Photo by Adam Chandler
FEELS LIKE HEAVEN - WITHIN DREAMS (Scheme)
Melodic post-hardcore from members of Stockholm hardcore practitioners Speedway, the more pop-leaning fare of Feels Like Heaven remains every bit as energized even if the approach is different. Emo music without the cheese, tracks like "All That I've Got" and "Take the Rain" wield a heavy stick while singles like "Snow Dunes" and "Sandra Bullock" skew towards the kind of long drive rock of bands like Basement and Braid.
ULVER - NEVERLAND (House of Mythology)
Norwegian outliers ULVER color outside the lines with their fourteenth studio album. Meticulously textured with synth and atmospherics, the scale of the album is as cinematic as it gets, translating as more film score than electronic-leaning rock album. The mostly-instrumental offering plays out like a musically mystic headtrip, teleporting the listener on an otherworldly journey that is as vast as it is detailed, imaginative as it is intricate. Showcasing the versatility of Ulver, Neverland is a testament to the band's ability to reinvent themselves successfully.
PALEFACE SWISS - THE WILTED (Blood Blast Distribution)
Arriving a year nearly to the date from the band's lauded 2025 LP, Cursed, metallic progressive Paleface Swiss unleash another mammoth presentation of dynamic heft with cinematic scope with The Wilted EP. Combining the unit's expansive, explosive approach to heavy sonics with passionate, powerful individual performances, the end result is evolved metalcore that positions Paleface Swiss as a band on the brink for the new year. Along with a guest assist from hardcore collective Stick To Your Guns, The Wilted is an aggressive, artistic offering that asserts creative depth between big hooks, hulking breakdowns and dynamic songwriting.
CAPILLARY - IN REMEMBRANCE (51st STATE RECORDS)
With a pedigree that includes the likes of Sunny Day Real Estate, Mineral and Title Fight, Jersey outfit Capillary submit an emotive debut showing with In Remembrance. Pairing sturdy riffs with poignant stanzas, the band's musical maturity sets a high bar for their initial full length with a sound both assured and authenticity. Along with special guest spots from Dazey Doom and KOYO, the emo adjacent alt collective checks off all the boxes with an impressive, cohesive ten track outing.
FUATH - III (Northern Silence Productions)
The icy, atmospheric black metal iteration from Andy Marshall, the extreme music force behind SAOR - the third album under the project banner showcases blackened beauty and expansive extremity. Clocking in at more than 43 minutes with all of four entries, the musical twists and turns of each track are a testament to Marshall's overarching vision and black metal prowess. Tapping into a sonic quality that manages to feel hopeful and harrowing, the technical execution and artistic breadth of the effort bridges beauty and brutality the way black metal intended.
