We missed September, we know, we deeply apologise. To make it up to you, here’s the best releases of October 2026.
CROWQUILL - CANNULA
Crowquill have never been ones to leave gaps or opportunity for niceties, and Cannula doesn’t stray from the devastating atmosphere that the UK metalcore outfit have deployed on the scene. Instantly opening with that high-frequency noise followed closely by a menacing, panic-fueled riff is enough to turn anyone and everyone into an instigator within the first 10 seconds. Crowquill know how to gain control over your emotions and autonomy, and Liam orchestrates the display with catastrophic vocals, tweaked with that radio static effect which gives them that harrowing feel, as though you’re listening to a horror scene over a war communication device. Instrumentally, they’ve never been tighter, and following on from their self-titled debut EP, a lot of people have this band on their radar and hold them in high regard. But yet again they’ve unleashed terror that surpasses expectations. Cannula marks the bands’ signing to DAZE, and with their first full length just around the corner, it’s only a matter of time before we witness friendly fire on dancefloors across the globe. This is evil music to batter your mates to. - HAYLS
MACHUKHA - SEVERING
Machukha is a band that has been on the rise for a few years, and it’s finally time for everyone else to catch up. The German/Ukranian experimental black metal outfit have now released their first single for an upcoming sophomore record. Severing is nearly 7 minutes of total aggression, and this is perhaps their most straightforwardly black metal track; it's truly immense in its execution. Battering drums lead the charge with a masterful precision, but there are a lot of unique fills throughout that you don’t typically expect to find in this style. In one of the latter sections, there is near enough a reggaeton beat. Bolstering this huge sound are the guitars, that then also add their own flair occasionally. Black Metal is a genre very rooted in being exact, but in bringing this more punk edge to their execution, it really livens things up and adds such unpredictability. The vocals may be the star of the show as they are filled with this intense anguish that cuts against the instrumentation. It creates this palpable tension. As the track comes to a close, it offers a more atmospheric, near ambient instrumental. This switch could be jarring with another band, but the way they build these textures allows the loud moments to be so much more captivating. - CALLUM
FALLINGWITHSCISSORS - LEAD LOVE
Since their debut album ‘The Death and Birth of an Angel’ in 2024, fallingwithscissors have quickly gained a reputation for themselves, gathering a lot of excitement for what more the band could have to offer next. Now, with the release of two new singles, they’re 100% living up to the hype. lead love is a nasty metalcore tune made for the moshers, packed with chuggy riffs, chaotic energy, and a few clean sing-along sections. The back and forth between the heavy and clean moments will barely give a first listener the chance to catch their breath before being thrown into the next part. Leaning slightly astray from some of their hardstyle and breakcore moments from past releases, it seems the band are fully leaning into metalcore. While this may be disappointing for some, there’s no denying that fallingwithscissors know how to make metalcore fresh and innovative, appealing to newcomers and old heads alike. If lead love is anything to go by, we should all be excited for what happens next. - RAIHAN
CURRENTS - RETRIBUTIONER
Should’ve been a shadow drop but idiots on the internet had to ruin it again for the second time in a row. Nevertheless, Currents have fed us greatly with an emotionally-charged giant, Retributioner. There’s no crazy gimmick, no ground-stopping moment, no overt display of the incredible talent they all contain, and that’s what makes this track huge. When you can do what you do as a band without pushing boundaries, and it still lands as miles apart from the majority of what gets dumped into the scene, it’s a true testament to a monumental name in modern metalcore. The orchestral soundscape layered behind the weighted instrumental is something that Currents know how to do perfectly. They know where to place it to tug on your heartstrings, luring you into a world of emotion and despair, but just as they give, they take, and replace it with an atmosphere that can only be described as watching the world burn before your eyes. Brian’s flawless layered vocals engulf you, proving that he’s truly one of the best at mixing glass-shattering highs with trembling lows that cause the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up through terror and disbelief. Currents never miss, and Retributioner is only the next page towards a completely unskippable discography. - HAYLS
THE MISSING PIECE - SWEET DREAMS
