HANABIE. - HOT TOPIC (Sony)
Japanese heavy Harajuku collective HANABIE. continues their meteoric ascent with their latest EP, HOT TOPIC.Building on the initial acclaim of the band's 2024 introduction, Bucchigiri Tokyo, the band's hypersonic assault combines elements of metalcore and power pop with arena-sized scale. The songs function like a superhero soundtrack, complete with anthemic choruses and sonic unpredictability making for a wild, rock heavy ride that underscores HANABIE.'s surging stock.
URNE - SETTING FIRE TO THE SKY (Spinefarm)
Few bands deliver the kind of well-constructed, meticulously-crafted heft the way Urne does. From 2021's Serpent & Spirit, 2023's A Feast on Sorrow and now Setting Fire to the Sky, the London trio stake their claim as one of heavy music's most consistent practitioners. Compiling their wide array of influences, the band's hardcore DNA combined with a rich heavy music pedigree make for a metallic clinic on record - reliably delivering huge sonics (from a trio no less) with flawless execution.
MØL - DREAMCRUSHER (Nuclear Blast)
The pivotal third full length for the Danish alt-metal progressives in MØL will decidedly mark one of their biggest creative achievements as a band. Shifting seamlessly from stretches of explosive emotion to lofty, ethereal interludes, the cohesiveness of such a dynamic collection of songs is a real marvel. Arguably the band's biggest achievement seems to be their stylistic self-discovery - shifting from alt-metal prospects to heavy music specialists with a clear, calculated focus.
BLACKWATER HOLYLIGHT - NOT HERE, NOT GONE (Suicide Squeeze)
A potent meld of delicate shoegaze and burly doom, Blackwater Holylight's fourth full length album ushers in the band's second wave. While the band has always had a knack for treating heavy compositions with a kind of elegance, Not Here, Not Gone offers a better distilled version of that stylistic duality - making for formative slabs that are layered, lush and loaded. Crafting subtle melodies, hulking riffs and dramatic effect make for an album that is among the band's finest work to date.
FINAL DOSE - ENDLESS WOE (Wolves Of Hades)
Pairing the confrontation and posture of punk with the frost and ferocity of black metal, Final Dose only needed five songs to dominate with their latest EP, Endless Woe. Implementing harsh vocals, abrasive distortion and a relentless cadence, entries like "Forsaken Armor" and "Golden Chalice" launch a sonic assault. Tempering their audio attack with black metal atmospherics, the band's competent, comprehensive combination is both well-executed and undeniably effective.
