patreon? Why not?

This is the best way to support me, this newsletter, the podcast, and help keep the lights on. Join our alternative music community here and send me your music recommendations. I’m deadly serious about what you’re listening to!

Now, on with the words…

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

Dying Wish – “I Brought You My Soul (Your World Brought Me Despair)”

There’s a section in “Lost In The Fall,” the closing track of DYING WISH’s 2023 album Symptoms of Survival, that felt like the hardest thing the Portland quintet had ever written. That is, well, until now. The group’s new, Will Putney-produced standalone single is an absolute rager and a relentless testament to just how eager the band is to dominate the metalcore scene. As frontwoman Emma Boster shares:

“This is the first step in the direction of our third LP, and the goal from this album is to challenge ourselves to create something different from the first two releases… we’re innovating our style to become the most authentic version of Dying Wish.”

Watch the video for “I Brought You My Soul” below:

Raue – too scared to explain

Contrary to popular song titles, the kids are, in fact, alright. California’s RAUE (pronounced Roo-AY), a powerhouse duo featuring Paige Kalenian on guitar/vocals and drummer Jax Huckle, already had a breakout viral hit last year with a grunged-up Radiohead cover.

Now, the two-piece are taking that fiesty spirit and channeling it into their upcoming EP, too scared to explain, out on May 9th through (dis)harmony Recordings. Stream the EP’s pre-release single/s here (Spotify).

Slim Krusty – “Sleep Doesn't Write Back”

Building on the success of his spectacular Endin’ On A High EP (one of my favourites of 2024), Naarm/Melbourne gutter folk troubadour SLIM KRUSTY returns with a new single that adds to his collection of gut-punchingly brutal sad songs. “Sleep Doesn't Write Back” explores themes of desire, loss, and insomnia while also evading those subjects entirely.

This release includes a new music video and a tour announcement for select dates in March. If you get the chance, I highly recommend experiencing a Slim live show, as it’s the only authentic way to appreciate his unique talent. Listen to “Sleep Doesn’t Write Back” here.

Indifferent Engine – Speculative Fiction

Until last week, I had no idea Cambridge post-hardcore outfit INDIFFERENT ENGINE even existed. While finding new bands isn’t a rarity in my business (and is ostensibly the remit of this newsletter racket), seeing that the quinet had garnered a co-sign from none other than the good folks over at Church Road Records for the release of their forthcoming debut full-length, Speculative Fiction (out May 30th), my interest was suitably piqued.

Described as falling “in-between the cracks of emotive post-hardcore, experimental rock and contemporary prog, filling the stage and floor with more CRT-TV monitors than guitar pedals,” I am now very interested in what the group have in store on record. Stream the LP’s pre-release single/s here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Gully Boys – “Love Me 2”

Minneapolis’ GULLY BOYS are another new band on my radar this week, and their latest single, the boisterous “Love Me 2,” channels anger and tenderness into a euphoric breakup anthem: a “fierce soundtrack for those brave enough to demand emotional maturity and mutual respect.”

The cut is overflowing with rumbling bottom-end, biting hooks, and vulnerable lyricism, while the accompanying video features a cheeky cameo from Justin Courtney Pierre of Motion City Soundtrack. Listen to “Love Me 2” here.

SIDE B:

More tracks for you. Deep cuts for the real heads. Still cool.

Valve – Family Trust

It’s wild to think that the nebulously defined subgenre of post-hardcore has been going strong for the last four decades. More than just a pointless prefix add-on, the sound remains vital and varied, especially in the hands of Brisbane young bucks VALVE. The group have served up the first taste of their upcoming EP, family trust, out this April through the good folks at Team Glasses Records, and it’s a seprentine, angular ripper in the vein of The Nation Blue, These Arms Are Snakes, and At the Drive-In. Stream the EP’s pre-release single/s here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Mercury – “Faster”

Last year, I featured Nashville-based artist MERCURY’s spectacular Together We Are One, You And I EP, which also came with an epic short film treatment. Off the back of that conceptual triumph, Maddie Kerr has returned with a new short-fire burst of mental anguish and tortured sonic energy:

“‘Faster’ is about being stuck in your head about anything and everything. I often try to make sense of everything that I’ve ever experienced, and sometimes that’s more overwhelming than the actual experience. It’s about not being able to let go.”

