Metalcore

Blackwater Drowning – Obscure Sorrows Review

By Lavender Larcenist on March 4, 2026 in Reviews, Groove Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, 80 comments

“I’m going to come out and say it. Arch Enemy has done untold damage to female-fronted metal bands. While their influence is undeniable, every iteration of the band has featured monotone vocals, cringe-inducing lyrics, and leather-clad frontwomen. As a woman, I have no issue with these things in a vacuum, but in the larger music sphere, they created simultaneously high and absurdly low standards. Requiring frontwomen to be stereotypically hot, thin, and sport bright hair, while also plummeting standards on the musical side with their milquetoast melodeath slop. This is an ill omen for North Carolina’s Blackwater Drowning.” Enemies and expectations.

Dear Hollow’s Mathcore Madness [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

By Dear Hollow on February 26, 2026 in Reviews, Deathcore, Hardcore, Mathcore, Metalcore, Post-Hardcore, Punk, 63 comments

Were you missing the 2025 Mathcore Madness list? Miss no MOAR!

Full House Brew Crew – Glasgow Grin Review

By ClarkKent on February 25, 2026 in Reviews, Groove Metal, Metalcore, 12 comments

“What do you get when you mix a popular American ’80s sitcom, a ragtag group of brewers, and the Scottish term for the cut to the face of Heath Ledger’s Joker? Apparently, some Greek groove metal. Since Vagelis Karzis (former live bassist for Rotting Christ) formed Full House Brew Crew, in 2009, the band has had a fairly consistent lineup. They’ve also been somewhat consistent with album releases, as Glasgow Grin marks their fifth, though there was a seven-year gap between their second, Bet it All (2011), and third, Me Against You (2018).” Beer me?

Sylosis – The New Flesh Review

By Lavender Larcenist on February 18, 2026 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Metalcore, Thrash Metal, 37 comments

“Sylosis has been quietly plugging along in the background for years, a band that, in my anecdotal experience, many have heard of, but few listen to. When I go to shout about the greatness of albums like Monolith or Dormant Heart from the highest peaks, it seems to fall on deaf ears. No more, I say! Lead vocalist and guitarist Josh Middleton has led the band since Edge of the Earth. As the last remaining original member, he became the de facto songwriter and soul of a group that has seen many members over the years and near dissolution during Middleton’s time with Architects. After returning to Sylosis full-time, the band is on their third release in this latest era, The New Flesh.” All hail the new flesh!

Crystal Lake – The Weight of Sound Review

By Dear Hollow on January 28, 2026 in Reviews, Deathcore, Djent, Hardcore, Metalcore, Nu Metal, 28 comments

“Crystal Lake is one of those bands that I lost track of. I adored 2015’s The Sign, its blend of hardcore attitude with a surgical metalcore attack and just enough djent and deathcore to make things interesting resulted in some of my all-time favorites in the style (“Prometheus,” “Matrix,” “Hades”). Yes, it’s knuckleheaded and boner-dragging brutality posturing, but for a jolt of breakdown-heavy sonic adrenaline, the Japanese quintet fit the bill.” Lake effects.

URNE – Setting Fire to the Sky Review

By Lavender Larcenist on January 27, 2026 in Reviews, Hardcore, Metalcore, 62 comments

“The evolution of a band is a fickle thing. Change too much, and you alienate those who started the journey with you; change too little and bore listeners over time, leaving only ardent fans of the sound. URNE, a London three-piece with close ties to Gojira and Mastodon, has already shown a surprising amount of reformation by their third release, Setting Fire to the Sky. The band’s debut, SERPENT & SPIRIT, was a hard-edged mix of post-hardcore, sweeping grooves, and raw vocals, with a little bit of sludge thrown into their clean-singing.” Urneing the fire.

Unexpectance – Solus Ipse

By Kenstrosity on January 14, 2026 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, 41 comments

“Spanish metalcore/melodeath quintet Unexpectance lived up to their name when I encountered them for the first time in 2022, boasting a remarkably meaty and riff-packed assault on their sophomore effort Vortex. After recruiting a new drummer, a new vocalist, and a new lead guitarist, their upcoming salvo Solus Ipse threatens to sound quite a bit different, despite tapping similar Dante-centric philosophical wells for its theme. This potential shift didn’t hamper my interest, however, as their chunky, groovy songwriting held up quite well over time.” No one expects the unexpectance.

Bite Down – Violent Playground Review

By Samguineous Maximus on January 13, 2026 in Reviews, Deathcore, Metalcore, Nu Metal, 66 comments

““TikTok deathcore.” Two words guaranteed to make trve metalheads shudder inside their Jørn-adorned battle jackets. It’s also a term that could apply to a vast swathe of newer deathcore acts; each chasing the viral glory of Will Ramos reaction videos through near-endless vertical content. Enter Sweden’s Bite Down, who’ve ridden this wave to a respectable level of buzz across a steady drip-feed of singles and EPs, with their debut, Violent Playground.” Toothsome or untoother?

Dying Wish – Flesh Stays Together [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

By Lavender Larcenist on December 16, 2025 in Things You Might Have Missed 2025, Hardcore, Metalcore, 33 comments

Here we go again, another day, another genre that generally gets written off by the metal faithful. Metalcore is a gateway for many metalheads, but it rarely has staying power past those formative years. I had the opposite experience, and only really found metalcore that I enjoyed well into my heavy music tenure. Dying Wish is one of those bands that dug its way out of the pit and drilled its way into my brain. The band’s latest album, Flesh Stays Together, is an emotionally charged ripper filled with catchy hooks, vicious breakdowns, and a manic energy more akin to acts like Venom Prison than its contemporaries. Flesh is a gift.

Between the Buried and Me – The Blue Nowhere [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

By Samguineous Maximus on December 16, 2025 in Things You Might Have Missed 2025, Metalcore, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, 38 comments

“With their move to Inside Out Music and the departure of longtime guitarist Dusty Waring, another shift seemed inevitable, with longtime fans like me wondering if the band could deliver another impressive offering. I’m happy to say The Blue Nowhere sticks the landing. It’s an impressive record that finds BTBAM confident, energized, and willing to explore new ideas while refining the familiar.” The grave digging was premature.