CASKETS - THE ONLY HEAVEN YOU'LL KNOW (SharpTone Records)

Emotive metalcore collective Caskets manage to source the human experience and communicate that in song. Frontman Matt Flood essentially turned the vocal booth into a confessional on an album that is most powerful in it very personal quality. Sharp production, lush, layered compositions and powerful performances make for a presentation that meet all the metalcore requisites and yet Caskets manage to pull away from the pack. Authentic, aggressive and artistic The Only Heaven You'll Know is where Caskets level up. 

DRAIN - ...IS YOUR FRIEND (Epitaph Records)

Celebrated California hardcore crew DRAIN have delivered the follow-up to their lauded 2023 LP, Living Proof. Back again on Epitaph Records, the band's third album, ...IS YOUR FRIEND showcases the Santa Cruz outfit at their most revelrous and refined. Working with producer Jon Markson (The Story So Far, Drug Church, One Step Closer) and recorded entirely live to best preserve the band's signature on-stage energy, the album emphasizes DRAIN's celebratory take on hardcore. Bolstered by thrashy riffs, charging choruses and big moment breakdowns ...IS YOUR FRIEND is DRAIN at their very best. 

PUPIL SLICER - FLESHWORK (Prosthetic Records)

Rightfully among the UK's most acclaimed, emerging aggressors, Pupil Slicer's return following 2023's triumph, Blossom, with an album that expands on their meticulous mathcore heft. Fleshwork serves an emphatic reassertion of the technicality and precision that define the band's sound. Calculated and cathartic, the songs are anchored by a commanding performance from guitarist/vocalist Kate Davies, while seamlessly working bassist and backing vocalist Luke Booth in the mix. 

COLD STEEL - DISCIPLINE & PUNISH (Spinefarm)

On their debut full length, Cold Steel have emerged as progressives in the space of contemporary heavy music. Sourcing from a range of influences spanning from classic Metallica to pioneering Machine Head, the band's varied attack and sonic relentless make for a first outing that sets a high bar. Earning the co-sign of renowned producer Arthur Rizk and accomplished songwriter and Trivium lead Matt Heafy, Discipline & Punish makes a strong assertion of the future of heavy music while sourcing essential elements from a broad spectrum of heavy music history. From fast thrash to heavy groove, Cold Steel drop the hammer on their memorable debut. 

AGNOSTIC FRONT - ECHOES IN ETERNITY (Reigning Phoenix Music)

Among the true greats still proudly taking up the flag for NYHC, Agnostic Front's newest full-length, Echoes In Eternity, continues the enduring musical legacy of hardcore's revered contributors in Roger Miret and Vinnie Stigma. The album marks the first offering of new music since the band's 2019 LP, Get Loud! and showcases a unit both defiant and still dominant as ever. Fueled by socially-charged messaging, the straight-forward hardcore clobber of Echoes In Eternity is a testament both to the history of Agnostic Front and their durability decades into their career.