New Music Friday – December 12th, 2025

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.

Before I Turn – Born in Blood
Label – Independent
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Shane recommends: Before I Turn have vigorously reawakened with “Born in Blood” as their next progcore chapter leading up to Immoral and Malevolent Happenings. Retaining every familiar aspect of their signature polyrhythmic breakdowns and progressions, those new to the Connecticut quartet and anyone who’s been around since The Virus will feast upon a unique serving of downtuned macabre.

Chalk Hands – Breaking Waves
Label – Dog Knights
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Dobbin recommends: A welcome-back to Chalk Hands who deliver an absolute heart bleeder with “Breaking Waves“. The track, coming through Dog Knights, a proud home of all kinds of barbed sounds from the UK, features all the classic flourishes the band is best known for. The beautiful guitarwork is rendered in pristine quality, culminating in a satisfying mathy breakdown at the end. More bright sparks will surely be found on their upcoming record, dropping in March. 

Afraid to Die – Stigmata Bleeds
Label – The Coming Strife
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Dobbin recommends: A new band with seriously vetted musicians (Svalbard, Heights, Devil Sold His Soul, Crows-An-Wra and more), Afraid to Die proudly name the Belgian hardcore scene from the 90s as a key influence. No doubts that “Stigmata Bleeds” will connect with modern audiences, too; it’s all about chunky riffs, no gimmicks in sight. 

TIMEPEACE – Despite You
Label – Independent
(Apple Music/Bandcamp)

Joe recommends: Stepping straight out of Melbourne, TIMEPEACE deliver a politically charged metallic hardcore attack with their latest single, “Despite You”. The track speaks out fiercely against careerist politicians, encouraging us to hold steadfast even as they actively despise us. TIMEPEACE channel this purpose with indignant chaos through every note. Closing with a driving riff that shifts perfectly into a two-step rhythm, this single is sure to capture the heart of those who pass through it and make you want to move.

METAL/CORE RELEASES

Volumes – Mirror Touch (Album) (review)
Label – Fearless Records

Pincer+ – Who Are You When No One’s Around (Album) (review)
Label – Greyscale Records

Collude – impetus (Instrumental) (Album)
Label – Collude

HEALTH – CONFLICT DLC (Album)
Label – Loma Vista Recordings

HELL CAN WAIT – My Will Won’t Be Broken (Album)
Label – Best Life Records

Rotten Sound – Mass Extinction (Album)
Label – Season of Mist

Shokran – Duat (Instrumental) (Album)
Label – Shokran

Softspoken – Candyland Sessions (Album)
Label – Theoria Records

The Five Hundred – GHOSTWRITER (Instrumental) (Album)
Label – Heavy Collective

The Southern Oracle – Hunt What You Fear (Album)
Label – TSO CREW

Desert Storm – Shamanic Echoes (Single)
Label – New Heavy Sounds

Across The Divide – Blood & Tears (Single)
Label – 2408944 Records DK2

AKUMA SIX – Yami (Single)
Label – Akuma Six

anomic333 – chasing what was lost (Single)
Label – nothing

Any Given Day – Bleed to Shine (Single)
Label – Arising Empire

Ape On The Rocket – DVL SON (Single)
Label – Dark Side Records

Avenged Sevenfold – Magic (Single)
Label – Independent

Before I Turn – Born in Blood (Single)
Label – Before I Turn

Benighted – The Spineless Freak (Single)
Label – Season of Mist

Blackwater Holylight – Involuntary Haze (Single)
Label – Suicide Squeeze Records

blessthefall – mallxcore (Live Version) (Single)
Label – Blessthefall LLC

Capsize – The Fracture (Single)
Label – Roux & Ruin Records

Converge – Converge | Audiotree From Nothing (Single)
Label – Audiotree Music

Dacara – DeGEN (Single)
Label – MONIKA

DISSONANT TONGUE – BITTER ROOTS (Single)
Label – Independent

Elwood Stray – Genesis (Single)
Label – Out of Line Music

Epitaph – Rings For Rosie (Single)
Label – Unsigned

Excodex – Forgemaster (Single)
Label – Independent

Force Of Will – Sanctum (Single)
Label – Rambo Records

Gutter King – Karma Casualty (Single)
Label – Gutter King Music

Haze HC – VOID (Single)
Label – Independent

Hollow Valley – Guiding Light (EP)
Label – Four Pillar Music Group

Illyria – Silver Lake (Single)
Label – Illyria Music

IMPVLSE – RITUALS (EP)
Label – IMPVLSE

Moment of Madness – Run Free (Single)
Label – 1169556 Records DK2

No/Más – Manic (Single)
Label – Redefining Darkness Records

NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST – Devil inside (Single)
Label – NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST

Nylist – Paralyzed (Single)
Label – Nylist Records

Party Rice – Leftovers (EP)
Label – CHICAGO DIY

Predatory Void – Contemplation In Time (Single)
Label – Pelagic Records

Rotnest – Despot (Single)
Label – Suffermatic Studios

Silent Planet – under your skin (Single)
Label – Many Hats Distribution

Silly Goose – Give Me My Money (EP)
Label – Blue Grape Music II, LLC

Sky Caught Fire – Experience As A Tortured Artist (Single)
Label – 895100 Records DK

Stabbing – Eon of Obscenity (Single)
Label – Century Media

The Danger Of Falling – lost/found (Single)
Label – The Danger of Falling

Tribe of Ghosts – CORRODED GOLD (Single)
Label – Independent

Unverkalt – Die Auslöschung (Single)
Label – Season of Mist

Utflod – Live at Studio Garlick (Single)
Label – Apollon Records

Vexatious – Affliction (Single)
Label – Vexatious

Watch You Fall – Winter Promo ’25 (Single)
Label – 4Ephyra

Writheinfear – Neurotica (Single)
Label – Writheinfear

HARDCORE RELEASES

BRAVE OUT & Odd Man Out – Odd Man Out / Brave Out Split LP (Album)
Label – Indecision Records

Point Blank NYHC – Back to Square One (Album)
Label – Wtf Records

Banged Out – Nothing to Give (EP)
Label – Front and Center Records

Cold Blood AU – Don’t Trust You (Single)
Label – Independent

DEMISE – Tempest (Single)
Label – DEMISE

Enervate – Keep My Flame (Single)
Label – Life & Death Brigade Records

EXTERMINATUS – Demo ll (EP)
Label – Betrayed By Life Records

Fading Fast – Sleepwalking (EP)
Label – Extinction Burst

Haywire – Endless Suffering (Single)
Label – recordJet

MOUTH BREAKER – TORONTO STYLE 2025 (Single)
Label – CKC

Private Hell – To Dust You Shall Return (EP)
Label – Private Hell Recordings

Set The Bar Low – 3 (EP)
Label – Independent

The Maxines – Sink My Teeth In (Single)
Label – Skin Tight Records

Twin Pigs – The Future is Now (Single)
Label – Luftslott Records/Spastic Fantastic Records

Uno a Uno – Rata (Single)
Label – UNO A UNO

XMASX – It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (Single)
Label – Ship Out Recordings

POST-HARDCORE/ROCK RELEASES

The National – Rome (Full Concert) (Album)
Label – 4AD

I Promised The World – A Pure Expression (Single)
Label – Rise Records

A.A. Williams – Just A Shadow (Single)
Label – Reigning Phoenix Music

Arcadia Ego – Rip Me Apart and Replace Me With Stars (EP)
Label – Midnight Wizard

Bad//Dreems – Ultra Dundee (Single)
Label – Bad//Dreems

Bilmuri – I Really Want To Stay At Your House (Spotify Singles) (Single)
Label – Columbia

Dea – ChasingCars (Single)
Label – Dea /SineWAV

Deathbloom – Scarcity (Single)
Label – 4115911 Records DK

eyelid. – down to earth (Single)
Label – eyelid.

Glass Tides – Blink 182 (Bonus Tracks) (Single)
Label – Independent

Heart Attack Man – Cleveland Rocks (Single)
Label – Heart Attack Man

LADYBABY – メロメロメロイック (Single)
Label – CLEARSTONE RECORDS.

PassCode – Every time, I knew (Single)
Label – MoooD Records

Satelles – The Wolf You Feed (Remastered 2025) (Single)
Label – Szerzői kiadás

Sweet Pill – No Control (Single)
Label – Hopeless Records

VRSTY – Cloud City (Archives) (EP)
Label – Spinefarm

Zeta – Live From Red Lion Recording Studio (Single)
Label – Regime Music Group

ALTERNATIVE/INDIE/SHOEGAZE RELEASES

Eden FM – Endless (Album)
Label – Cursus Audio

M83 – Resurrection (Original Soundtrack) (Album)
Label – M83 Recording Inc

adore – new york high (Single)
Label – who do you adore?

Daisy Grenade – For Good (Single)
Label – DCD2 / Fueled By Ramen

Dusqk – Skyline EX (Single)
Label – Heaven/11

Florence Arman – Yummy Yummy Heartache (Single)
Label – Florence Arman

HAWK – Get Deleted (Single)
Label – Martin Gonzalez & Ricky Armellino & Elizabeth Hull

Nothing – purple strings (Single)
Label – Run For Cover

Red Vanilla – Electric Blue (Single)
Label – RV Records

S1RENA – NEUANFANG (Single)
Label – Columbia Local

smush – 41 (Single)
Label – smush

Softcult – Queen of Nothing (EP)
Label – Easy Life Records

SOM – ANTI-HERO (Single)
Label – SOM

Tennis System – Space Age Love Song (Single)
Label – Tennis System

timesgone – love sex dreams (Single)
Label – timesgone