Hard relate. Watch the visualiser for “Faster” below:

Blackwater Holylight – If You Only Knew

It’s been a while since we heard from Portland post-psych doomlords BLACKWATER HOLYLIGHT. The femme quartet is finally back with their forthcoming EP, If You Only Knew, which drops in full on April 18th through Suicide Squeeze Records.

After three full-length albums, the group are more than adept at cultivating an expansive, dreamy soundscape riddled with “devil’s note doom riffs, narcotic neo-folk melodies, lysergic psychedelic forays, and jagged art-rock abrasion.” Stream the EP’s pre-release single/s here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

FEATURE ALBUM:

A closer, more in-depth look at a new record that ticks my boxes.

Architects – The Sky, The Earth & All Between

As Nietzsche once said, and season one of True Detective effectively memed into oblivion, “Time is a flat circle.” Now, I’m not going to get into the philosophical intricacies of the Eternal Recurrence here, but I’ll note that, yes, history does tend to rhyme rather than outright repeat itself.

Such is the pattern that British heavyweights ARCHITECTS seem destined (read: doomed) to follow. In my review of 2021’s For Those Who Wish To Exist, the band’s divisive ninth studio album, I wrote that the record was “sure to alienate some fans but will hopefully inspire others. Ultimately, however, it proves that Architects remain passionately committed to evolving as a musical collective and transcending genre limitations.”

In keeping with this idea of circularity and spirals, much the same could be said about album #11, The Sky, The Earth & All Between, out now through Epitaph. It’s a record that finds the Brighton quintet synthesizing two decades of musical evolution into a modern mix of metalcore, post-hardcore and assorted aggressive stylings. Some of it sticks, other elements don’t, but regardless of staying power, it’s clear that the band are nonetheless determined to break their own cycle, time after time after time.

Stream here: Spotify | YouTube

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.

ERRONEOUS BOTCH:

Two more bonus videos for you this week. First is my chat with all-around nice bloke Sammy Ciaramitaro from Californian chillers DRAIN as part of the gnarly lineup for New Bloom Fest next month. Sammy gives us the low down on his community’s resolve in the face of natural disasters, the band’s sonic progression across records, the low-end rumblings of their work-in-progress third LP, and why pool noodles in the pit are both a blessing and a (California) curse:

Second, I’ve got our guest episode with Jack Bergin from VOID OF VISION as the Naarm/Melbourne heavy hitters wrap up their farewell tour and bring this chapter to a bittersweet close. We chat about Jack’s health struggles and determined journey of self-discovery, wrestling with ideas of mortality, thematic resonance and legacy on their final LP, and his enduring love for heavy music as the new host of Triple J’s CORE program. Check it out below:

Have you joined the TPD Patreon? Why not?

This is the best way to support me, this newsletter, the podcast, and help keep the lights on. Join our alternative music community here and send me your music recommendations. I’m deadly serious about what you’re listening to!

Now, on with the words…

SIDE A:

A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.

Movements – “Where I Lay”

MOVEMENTS frontman Patrick Miranda has always been a profoundly poetic lyricist, but on the Californian quartet’s latest single, his wounded metaphors take root in ways both botanical and bleak. The melancholic “Where I Lay” follows 2023’s RUCKUS! LP, and finds Miranda at his most emotionally vulnerable:

“It had me revisiting places with my writing that I hadn't explored in a while. It's for anyone else out there who feels like they’ve never quite fit right in the world. This one is for the outcasts.”

Watch the lyric video for “Where I Lay” below:

Chasing Ghosts – Therapy

Long-standing Naarm/Melbourne indie punks CHASING GHOSTS have announced their new album, Therapy, which will be released on May 16th through Believe Music and Summit Distro (digital/physical).

As a proud Thungutti man, frontman and songwriter Jimmy Kyle uses his voice to confront and deconstruct the challenges of being an Indigenous Australian, pairing epic choruses and arm-in-arm sing-a-longs with raw catharsis and harrowed introspection. As the record’s title suggests, Therapy seeks the “creation of a space where expression is unfiltered and allowed to explore areas of dark and light.” Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Spotify).

nightlight – “DYHM”

In October, I featured the Naarm-Melbourne outfit NIGHTLIGHT and was curious about what a proper release from the alt-pop trio might entail. Well, now I’m better informed, and it sounds extremely promising.