The drifting comfortable serenade this Alt Rock/Shoegaze outlet brings is nothing short of immaculate. You could be falling asleep, walking through a field with the sun setting behind the hilltop, drunk at 1am with a partner lying in bed, or just staring at the ceiling; this song is etched into your feels. The vocals blend this beautiful harmony as well as overlaying multiple voices, whispers, gentle cleans that escalate into melancholic screams as you progress into the track's ending. Guitars bring this reverberated grain and grit, packing a punch but also displaying a sense of yearning, and the band know when to bring it back in to add more dynamic flavour, especially before the last chorus where there is only bass, vocals, drums, and this grungy atmospheric soundscape. If you are big into your Shoegaze and melancholic solitude, you will want to add this to your hopeless romantic playlists! - NICK H
LONELY THE BRAVE - SO NEARLY
Lonely The Brave have returned to the field with a brand new single. Following a period of silence and a social media wipe, the teasers came and announcements were made. One big addition to this caused a stir. Dave. Never before has the name ‘Dave’ caused such a feverish excitement. Returning, finally, is the original vocalist and all around big legend Dave Jakes. A voice like no other. Whilst nothing overly remarkable strikes the vocal, that’s part of what makes it so good. He’s just a man. He sounds like a man. He could be anyone. And then he does that. The band is fantastic, the soundscape and shell of their work truly undeniable, but it is clear to everyone that they write, in a sense, to serve him. To compliment his vocals. And they do so exceptionally. If this is a marker of what is to come, an EP, another full length, count us in. The people are ready to pick up what they put down. Crafting a stellar example of British rock music, the melancholy fills the ears and holds us captive. It is palpable. It is beautiful. Lonely The Brave are back, and long may they continue. - ED
MORAL LAW - SCOURGE II (FT. A MOURNING STAR)
Sometimes in a band's journey, they take a look back at songs from an earlier, less refined point in their existence and think "You know what, I can do this differently now". That's exactly what Moral Law have done with the song Scourge II, from their upcoming “Solemn Vows to a World Deplored” album. Originally a song from over five years ago, it's been given a new lease of life for this record, with tweaks and refinements mixed with a feature from Canadian Metalcore riffers, A Mourning Star, a move which sees two of the best bands in the scene right now joining forces. The result is a song that already feels like a standout before the album drops on the sixth of November, and with the other tracks out being ragers too, it would be a good idea to save a space in your AOTY lists for Moral Law. - CHRIS
NO CURE - TILL DEATH
No Cure celebrated Edge Day on October 17 the way they usually do: by covering a classic. This time it’s Brotherhood’s Till Death, barely two minutes of Seattle straight edge from the late ’80s band formed in 1987 by Greg Anderson, later of Sunn O))). Brotherhood were rare for the time, confronting racism, sexism and homophobia on stage as well as on record, opening for Youth of Today and Fugazi before splitting in 1989. The song itself is about sticking with your friends and your convictions for life. Foundation in 2024, Until The End last year, now this. The Birmingham, Alabama band clearly have a thing for digging up the scene’s roots. The original catches its breath between sprints but this version doesn’t bother. A heavy kick drum drives it and the metallic weight is pure No Cure. It obviously drifts away from the death-metal bruising of “It Is Going To Get Dark”, but the ferocity is all there. A biting tribute that wires hardcore’s past straight into its present. - KELEN
BREAKKAWAY - I KNOW (FT. SOFTCULT)
This track is truly a trance, telling the story of heartbreak through the lens of creating a mess of things between two people. “We’re losing our composure… I’ll smile till it’s over.” insists that there is a lack of trust between these two. The lack of build up within this song actually makes it a lot more powerful and therefore, creates this atmospheric feeling of heartbreak and hurt that is honestly refreshing. Breakkaway have created this world within this song with softcult that listeners will lose themselves in time and time again. There is a lot of passion within this song and then it just ramps up to 100. The last 30 seconds will make you feel like you are being lifted off the ground and sent through what can only be described as a wheel of emotion. Breakkaway have created something special with softcult, that can’t be denied, listeners will enter this world that they have created and come out with something that is truly thoughtful and well presented. - ADAM
WITHIN REACH - MORE TO ME
Every release further proves that this band is one of the most exciting and versatile young talents in the UK right now. Over the last year we’ve watched Within Reach release impeccable single after single and that only begs the question, “What are they planning?” Is it another EP or their first full length? Either way, the anticipation surrounding them keeps building with every drop, and More To Me is another checked box in their repertoire. Bailey’s guitar work has been a standout feature of this band since their first material, and it’s only become more prominent and unique over time. The beautiful melody that is brought to every track through the guitar alone is applaudable, and on More To Me, it portrays sincerity akin to what you’d find on a Post-Hardcore track from the early 2010s. Within Reach are a band that know their strengths and while it would be wise to stay within the realm of safety, they continue to take risks by stepping outside and it’s undeniable that it pays off every time. - HAYLS
