A much-delayed review (sorry!) due to the period after the gig being one of my busiest of the year, so I did the “get around to it” thing and… didn’t get around to it. Oops. Anyway. Another year, another visit by pop-punk stalwarts Bowling For Soup, and another quality set of supports. Or not, as … Continue reading Gig Review: Bowling For Soup / Frank Turner / American Hi-Fi – Academy, Glasgow (29th June 2026)

EP Review: Embodiment – Cryptomorph

Reviewed by Dan Barnes

Cryptomorph represents the return of Bristol’s Embodiment following the release of their sophomore album, Palingenesis in 2020 and that damned pandemic that put a crimp in everyone’s year.

Formed back in 2012, Embodiment brought technicality, groove and melody together, balancing each against the other in a combination that saw them win the Bristol Metal 2 the Masses in 2017, performing at that year’s Bloodstock and again at Catton Park in 2023, this time promoted to the S.O.P.H.I.E. stage. Appearances at Tech-Fest, Mammothfest and Southwest Heavyfest are also notable, as is sharing stages with the likes of Decapitated, The Black Dahlia Murder and Suffocation to name but a few.

The gap between Palingenesis and Cryptomorph has been filled with upheaval in the Embodiment camp, seeing the departure of rhythm section Keiran Hogarty and Leslie Preston, to be replaced by former Body Harvest and Rannoch drummer, Will Pearson and with one-time Ascaris six-stinger, Sam Godding.

This new EP, their first collection of new material in six-years, finds a band ready to expand on their technical aspects of their sound; named for the concept of hidden transformations, Cryptomorph is four tracks of dynamic and driving melodic death metal, coloured with a modern aesthetic that at times is reminiscent of Lamb of God and the occasional hint of Parkway Drive.

Jeopardy in Idolatry was issued as the promo-single back in May and opens Cryptomorph in belligerent fashion. No airs or graces, no intro to ease the listener in, only an in-your-face slap of sharp, snappy guitar lines, crystal clear in their delivery, but with the force of an unrelenting assault. Choppy riffs, snarling vocals and spiralling guitars all sit against a hefty percussion.

Beneath the Skin starts fast out of the blocks, stomping rhythms and powerful riffs owe a debt to metalcore, the modern sound and dual vocal, along with the occasional clean singing adds further colour and texture. Resonance Cascade has intersecting vocals, some even veering into black metal territory, accentuated by a distinctly symphonic sound and a huge solo; the closing track, As They Spread Their Infection may well be a comment on the recent years, played with groove as guitars flail and rage beneath screeching vocals. It all comes to a brutal conclusion, where the clean singing is replaced with pig squeals

Clocking in at just sixteen-and-a-half-minutes, Cryptomorph is enough to convince all who listen that Embodiment is back. With any luck it won’t be too long before this iteration gets back in the studio for full-length number three, capturing the rich creative force that is obviously on show here.

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The Barbarians of California have once again shattered expectation and done exactly what they want to do with their bonkers new track.

Titled ‘REALLY REALLY RAD’, it is everything that is says on the tin. A bludgeoning, unrelenting, incredibly silly piece of hardcore that trips apart the foundations of the genre and rebuilds them in a completely fresh way. Banshee yelps, caustic riffs and even a little techno break towards the end, it is everything and anything all at the same time. A bold, brave and bleary-eyed dive into the unknown that looks and feels like nobody else.

Aaron Bruno had this to say about the track, simply stating, “’REALLY REALLY RAD’ was really fun to make. ‘REALLY REALLY RAD’ has really fun dynamics. ‘REALLY REALLY RAD’ is really good,”

The track is taken from the band’s upcoming full-length ‘MEGATONS’, which will be yours on August 21 via Villians For Good.

Eric Stenman had this to say about it:

“Everyone has heard of the sophomore slump. Making a second album can be a fraught process full of overthinking and self-doubt. Perhaps, the benefit of us starting this band, at this later point in our lives, relieves some of that pressure. This felt so easy, and is a seamless continuation of whatever we started with the first batch of song — just bigger and better.”

Here is previous offering ‘The Gnarlycore Class’:

The post The Barbarians of California Unleash Brilliant Track ‘Really Really Rad’ appeared first on Rock Sound.

Arriving September 11, 2026, via Season of Mist in black and colored vinyl editions

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The clangy, flinty, ruminative Boston DIY indie trio Krill formed in 2010, quickly cranked out three albums, helped inspire a wave of peers, and broke up in 2015. It was a classic case of a band just suddenly stopping mid-groove, and the story always seemed incomplete. Three years after their ending, Krill reunited to play LVL UP’s final show. In 2019, all three members reunited to form a new band called Knot, and they released a self-titled album in 2020. Now, they’re back to being Krill.

