They’ve just celebrated their 15th anniversary, now Against The Current are focusing on the future with the release of a stunning new track.
Titled ‘Heavenly’, it is quintessential ATC. Dense, dramatic and beautifully delivered, it’s an euphorically bold move. From the soft patter of synths backing up the thrilling chords to Chrissy Costanza’s crystalline vocal, it is as gorgeous as it is grand. A summation of everything that the band’s journey has awarded and taught them, presented in an utterly irresistible form.
The start of something wonderful.
Chrissy had this to say about the tune, explaining, “‘Heavenly’ is the realisation that the fall from grace is liberation. After balancing on a knife’s edge atop a pedestal others put you on, the moment of letting everyone down becomes the first gasp of fresh air after a lifetime of holding your breath. “
It’s the first new music from the band in three years, following their string of standalone singles that marked their return to being an independent band.
Here is one of them, ‘silent stranger’:
Recently, it was revealed that Chrissy is going to be performing the band’s megahit ‘Legends Never Die’ at T1: Home Ground, an eSports festival in South Korea.
Nova Twins picked up the award for Best Alternative Music Act at the 2026 MOBOs last night (March 26).
Amy Love and Georgia South made an appearance at Manchester’s Co-op Live to collect the gong, beating stiff competition in the form of ALTBLKERA, Blood Orange, Hak Baker, Michael Kiwanuka and Rachel Chinouriri.
“It’s amazing see all the bands that have been nominated and who are getting that recognition that they deserve. It’s also great for people to have the opportunity to see a band like us play. A young kid might be at home watching the MOBOs, see us, and think, ‘What the hell was that?! I could do that, too!’”
From Tupperware jugs (you know the ones) to those ever-present knife sharpeners, let’s take a nostalgic trip back to the quintessential ’70s kitchen. Continue reading…
Fast-rising hard rockers, Burning Circus, have now released their scorching new single, ‘Rodeo‘. Listen to the band – here Hailing from Derby, England, Burning Circus are quickly making a name for themselves with their passionate, high-energy performances and raw rock ‘n’ roll sound. Influenced by iconic bands like The Rolling Stones, Guns N’ Roses, and […]
When in skilled hands, death and grind go together like all the finest combinations, whether it’s peanut butter and chocolate, beer and pretzels, or good old mac and cheese. The tasty combo applies to the musical inclinations of Illinois wrecking crew Melting Rot, as they unleash their second LP and follow-up to 2021’s Blood Delusions debut. Admittedly unfamiliar before dredging this one up from the promo sump, the trio feature combined underground experience with various lesser-known acts, forming way back in 2017. Citing the likes of Regurgitate and Excruciating Terror as comparisons, and featuring a guest spot from Exhumed legend Matt Harvey, can these unheralded deathgrind loonies make a sizable impact in the ever-crowded realms of the underground?
Following a short sample, right off the bat, Melting Rot lay their gnarled cards on the table, unleashing a rugged, relentless frenzy of old school grind values and groovy, gnashing brutal death, complete with incomprehensible, uber low vox and occasional deeper variations or grindy highs. It’s a tight, violent, take-no-prisoners approach, done and dusted in a mere eighteen minutes. Melting Rot flip between d-beaten bursts and blasts of crusty grind, to thuggish brutal death depravity with raucous energy and tight musical chops. Revelling in the relative uncomplicated nature of their sound, Melting Rot draw influence from the likes of Exhumed,Carcass, and a more straightforward Benighted.
Sporting a robust, extra beefy production job, Infatuation with Premeditation boasts a killer guitar tone, cutting a nasty swathe of distortion and welcome oomph to the ample supply of meaty riffs and piledriving grooves littering the album. At their most potent, Melting Rot dish out gnarly examples of their bruising deathgrind attack. Barnstorming cuts like the viciously grinding, punkish throes and infectious riffs of “Human Pavement Splatter,” crunching grooves and ripping powerplays of “The Surgeon was Comatose,” and thrashing melodicism cutting through the otherwise blunt force savagery of “Aiming for Construction Workers” highlight Infatuation with Premeditation’s stronger writing. Not to be discounted, “Open Casket Vomit Spew” injects Necroticism-esque flair and crunch, while “Morbid Infatuation” adds buzzsawing Swedeath riffs into its punky grind skirmishes. It’s nasty, unsanitized stuff, refreshingly free from modern polish, ensuring the material retains its dirty, rusty edge.
