Photo by  Lindsey Byrnes

FUCKED UP - YEAR OF THE GOAT (Tankcrimes)

Proving that punk can be expansive, immersive and maybe even a little whimsical Canadian outliers FUCKED UP have issued the wildly ambitious finale of their evolving Zodiac series. The ten part conclusion packaged as GRASS CAN MOVE STONES begins with the first of three movements, ten sides of music in total, with Year of the Goat. Setting the table for Year of the Monkey and Rooster due in 2026, the first act of Grass Can Move Stones frames a mystical journey of self-discovery that pairs imaginative narrative with the real life journey of FUCKED UP, as the band have navigated their two decade tenure as punk's uninhibited experimentalists. Fucked Up is on another planet artistically and we are fortunate enough to come along for the ride for what promises to be an epic conclusion for the album series decades in the making. 

PINCER+ - WHO YOU ARE WHEN NO ONE IS AROUND (Greyscale/1126 Records)

At it's creative core, Aussie metallic hardcore unit Pincer+'s full length debut, Who Are You When No One's Around, soundtracks the harsh reality of confronting yourself in the silence of isolation. Stylizing that stark realization results in a collection of music that is as explosive as it is emotional - channeling catharsis as fuel for sonic aggression. The album's ability to hit hard with dramatic effect and convincing conviction further substantiate why the Australian prospects have climbed so quickly. Along with guest appearances from Noah Thomas of sace6 and Jay Webster of UnityTX, heavy music's new blood has another notable player to keep your eyes on. 

VOLUMES - MIRROR TOUCH (Fearless Records)

There is a sense of resilience that resonates on Volumes' latest full length - one forged out the band's peaks and valleys. Brimming with all the signature heft that has endeared the unit among metalcore and djent circles for nearly two decades, Mirror Touch finds Volumes exploring their creative space - building out their bombastic sound with melody, synth and anthemic sensibilities that can only come from years of experience. Contrasting the clobbering quality of a finale like the hulking "Suffer On" with an assist from Black Sheep Wall with the sun-kissed pop of "California," and the radio ready "Bad Habit," this is the album where Volumes shift from stride to sprint. 

ROTTEN SOUND - MASS EXTINCTION (Season of Mist)

Purveyors of Finnish grindcore for more than three decades, Rotten Sound further cement their position genre pillars with the sonic devastation unleashed on their Mass Extinction EP. Among the greats the genre, Rotten Sound's MO skirts the theatrics and goes straight for the jugular with violent bursts of hostility channeled through blast beats, aggressive guitars, distorted guitars and the kind of confrontational vocal spew that frames the urgency and despair of societal collapse. If that sounds like a lot, it is. Such is the musical consuming onslaught of Rotten Sound three decades into their tenure.

NAS & DJ PREMIER - LIGHT-YEARS (Mass Appeal)

The pairing of one of hip hop's most accomplished producers with a generational voice not only met expectations, but exceeded them. The union of NAS and DJ Premier personifies what it is to age gracefully - opting out of chasing nostalgia and the accolades of their previous work to craft something contemporary while retaining their classic individual stylistic signature. NAS will forever be one of the culture's greatest orators and with the timeless compositional touch of Preem, the tandem execute a masterclass that transcends the "old head" nonsense to deliver something definitive, dynamic and wholly dominant. From the breadth of samples, the rich, nuanced quality of the production and the fluidity of Esco's bars, Light-Years is just that - ahead of the game.