New Music Friday – February 20th, 2026

Welcome to New Music Friday where we round-up all the week’s releases from metalcore, hardcore, alternative and indie. For a full view of what’s coming up, check out our release calendar a look to see what other releases are coming up. The NMF playlist can be found here or at the bottom of the page.

STAFF PICKS

Black Mould HC – Liberate (Single)
Label – Independent
(Spotify)

Joe recommends: Brimming with rage at the injustice of the modern world, Black Mould HC deliver another absolute barnstormer of a track with “Liberate“. Vicious vocals cut through the track, leading the charge on the righteous indignation that “Liberate” has, and once again proves just how good Black Mould HC are.

Varination & ameokama – Living Yesterday (Single)
Label – Independent
(Spotify)

Joe recommends: Making their debut on “Living Yesterday“, with an assist from ameokama, Varination deliver some of the finest screamo we’ve heard so far this year. The dual vocal offering creates a contrast between the piercing vocals of Varination and the more scramz/emo style of ameokama and also making for one chaotic listen.

METAL/CORE RELEASES

Above, Below – I Guess It Was Nowhere
Label – Independent

Ashes At Last – All In The Name Of Entertainment
Label – Independent

Coscradh – Carving the Causeway to the Otherworld
Label – 20 Buck Spin

FLESH CREEP – WE NEED YOU TO BLEED
Label – Music For Nations

Mirrorcell – Long Nights In Lovescape
Label – InVogue Records

Sylosis – The New Flesh
Label – Nuclear Blast

Azshara & Unmoved – Cold Blooded Tag Team (EP)
Label – DAZE

Bayonet Dismemberment – Skull Crushed By A Tank (EP)
Label – Iron Fortress Records

Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean – Let Us Not Speak of Them but Look and Pass On (EP)
Label – Redscroll Records

DIESECT – HIDE FROM THE LIGHT (EP)
Label – Greyscale Records

Worm Shepherd – Dawn Of The Iconoclast (EP)
Label – Unique Leader Records

CONVEY – A Place In Hell For Us Both (EP)
Label – Independent

Kicked in the Head by a Horse – BLOOM/DECAY (EP)
Label – Independent

Suicide Cages – I Hate the Way This Makes Me Feel (EP)
Label – Braeburn Records

Seven Letters Never Sent – Beneath Autumn’s Sun (EP)
Label – Independent

Echoes of Amara & Sincerely Yours – Nothing Happened Here (EP)
Label – Independent

coverslut – S/T (EP)
Label – BER-8 Records

157frq – Spine / Hole (Single)
Label – Arson Theory

August Burns Red – Behemoth (Single)
Label – Fearless Records

Black Magnet – Room Full of Hammers (Single)
Label – Radical Iconography

Breakdown of Sanity – Torn Pages (Single)
Label – Independent

Hemorage – Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die (Single)
Label – Independent

Kneel Before the Death – The Weight of Truth (Single)
Label – Ranka Kustannus

LOOK ALIVE – Capacity for Love (Single)
Label – Independent

Lintworm – Glitter (Single)
Label – Genet Records, Lay Bare Recordings, Best Life Records

Mal Criado – SPLIT WITH SUFFERING UNSEEN (Single)
Label – DBD Records / Yetzer Hara Records

Royal Hearts – I am the Effigy (Single)
Label – Independent

Scarlett O’Hara – Redrum (Single)
Label – Independent

Unearthly Rites – Ignis Fatuus (Single)
Label – Svart Records

Vanitas – Nobody (Single)
Label – Independent

Varia – FERAL (Single)
Label – Independent

Within Reach – Hesitate (Single)
Label – Within Reach

held under. – Integrate (Single)
Label – Independent

Arch Enemy – To The Last Breath (Single)
Label – Century Media

Arrowheads – Ache (Single)
Label – Independent

Chamber – violins (Single)
Label – Pure Noise Records

ERRA – i. the many names of god (Single)
Label – UNFD

Ice Nine Kills – Twisting The Knife (feat. Mckenna Grace) (Single)
Label – Fearless Records

The Gloom In The Corner – You Didn’t Like Me Then (You Won’t Like Me Now) (Single)
Label – SHARPTONE

Extinction A.D. – Dead Men Running (Single)
Label – M-Theory Audio

Final Gasp – No Hand To Lead (Single)
Label – Relapse Records

Graupel – Beloved (Single)
Label – Gifted Records

Growth – Forward, Further, Spirit Killer (Single)
Label – Wild Thing Records

Knumears – My Name (Single)
Label – Run For Cover

Lantlôs – Solar Death (Single)
Label – Prophecy Productions

Onchocerciasis Esophagogastroduodenoscopy – Hurt Beyond Healing (Single)
Label – Stillbirth Records

