SHOW ME THE BODY - ALONE TOGETHER (Loma Vista Recordings)
New York hardcore hybrid Show Me the Body has delivered a career-defining release with their latest. Aligning with decorated production personnel in Klas Åhlund (Robyn, Ghost) and Kenneth Blume III (Geese, Fcukers), the album's strength is it's ability to feel both urgent and revelrous at the same time. A call-to-action that reinforces community and a collection of. tracks intended to wreak havoc all in one, Alone Together is the evolution of punk and hardcore in real time.
DEVILDRIVER - STRIKE AND KILL (Napalm Records)
On their 11th full length, DevilDriver asserts their rank as one of groove metal's most consistent, crushing forces. Led by iconic frontman Dez Fafara and completed by the forceful line-up of guitarists Alex Lee and Gabe Mangold of Enterprise Earth, along with drummer Davier Ortega Perez and founding bassist Jon Miller, Strike and Kill ranks among the band's most focused releases to date. Straight-forward and unrelenting, drubbing yet dynamic, DevilDriver builds on their legacy rather than leans on it for their latest.
BRING ME THE HORIZON - COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS | REPENTED (Sony)
Revisiting the band's deathcore debut to mark the 20th anniversary of the breakout album, Oli Sykes and guitarist Lee Malia teamed with producer Buster Odeholm to fully actualize the album they intended to make in 2006. The completely re-recorded presentation breathes new life into essentials like "Pray for Plagues," "Black & Blue," "Slow Dance," and "A Lot Like Vegas" while delivering the new anthem, "Dehumanized" which further emphasizes the range and enduring quality of one of heavy music's rightfully biggest bands.
SNAG - ALL THE CAGES HOLDING US WILL TURN TO DUST (Deathwish Inc)
Milwaukee heavy emo specialists Snag craft a liberating collection of tracks with their latest full length. Adhering more to a stylistic baseline than any genre specifics, the band's songwriting acumen and greater societal awareness result in a powerful presentation that is compelling both in music and meaning. Shifting from frenetic to melodic, taut to serene, the band's ability to pen poignant music is evident in sound, structure and stanza.
NO CURE - IT IS GOING TO GET DARK (SharpTone Records)
Metallic hardcore brutalizers NO CURE go for the jugular with a devastating debut on It Is Going to Get Dark. While the thematic weight unpacks fractured personal relationships, existential reckoning and societal decay, the actual music is equally explosive. The very definition of all gas, no brakes, the Alabama collective set out to make dark, devastating record and succeeded by every metric. Bolstered by guest features from The Acacia Strain, Bayway and CELL, NO CURE have submitted a potential album of the year candidate.
