Features

Welcome to Romania, the land of “vampires” & Vlad the Impaler, beautiful landscapes, and… metal?! Yes, you’ve read that right! In this latest entry in our Ones to Watch series we’ve set our sights on ten Romanian bands which should get more recognition than they do outside of their home country. Spanning genres such as folk metal, trap-metalcore and hardcore, there’s bound to be something for you here. Having said that, let’s take a look, shall we?

After the huge success of his 'one take' YouTube series, nothing,nowhere. has released his digital album 'one takes vol. 1', featuring stripped-back and reworked versions of fan-favourites, as well as a cover of American Football's 'Never Meant'. We caught up with nothing,nowhere. to find out more about the album, how he's explored his creativity during lockdown and more. 

Formed in 2018, Maggie Cassidy are ready to make their mark on the UK rock scene with their debut EP 'Life Is Beautiful'. The five-track EP, which was recorded with Neck Deep's Seb Barlow, is an exciting introduction to the band who strive to create a vibrant and positive community through their music. We caught up with guitarist Jan-Erik Barnegren to find out more...

When it comes to modern metal bands, there aren’t too many frontmen who can overtake AVATAR’s Johannes Eckerström, both in terms of energy and stage presence, as well as vocal range. With the launch of their new album, 'Hunter Gatherer', quickly approaching, we caught up with the Swedish singer to talk about their new material, how it sounds compared to their previous work, and about other things, including Disney, Ennio Morricone, and Swedish indie pop.

Calva Louise are back with their new EP 'POPURRÍ', a blend of indie, dark pop, electronica and punk, and a celebration of their roots in Venezuela, France and New Zealand. We caught up with the band ahead of the EP to find out more about their formation, their first musical memories, their ambitions and more. 

Up-and-coming nu-core quintet Tallah are making waves with their ferocious blend of nu-metal and hardcore, as they gear up to release their debut album 'Matriphagy' later this year via Earache Records. We caught up with vocalist Justin Bonitz to find out more about Tallah, including their formation, what they aim to achieve and their plans for the rest of 2020.

Broadside are back with 'Into The Raging Sea', their brand new record which explores central themes of perseverance, growth and renewal. We caught up with vocalist Ollie Baxxter to find out more about the new album, releasing music during a pandemic and more... 

After meeting at school in Canterbury, The Long Faces came together through a love of unusual rock music, taking in the city's heritage of progressive rock, as well as contemporary jazz, '60s psychedelia and choral music. Now, the London/Leeds based alt-rock quintet prepare to release their debut EP 'Documentaries' - we caught up with them to find out more.

Formed in 2019, pop-rock newcomers The UMA bonded over a love of the same music and shared ambitions. Following the release of 'Working For It' and 'Wake Up', the trio's most recent single 'Fire' (and the first song they ever wrote together) is another infectious head-bopper with a soaring chorus, acting as an important reminder that you should never give up. We caught up with The UMA to find out more about the single including its themes, the writing process and behind the scenes stories. 

Rock quartet Asylums are back with the follow-up to 2018's 'Alien Human Emotions', entering a new sonic space on their latest offering 'Genetic Cabaret'. Expect moments of sadness, anger and, in typical Asylums fashion, you'll find the occasional bizarre moment in there too, as the four-piece deliver another stellar record. We caught up with frontman Luke Branch to find out more about Genetic Cabaret, working with the legendary Steve Albini, releasing an album during the COVID-19 pandemic and much more.