From emotional alternative rock to breakdown-heavy chaos, these are the releases that grabbed our attention first time around.
Hands Like Houses – ‘Lótus’
Hands Like Houses take a slower, more reflective route on ‘Lótus’, building emotion through atmosphere, restraint, and haunting melody. It’s a track that quietly pulls you in before landing with real emotional weight.
The XCERTS – ‘rinse repeat’
The XCERTS channel frustration and self-reflection into ‘rinse repeat’, a soaring alternative rock track that turns exhaustion into something strangely uplifting. Big melodies, emotional honesty, and that unmistakable XCERTS heart run through every second of it.
Outgone – ‘We Were Something More’
Outgone go big on emotion and atmosphere with ‘We Were Something More’, an ambitious post-hardcore release that unfolds like a short film across three acts. The track balances cinematic intensity with raw vulnerability, making it feel far bigger than a standard single.
Hometruths – ‘MONSTERS’
Hometruths bring huge Y2K-era energy to ‘MONSTERS’, mixing dark alternative rock melodies with breakdown-heavy pop-punk chaos. Fans of A Day To Remember, Pierce The Veil, and modern Bring Me The Horizon will find plenty to latch onto here.
Ice Sealed Eyes – ‘The Weight Of Loss’
Ice Sealed Eyes hit hard with ‘The Weight Of Loss’, a crushing metalcore release packed with aggressive riffs, dark atmosphere, and emotionally charged vocals. The Belgian band balance modern heaviness with genuine intensity, giving the track real weight beyond the breakdowns.
Stand Atlantic – ‘Velcro’
Stand Atlantic return with ‘Velcro’, a hook-filled rush of emotional honesty that feels like the start of a new era for the band. Still packed with their signature punch and energy, the track leans into a brighter, more vulnerable side, with Bonnie Fraser delivering one of the group’s most open-hearted songs to date.
Air Drawn Dagger – ‘Me & My Friends (We’re Trying Asbestos We Can)’
Air Drawn Dagger step into a darker, sharper chapter with ‘Me & My Friends (We’re Trying Asbestos We Can)’. Produced by Jim Pinder, the track hits with chaotic energy, emotional weight, and a sense that the band are pushing themselves somewhere heavier and more intense than before.