ORION… ONCE AGAIN - REUNION
Every week it seems there are several new and exciting metalcore bands that are taking things back to the sounds of the 2000s. Orion… Once Again are a great band from Japan flying the flag but adding their own more emotional spin to things. Releasing their first EP in 2024 with The Coming Strife putting it out in the UK, this new single is their first for Paper Wings Records, a metalcore label with an abundance of promising bands from the underground. Self-branded as “emo-metalcore” and that really shines through in the softer sections, newer bands tackling this style have the heaviness and aggression perfect, but few have this confidence when it comes to letting the clean vocals take the lead. Musically, this song isn’t completely unique, but there is such a flexibility in the vocal performances, the duelling screams in the breakdown, and the spoken word section that set them apart. They come together with the galloping guitars to create a real solid piece that demonstrates their different strengths as a band and shows potential for ideas they could further expand on in the future. - CALLUM
SHE WANTS REVENGE - BLACK WAX/OUR LOVE
After 15 years since their last album, the iconic darkwave duo are gearing up for a comeback with lead single BLACK WAX/OUR LOVE. Unlike the vast amount of bands that come back after a long hiatus sounding completely different, She Wants Revenge sound like they never left; they’ve simply evolved. BLACK WAX/OUR LOVE is a morbidly romantic tune perfectly fitting for the soundtrack to a scene in American Horror Story or for a TikTok edit to the blood rave scene from Blade. This dark track features post-punk guitar work, a pulsing synth, and hypnotic drums, all layered with Justin Warfield’s signature robotic-like vocal style. There’s something quite sinister about how all these elements come together, creating a sense of seduction and horror all together. This is of course nothing new for She Wants Revenge, they’re leaning into the sound that made them and managing to keep it fresh. With a new album due next year, it looks like fans have a lot to look forward to. - RAIHAN
NORTHLANE - DEATHWISH
Northlane has been constantly experimenting with the likes EDM, Trance, Hard Style and DNB music, ever since the release of “Alien” and their latest single Deathwish shows no sign of them halting. This track is a perfect display of how far the band has progressed with their sound, though it doesn’t sound “heavy” in the sense of being a metal track and one could argue there is no 7 string or baritone guitar playing, don’t let it deceive you. As displayed in a guitar playthrough by Jonathon Deiley, there is a great handful of guitar work that encapsulates the modern electric sound and nostalgic club style seeped into the guitar. The drops are nothing short of oozing a gorgeous hard driven catharsis. There is a beautiful low and high end piercing sound during the chorus that adds to the rush of the song. With lyrics exploring first person narcissism as well as inner reflections of a character's destructive behaviour, it further adds to the intensity of the piece, making it a standout track. If you are loving tracks like Evian, you will love Deathwish! - NICK H
VICTIMS OF LIFE - WHERE DARKNESS SEEPS
The UK hardcore scene has never been more flavourful, and Victims Of Life are continually adding their own twists to the pot. Fight riffs lead into a battleground of torment and anguish, taking prisoners left, right, and centre. These guys know how to instil anger into anyone who dares to listen, and they never loosen their grip, not even for a second, so be prepared to be on a constant warpath while listening to Where Darkness Seeps. The instrumentals lay the foundation for carnage, dusting panic sounds throughout to activate your fight or flight, and the vocals implore you leave all inhibitions behind. This track is an indication that evil things are yet to come from the band, and they’ve put together the perfect recipe to tap into your inner dark side. Where darkness seeps is out of anyone who allows themselves to surrender to becoming a victim of life. - HAYLS
BEN QUAD - I ONLY LET YOU DOWN NOW
What can be only described as a homage to everything post emo, Ben Quad have come out with I Only Let You Down Now. This is quite essentially one of the best releases that have come from the camp of Ben Quad. Following on from their 2025 album “Wisher”, I Only Let You Down Now tells the story of someone within a relationship of sorts, saying that whilst the history is important to it, the present is just as essential to consider, and in this instance, it appears that Ben Quad are speaking from a personal place of failure within this relationship. It has got everything that you would come to expect from a post emo banger, consistent acoustic guitar riffs, and that rhythmic heaven that anyone would tell you makes this track a true success. There is not much else to say about this track other than the fact that you will want to listen to it over and over. - ADAM
