Over the years, Swindon has become famous for its associations with the brilliant XTC, the legendary Justin Hayward, and pop singer turned actress Billie Piper. It also spawned one of the UK’s heaviest bands in recent years – Heriot, who seemed to take forever to record their debut full length – and 90s dance act Meat Beat Manifesto, but you’d be hard pressed to consider the town a Mecca for music fans.

Here’s another Swindon based band worth keeping an eye on. Relative newcomers Modern Evils released a couple of strong singles in 2024, but, on the basis of their first release for 2025, they’re set to up their game this year.

Despite clocking in at almost exactly three minutes – the perfect length for a single, leaving no room for flabby musical excess – ‘Gitzlaff Lover’ offers the listener plenty to get their ears around. By opening with a speed driven, choppy guitar riff that has a pinch of early Wildhearts crossed with some light industrial edges, the track immediately advertises a genuine sharpness. The addition of an angrily spat vocal really adds to the angry vibe, but it’s never a complete aural assault. The chorus brings in a huge melody, firstly by switching to more of an alternative hard rock sound with traces of Biffy Clyro, and then allowing for a broader vocal where longer notes bring a more accessible vibe. A return to the original riff makes everything feel more complete, before a more rhythmic middle eight shares a mix of spoken vocals and hardcore shouts. Finally, a howling lead guitar fills a few bars in lieu of a traditional solo, and the band appear to end everything abruptly.

That’s obviously a case of them knowing this has been an absolute blast that’s sucker-punched their audience, leaving nothing more to be said. It’s a great listen, and one that sounds even better with the volume cranked. Check out the official video below.