CHAINED SAINT - RISE TO FALL (Patriark Records)

Displaying a a real pedigree of thrash metal and punk rock, Florida firebrand Chained Saint asserts skill and songwriting savvy well beyond their youth with Rise to Fall. Searing guitars, a confrontational vocal command from Sean Sterling and a throttling cadence from drummer Cameron Cottrell make for an EP that suggests limitless potential from the emerging heavy music force.

GORE. - ...THE YOU CANNOT LOVE ME (Spinefarm)

Closing the loop that began with last year's EP, If You Do Not Fear Me..., Texas metalcore collective GORE.executes ambitious artistry on their second EP. The companion to its 2025 predecessor, the narrative-heavy project that examines the interpersonal paradigm of power set to an expansive soundtrack that ropes in pop, electronica and metalcore with infectious results. 

LEFT TO SUFFER - UNWELCOME GUEST (Hopeless Records)

Deathcore stalwarts Left to Suffer set out to make a statement with the Hopeless Records debut and achieved just that with Unwelcome Guest. Anchored by the powerhouse delivery of one of the best in the game in Taylor Barber, the drubbing sonics and dynamic breakdowns signal the current era of Left to Suffer might be the most complete. Along with guest assists from contemporaries DISTANT, the glitch, the guttural and the grit of Left to Suffer is on full display. 

WAGE WAR - LANDFALL (Fearless Records)

Setting a relentless creative pace for the year, Florida metalcore champions Wage War have delivered their second studio release of 2026 with Landfall. Arriving just months after the gargantuan EP, It Calls Me By Name, Wage War continues to assert their lofty rank as one of the most intense, innovative contributors in metalcore. Defined by arena-sized hooks and precision song dynamics and devastating heft, few bands retain their roots and achieve evolution the way Wage War does. 

TWIN TEMPLE - DOOMED LOVERS (Pentagrammaton Records)

Working with revered outlaw country royalty Shooter Jennings, husband and wife renegades Zachary and Alexandra James honor the likes of Roy Orbison, The Ronettes and The Shangri-Las with a masterclass of dreamy macabre on Doomed Lovers. A elegant mesh of doo-wop, early rhythm & blues, Americana and classic soul, the stylistic scope of the album is infinite. With a 37-piece orchestra in tow, the duo that turned heads with their Satanic leanings has cemented their place as the kind of disruptors that move with artistic guts and stylistic grace.