The post Krill Share First New Song In A Decade “Commemorative Plaque” appeared first on Stereogum.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ASHES REIGN UNLEASHES CRUSHING NEW SINGLE “AWAKENING” AHEAD OF HIGHLY ANTICIPATED DEBUT ALBUM
Virginia Melodic Metal Outfit Announces New Music and Upcoming Live Performances Across the U.S.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA , Ashes Reign has officially unleashed their powerful new single, “Awakening,” the title track from the band’s upcoming debut full-length album of the same name. Available now on all major streaming platforms, the song offers a bold introduction to the band’s signature blend of soaring melodies, crushing riffs, and modern metal intensity while setting the stage for the release of Awakening , due out in early October 2026.
Driven by powerful performances and anthemic songwriting, “Awakening” marks a defining moment for the Virginia-based melodic metal outfit as they prepare to introduce their debut album to fans around the world.
“Entering this next phase feels exactly like what this album represents: an awakening,” says vocalist and guitarist Vinny Carrion .
The single is accompanied by striking cover artwork created by returning digital illustrator and designer Kiren Bagchee , while the track was mixed by Chris Dawson and mastered by acclaimed engineer Mike Kalajian , delivering a polished and powerful sonic experience.
Fans can stream “Awakening” now at:
https://hypeddit.com/ashesreign/awakening-1
Ashes Reign will also be bringing their high-energy live show to audiences across the country with several major performances already confirmed:
Upcoming Live Dates:
July 31, 2026 | West End Trading Company | Sanford, FL
October 10, 2026 | Big Island Metal Bash | Grand Naniloa Hotel | Hilo, HI
Featuring Skinlab, The Convalescence, Narcotic Wasteland, Pissing Razors , and more.
November 1, 2026 | Sounds of Brutality Fest | Hard Love | Jacksonville, FL
Featuring Merauder, Bayway, Shattered Realm , and more.
With their debut album on the horizon and an expanding tour schedule, Ashes Reign continues to build momentum as one of the rising melodic metal acts to watch in 2026.
For more information, music, tour updates, and merchandise, visit:
https://www.ashesreign.com/

Follow Ashes Reign

https://www.facebook.com/ashesreignband
https://www.instagram.com/ashesreignband/
https://www.ashesreign.com/
Contact: ashesreignband@gmail.com

“Our motto is ‘weed and riffs and amps and weed,’” declares Hashtronaut guitarist Robb Park, outlining this Denver, Colorado band’s highest (pun intended) priorities – as if their amusing name wasn’t evidence enough.

But don’t be fooled by this stoner levity: their gigs pack a more vicious edge than your average pothead groove merchants, as anyone who saw them at London’s Desertfest can attest.

“We’ve heard it a lot,” says Robb. “People are like, ‘I saw you’re called Hashtronaut and I thought you’d be a joke band – but you’re not at all, you’re dead serious!’”

They’re serious about their intake, too. In Denver, recreational marijuana use is legal for people 21 and over.

“We have a giant container that we fill with joints, and usually we’ve all eaten, like, 100 to 200 milligrams of edibles before we get onstage… You can never have too much!” Robb says with a chuckle.

However, while song titles apparently allude to bad drug experiences, these are often mischievously metaphorical.

“A lot of our songs aren’t even necessarily about weed,” Robb says. “Cough It Up, for example, is about being addicted to buying guitar equipment!”

Gear acquisition is feasibly Hashtronaut’s greatest vice, with Robb describing the band’s backline as “our fourth member”.

“We bring all these crazy-huge speaker cabinets and a ton of amps, and we make sure it’s very big-sounding,” he explains. “We have our own fuzz pedal called Chronic Titan; we worked with a company called Fowl Sounds for two years to finally land on a fully functional design.”

He continues: “We spend a lot of time and money on gear, we’re huge dorks for tone. I’m always trying new stuff and trying to dial in what I think our perfect guitar tone is like. The next album, I want it to be bigger, louder, heavier, weirder… Everything that makes Hashtronaut, Hashtronaut!”

This article was taken from Metal Hammer issue 415, July 2026, which you can order now. Hastronaut’s latest album, No Return, is out now via Blues Funeral.

Taken from their 2025 album ‘Echoes in Eternity’

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This October, American rock chameleons FROM ASHES TO NEW will take Australian audiences by storm for their first-ever headline tour, joined by special guests BANKS ARCADE. Returning down under following their acclaimed performances at Good Things Festival in 2024, FROM ASHES TO NEW will kick off their headline run on Friday 9 October in Sydney, […]