Watch: Vancouver pop punks Chief State share new video for ‘April Showers’

At the end of 2025, the release of the ‘No Brakes’ single found Vancouver’s Chief State in great form. Sounding like a tribute to the melodic punk sounds of the late 90s, the track fused the thunderous rhythmic qualities of peak No Use For A Name with the poppier edges of Sum 41, utilising strong harmony vocals throughout. Although a really melodic chorus should’ve been the track’s best feature, the already impressive performance boasted an even better middle eight where the pop punk riffs gave way to something a little sharper, showing how tight the band’s rhythm section could be.

Continue reading

Watch: Divided By Design share new video for ‘Collapsing Reality’

When it comes to “bringing the riffs”, Divided By Design really don’t mess around. ‘Collapsing Reality’ (taken from the band’s current album ‘Stages To Osiris: Rebirth’) moves through various complex moods, exploring different aspects of very technical progressive metal, providing a brilliant showcase for each of the musicians, but particularly capturing guitarist Liam Stephenson in absolutely blistering form.

Continue reading

Watch: Night Thieves share new video for ‘Mycelia’

During the last weeks of 2025, London based alt-metal crew Night Thieves released ‘Obsidian’, a rather grandiose sounding single that blended the gothic tones of Within Temptation with the emo-ish/technical edge of early Linkin Park, creating a perfect hybrid sound that really suited Jess Moyle’s vocal style.

Continue reading

Watch: Kill The Silence share new video for ‘The Final Word’

In terms of blending metal subgenres, Kill The Silence’s current single ‘The Final Word’ makes a bold statement. The track’s very heavy intro fuses the sheer force of groove metal with the complexity of prog, resulting in something that appears to pull in different directions, yet sounds incredibly tight.

Continue reading