On their previous single ‘Algebra (I’m In A Rage)’, British post hardcore band Ruled By Raptors mixed hardcore elements with prog rock time signatures and clean vocals to create a really interesting sound. It was one of those tracks that had such a spark, it more than proved – not that proof were actually needed – that the underground rock and metal scene could still serve up some really inspiring sounds.
We’ve reached the middle of 2026 already, and for the first half of the year, submissions to our Singles Bar have been coming in fast. Naturally, there hasn’t been the time to highlight everything we’ve enjoyed from week to week, and a lot of great tracks have not made the cut. Passing these by would be an absolute tragedy, so, as is traditional at the end of June, we’ve pulled some of the “best of the rest” together for our SB Summer Special! These were picked from a staggering 230 track selection, but we feel they best capture the Singles Bar spirit. We hope you can spare the time to explore this selection of tunes, and as always, hope you find something new to enjoy. Remember: good music does not have a sell-by date!
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Mercers are a new band for 2026, but a couple of their members already have a foothold within the metal/alternative scenes. Two ex-members of nu-metal band Fony take a new musical direction here, bringing a genuine intensity to their work, and a more aggressive approach hits with a genuine immediacy on their new single ‘Cleanse/Repeat’.
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the more interesting individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the past few weeks. This time out, we’ve got a number with retro post punk leanings, a catchy piece of garage pop, a huge and jangly workout that falls between garage rock and melodic punk, something insanely heavy, and more besides… As always, we hope you find something new to enjoy.
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Over the past couple of years, it’s become the norm for most metalcore bands to share a heavy sound driven by relentless pneumatic rhythms, with clear influence from bands like Killswitch Engage and Crystal Lake.
With that in mind, it’s actually quite refreshing to hear False Thoughts adopting far more of a traditional hardcore sound – something far more in line with the hardcore punks of the 90s like Strife and Earth Crisis. Their current single ‘I’ve Got Friends’ clocks in at a little more than two minutes, but the band make more of an impact in that time than some manage in over twice the duration.