Poison The Well – Everything Hurts (Single)
Label – SHARPTONE

Sixth Wonder – Missile (Single)
Label – 6W

Gaerea – Nomad (Single)
Label – Century Media

Roman Candle – Bite Harder Than You Bleed (Single)
Label – Sumerian Records

Purge The Valley – Set It On Fire (Single)
Label – Independent

Decipher – Litany (Single)
Label – Transcending Obscurity Records

Divine Destruction – HACKSAW (Single)
Label – Alex Sevigny Audio

Serve – Forever (Single)
Label – Independent

HARDCORE RELEASES

Bazookatooth – D.M.C.K.
Label – Independent

Killing Pace – HCPM
Label – Triple B Records / Streets Of Hate

Bruise Control – Bruise Control (EP)
Label – Independent

Mercy Whip – GEHENNA (EP)
Label – Static Era Records

Stressed – A World From Ashes (EP)
Label – Life.lair.regret. Records

Angel CCAA – Acts Of Passion (EP)
Label – Collective Memory

World Instinct – Demo 2026 (EP)
Label – STTW-Records

Backfire! – Means to Your End (Single)
Label – WTF Records

Ratbite – Acting a fool (Single)
Label – Independent

SPLIT – Greater Than God (Single)
Label – Heavy Collective

TCHERT – impossible to expel (Single)
Label – ANKN Records

Vital Part – No Banner to Wave (Single)
Label – Vital Part

Votive – Only Speaks When Spoken To (Single)
Label – Persistent Vision / Dog Knights Productions

Wake of Humanity – Acquitted (Single)
Label – New Age Records

Beyond The Styx – Dust Off (Single)
Label – Innerstrength Records

Grail Guard – Our Streets (Single)
Label – TNS Records

Haywire 617 – New England Forever (Single)
Label – Play It Again Sam

World I Hate – Your Phantasm (Single)
Label – Convulse Records

POST-HARDCORE/ROCK RELEASES

Good Tiger – The Most Negative Day of the Year
Label – Independent

New Found Glory – Listen Up!
Label – Pure Noise Records

430 Steps – The Drama Of Being You
Label – Independent

Monroe. – To Dwell on Dreams and Live in Memories.
Label – BandfundRecords Records

MOTHICA – Somewhere In Between (EP)
Label – SHARPTONE

Sløtface – FRIENDSHIP_WIP1 (EP)
Label – Dagen er ødelagt

Chalk Hands – Rewired Eyes (Single)
Label – Dog Knights Productions

Drift – Four Letters (Single)
Label – Independent

Honey Revenge – Hot Commodity (Single)
Label – Thriller Records

Royal Tusk – ARMISTICE (Single)
Label – Independent

Seek Harbour – The Witness (Single)
Label – Independent

Sweat – A New Love Language (Single)
Label – Vitriol Records

Tally Spear – How Are You (Single)
Label – Nettwerk Music Group

Hands Like Houses – Flowers (Single)
Label – Civilians

Hot Mulligan – I Don’t Think It’s the Right Time for Emojis (Single)
Label – Independent

Rarity – WAVE ONE (Single)
Label – New Damage Records

Sweet Pill – Smoke Screen (Single)
Label – Hopeless Records

Moodring – Anywhere But Here (Single)
Label – SHARPTONE

ALTERNATIVE/INDIE/SHOEGAZE RELEASES

36 – Night Language
Label – 3six Recordings

The Green Kingdom – Lunae
Label – ROHS! RECORDS

Lucid Express – Instant Comfort
Label – Kanine Records

EXOSSI – telephone calls from lady valentine (EP)
Label – Independent

smush – standards (EP)
Label – Independent

trauma ray – Carnival (EP)
Label – DAIS Records

Cannons – These Nights (Single)
Label – Columbia

Eden FM – Matter (Single)
Label – Cursus Audio

Glixen – unwind (Single)
Label – Independent

Pearly Drops – Heaven (Single)
Label – Music Website

Vines – being loved isn’t the same as being understood (Single)
Label – Independent

j1nabae – luvsomebody (Single)
Label – Independent

Naked Lungs – GLITTER (Single)
Label – Independent

THENEWLEVEL – atmos (Single)
Label – Independent

Honey I’m Home – Pretty (Single)
Label – Independent

Mascara – Nerium (Single)
Label – Fever Ltd.

SIIICKBRAIN – PALO SANTO (Single)
Label – Rise Records

SYGH – Angel (Single)
Label – Silver Skin Audio

Snail Mail – My Maker (Single)
Label – Matador

CHVRCHES – Such Great Heights From “Tell Me Lies (Season 3)” (Single)
Label – Hollywood Records

FlowerBoyDeMii – a1v14_ (Single)
Label – Independent

Lana Del Rey – White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter (Single)
Label – Polydor Records

Wildernesses – Summertime, 1917 (Single)
Label – Floodlit Recordings

dead fave – I Love You All Night (Single)
Label – Independent

Wedding Songs – Little Parasites (for D.W.) (Single)
Label – Collective Memory Records, STTW Records