There are no glaring weak links, just a handful of moments where the writing bleeds together slightly, leading to fleeting moments of faceless brutality. Meanwhile, the vocals are a mixed bag. The multi-pronged attack largely defaults to the predominant gurgling lows, while serviceable, they lack variation and are fairly one-dimensional and monotonous in delivery. When occasionally cut with the shattering highs and other lower growl variations, the vocal impact is more effective. Shifting the balance would have worked wonders. Otherwise, Infatuation with Premeditation ticks all the boxes for a rollicking good time for deathgrind fiends. The brevity leaves you wanting more, and while long-term mileage is debatable, overall, Melting Rot swing hard and largely nail the impact. The subtle dynamic shifts between their higher gears are well executed, while the album is fueled by relentless energy and filthy, bludgeoning riffs, packing a mean, headbanging punch.
Melting Rot delivered a punchy, efficient blast of deathgrind goodness on Infatuation with Premeditation, featuring a short, sharp collection of nuggety brawlers falling in the solid to very good bracket and hinting at potential greatness to come if Melting Rot continue to sharpen and hone their songwriting skills. As it stands, Infatuation with Premeditation is a strong 3.0, an entertaining platter and recommended listen for deathgrind enthusiasts who like their deathgrind extra riffy and their grooves bloody and beaten.
Fresh from their special 15th anniversary world tour, the trio are kicking off a whole new chapter with a song that’s about the fact that “the realisation that the fall from grace is liberation,” according to vocalist Chrissy Costanza. “After balancing on a knife’s edge atop a pedestal others put you on, the moment of letting everyone down becomes the first gasp of fresh air after a lifetime of holding your breath.”
If you like the sound of that, a press release confirms that ATC are now ‘gearing up for a massive year: writing new music, planning a global tour and preparing to unleash their most ambitious era yet’.
Four years after their magnificent debut Don’t think about deathChalk Hands are back to deliver another blow for the open hearted. This album screams figuratively and literally evolution with every note.
The Line That Shapes the Coast of Us is the effort of a band that has been on the road. Chalk Hands have toured extensively across the UK and Europe – including Touché Amoré and Frail Body – and have performed at festivals such as ArcTanGent and Sonic Rites. Songs like the opener “Ember Lane” or the epic “Day Glow” work like a magnifying glass on what I really liked about the debut: those tender guitar intros and the emotional weight that kicks in once the songs get moving. Man, those four songs leading into the album are an impressive demonstration of great Post-Hardcore in this day and age.
“The Bridge” from the predecessor was a highlight for me. On The Line That Shapes the Coast of Us it is the nearly instrumental “A Surefire Way To Disappear“. You can just drown yourself in the atmosphere this piece of art provides. The same can be said about “Your Skin is Gold“. Those instrumental passages are truly “gold” on .this record. The band once described their music as “loud sad songs” and there could be nothing more fitting.
Together with the Death of Youth albumThe Line That Shapes the Coast of Us serves as a great start to the Post-Hardcore of 2026. The whole album at times feels like walking into a tornado. At first, you’re hit by intense winds that throw everything above and below into chaos. In the middle, there’s a strangely beautiful calm, which—once you leave it again—turns back into the familiar and beloved turmoil.
When in skilled hands, death and grind go together like all the finest combinations, whether it’s peanut butter and chocolate, beer and pretzels, or good old mac and cheese. The tasty combo applies to the musical inclinations of Illinois wrecking crew Melting Rot, as they unleash their second LP and follow-up to 2021’s Blood Delusions debut. Admittedly unfamiliar before dredging this one up from the promo sump, the trio feature combined underground experience with various lesser-known acts, forming way back in 2017. Citing the likes of Regurgitate and Excruciating Terror as comparisons, and featuring a guest spot from Exhumed legend Matt Harvey, can these unheralded deathgrind loonies make a sizable impact in the ever-crowded realms of the underground?