The group's debut EP, how does it feel?, is out on April 10th and will feature the rollicking new single “DYHM.” This cut is on some Babymetal-adjacent, hyper-pop meets aggressive, double-bass drum anime intro music, and I am here for it. Oh, and they rock the keytar live. Need I say more? Listen to “DYHM” here.

The Warriors – Burn Yourself Alive

If you put a gun to my head and asked me to name my favourite hardcore record of the 2000s, War Is Hell is probably going to leap out of my mouth in the interest of self-preservation. Following 2019’s well-received Monomyth, Californian hardcore veterans THE WARRIORS are back with their long-awaited sixth LP, Burn Yourself Alive, which arrives on March 28th via Pure Noise. Taking a leaf out of the daily philosophy of everyone’s favourite literary hobo, the band states:

“We find ourselves in dark times indeed, but while we still have a heartbeat, we have the opportunity to create: better art, better music, and better forms of governance. Bukowski said, ‘Find what you love and let it kill you.’ Find your spark. Burn Yourself Alive.”

Stream the LP’s pre-release single/s here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Heavensgate – “OBLIVION”

Sometimes, despite my often unwieldy and frankly intimidating consumption of new music releases, the simple pleasures are the most satisfying. Give me a stupid heavy nu-metalcore rager with a pissed-off “FUCK!” call-out before a bone-crunching drop, and I’m all yours.

Naarm/Melbourne wrecking crew and F.OT.S. HEAVENSGATE are taking their mosh talents global, signing with Pure Noise Records for the US and currently rocking their debut North American tour support Swedish bruisers Thrown. While I’m sure there’s more to come for the quartet in 2025, for now, you can listen to “OBLIVION” here.

SIDE B:

More tracks for you. Deep cuts for the real heads. Still cool.

House of Protection – Outrun You All

Last month, I was bummed to miss the debut Australian shows from HOUSE OF PROTECTION as part of their supporting run for Bad Omens and Poppy. However, by all accounts, the live show was a force to be reckoned with, and I won’t be making the same mistake again.

On their forthcoming second EP, Outrun You All (out May 23rd via Red Bull Records), the duo of Stephen Harrison and Aric Improta are committed to exploring more mid-tempo “heavy half-time” moods and textures beyond the fast-paced aggression of last year’s GALORE. Stream the EP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).

Justice For The Damned – “The Current”

It’s been a hot minute (four years, to be exact) since we got new tunes from Sydney heavyweights JUSTICE FOR THE DAMNED. “The Current,” out now via Greyscale Records, coincides with the band announcing a headline run next month with Melbourne hardcore outfit Threshold and primary support for F.OT.S. Make Them Suffer on their regional tour later in the year. According to the band, the blistering cut is an indicator of what we can expect from Justice in 2025 and beyond:

“Musically, we’re leaning further into a metalcore-mosh sound, paying homage to our early days in Western Sydney. We’re not reinventing the wheel but making sure it rolls smoother and heavier.”

Watch the video for “The Current” below:

Cardboard Cutouts – My Best Friend

My new find this week comes in the form of Toowoomba alt-rock quartet CARDBOARD CUTOUTS and their emotive new single “My Best Friend,” billed as a “tale of loss, love, and lack of purpose.”

Ostensibly about a toxic relationship watched from afar as someone close battles with substance abuse issues, the track hits (at least for me) like Futures-era Jimmy Eat World with a decidedly Aussie twang. It’s grandiose and catchy as hell, and I desperately want more. Stream the single here (Spotify).

FEATURE ALBUM:

A closer, more in-depth look at a new record that ticks my boxes.

Killswitch Engage – This Consequence

Remember that Roman Empire meme that was doing the rounds last year? No? Oh, well, cheers to you and your healthy relationship with online discourse…

Anyway, here’s the latest single from This Consequence, the ninth studio album from Massachusetts metalcore OGs KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, out now through Metal Blade Records:

According to vocalist Jesse Leach, “Collusion” is a furious examination of propaganda, political divisiveness, and the ruthlessness of the ruling elite. Or, as guitarist and funny-face aficionado Adam ‘D’ Dutkiewicz offers:

“You can even go back to the Roman Empire – using religion, using politics, bread and circuses, the gladiators, all that stuff. I think it's just drilled into society. I think, unfortunately, the way that human society is built, the way that the power struggle is, there’s never going to be a moment in history where we’re sitting in a utopia without war, without greed, without all those things that make humanity what it is.”

Stream here: Spotify | YouTube

Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2025 TA LIFE playlist, updated weekly.