Formed just before almost the entire world went into a pandemic related lockdown, Orchid Symmetry have released a steady stream of digital singles and a couple of EPs since 2020. The best of the singles, 2022’s ‘Monsters and Demons’ eschewed most of the band’s heavier tendencies in favour of an ominous sounding riff that reworked alternative sounds from the 60s for a contemporary hard rock crowd. Parts of the melody sounded if they were distantly related to ‘House of The Rising Sun’, whilst other elements conveyed the all round moodiness of The Doors and the strange paranoia at the heart of Love’s ‘Forever Changes’. Despite taking various older elements and throwing them into a blender, a very natural vocal and occasionally abrasive guitar tone provided a more contemporary sound and also a very strong link with prior Orchid Symmetry tunes.
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Check out ‘Backbone Of Existence’, the new video from Perpetual Paradox
In May 2025, British tech metallers Perpetual Paradox released ‘Ash & Blood’, an absolutely face melting single which provided the first taste of their forthcoming full length. In terms of all round heaviness, this was a track that didn’t hold back. Unlike some extreme acts, though, this band clearly understood the need for other elements in order to maintain long term interest. Against the extreme riffs, the track also found time for a more melodic thrash influenced interlude and contrasted the aggressive edge with some finely tuned prog metal theatrics.
Premiere: Check out the new single ‘Susciety Gurl’ from Philadelphia’s Lunison
Lunison’s debut EP ‘See Me As A Friend’ presented five tracks where a rock core sound was twisted into some very interesting shapes. ‘Name Three Songs’ managed to open with a riff that mixed garage rock and an almost post-grunge dirtiness, only to turn that on its head with a huge, melodic chorus full of ringing guitars sounding like a throwback to a great Gin Blossoms tune; ‘Smile, Cruel World’ borrowed from a couple of The Black Keys’ more groove-centric numbers, but added a more melodic vocal, again, calling back to a world of 90s pop-rock sounds, and ‘Velcro’ introduced a reverbed, 50s guitar twang in places, which set against a pumping bass and harmony vocals ended up sounding like a funky take on something from Arctic Monkeys ‘AM’.
Check out the new video for Detroit Run’s ‘Tightrope’
At the end of May 2025, up and coming UK alternative rock band Detroit Run released their debut EP ‘Defiance Part One’. The material showed great promise, and even if some of the band’s riffs slipped into an obvious formula when played as a whole, the EP’s five tracks played brilliantly when approached on an individual basis.
Premiere: Rattle Bones share new video for ‘Desert Heart’
When Rattle Bones released their debut single ‘Silver Bullets’ in January 2025, they immediately made a strong impression with their combination of hard edged guitar riffs and lyrical hooks. The band’s sound had a very retro appeal; there were moments during that number where the riffs took on a blues-edged swagger akin to Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Oh Well, Part 1’, but dropping into more of a hard rock bluster, the band conveyed even more of a fiery edge that suggested that these lads had been inspired by the legendary pre-grunge acts that ruled the hard rock airwaves between 1989-1991.