hardcore

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Speed: “The experience of hardcore – the scale of it, the enormity – is mind-boggling right now”

When Jem Siow and his bandmates formed Speed, the Sydney quintet saw it as a part-time project to ‘settle down’ on, giving back to the DIY scene that shaped them. Five years later, they’re the hottest band in hardcore. On the eve of ferocious first LP ONLY ONE MODE, the frontman talks staying true to that grassroots mindset while navigating a genre that’s bigger than its ever been…

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The Cover Story

Knocked Loose: “Sacrificing heaviness was never an option… As this band grows, it only gets more uncomfortable and extreme”

Modern hardcore’s most uncompromising heavyweights, Knocked Loose have been swinging at extreme music’s glass ceiling for over a decade now. But having boiled four years of suffering, uncertainty and self-discovery into awesome third album You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To, the Kentucky crew are armed to brutally break through…

Features

Higher Power: “We were seeking validation in what other people thought… we had to learn to find that in ourselves”

Surging into 2024, Leeds melodic-hardcore faves Higher Power have signed to Nuclear Blast and released beautiful new single Absolute Bloom. We caught up with frontman Jimmy Wizard to talk going back to basics, breaking free from expectation, and finding self-belief deep within…

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The Armed: “This was always supposed to be magical and bizarre, but never just f*cking pretend”

After years as the slipperiest enigma in alternative music, The Armed are finally setting the story straight. Well, kinda. Strapping ourselves to the anarchic collective as they kick off celebrations for fifth LP Perfect Saviors, K! finds there’s still no easy way out once you’ve fallen into their intoxicating tangle of politics and philosophy, muscle and mayhem…

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Code Orange: “The Above comes from a more personal, emotional point of view… it completes the journey we started on I Am King”

Three-and-a-half years after dropping stunning third album Underneath into the claustrophobic void of lockdown, Code Orange are primed to unleash its successor The Above into the great wide open. Frontman Jami Morgan and guitarist Reba Meyers explain that, more than simple “sister record”, this is a defining statement from the indomitable Pittsburgh brutalists…

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Code Orange announce new album The Above

Listen to Code Orange’s new single Take Shape featuring Billy Corgan, taken from their upcoming album The Above

Features

Militarie Gun: “I want our music to be confusing to people who are closed-minded”

Growing up in the hardcore punk scene, Ian Shelton is breaking free from the shackles of expectation with Militarie Gun, embracing bigger, bolder sounds to make debut LP Life Under The Gun one of the most-talked about records of the summer…

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Jesus Piece: “Our music calls to something dark in people. It pulls out that primal side”

Jesus Piece’s Aaron Heard only truly understood hardcore once he’d thrown himself headlong into its visceral, violent live arena. In the aftermath of their soul-shuddering set at Outbreak, he explains how the focus and ferocity that accompanied new album …So Unknown is taking that cathartic carnage to another level.

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How Flatspot broke the rules to become the most exciting hardcore label right now

In the words of co-owner Che Figueroa: “This is as big as I’ve seen hardcore in my whole life.” That’s thanks in no small part to Flatspot Records, and their incredible roster featuring everyone from Speed to Scowl. Forget the genre – here’s how they’re taking over the world…

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Drain: “It’s about a good group of friends saying, ‘We can do this sh*t. We can make something bigger!’”

Three years that changed the world. That’s all it took to lift Drain from underground-popping cult heroes to bona fide hardcore superstars. On the eve of slamming second album Living Proof, frontman Sammy Ciaramitaro explains why the Santa Cruz scene leaders are still just getting started…

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ZULU: “People expect us to be angry, but there’s a lot of joy that we emit”

ZULU are one of the best new bands in the heavy scene today. On the eve of their debut album A New Tomorrow, vocalist Anaiah Lei meets Kerrang! to talk about his life in music, Los Angeles, and most importantly love…

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Code Orange: “Listen to what we do, look at what we do – we don’t fit in anywhere”

Are you ready to go back down the rabbit hole? After a three-year absence, Code Orange are returning to the Underneath with a stunning remix album. Rather than a backwards step, however, Jami Morgan sees it as another phase in the band’s unending evolution, and one that sets them even further apart from the pack…

News

GEL announce debut album Only Constant

Hardcore upstarts GEL will release their highly-anticipated debut album Only Constant this March – listen to new single Attainable.

News

American Nightmare announce new EP, Dedicated To The Next World

Listen to Self Check-Out, the new single from American Nightmare upcoming EP

Reviews

Album review: Counterparts – A Eulogy For Those Still Here

Counterparts dial up the emotion and dig deep into themselves on crushing seventh album, A Eulogy For Those Still Here.

Features

“Everyone thinks I’m a tough guy, but I’m a big softie really”: 13 Questions with Malevolence’s Alex Taylor

Malevolence vocalist (and secret softie) Alex Taylor tackles Kerrang!’s randomly-generated 13 Questions…

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Enter Shikari and The Offspring to headline Slam Dunk Festival 2023

Slam Dunk also reveal Kids In Glass Houses, Billy Talent, Trash Boat, Malevolence and more for next year’s festivals.

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