Haunt - Ignite (2025)

Haunt is a Californian band that is relentlessly keeping alive and relevant the spirit of traditionnal heavy speed metal. On their latest one Ignite, the mood is quite melodic, but I think anyone into traditionnal metal will enjoy it. Recommended!

 

The BC page. 

 

Tricky - Different When It's Silent (2026)

One of the pleasure of discovering a new Tricky album is finding wich new interesting singers he's introducing. This time it's mostly a young singer, also from Bristol, called Mitch Sanders (a few others featuring are also on the album). he's doing a good job. Tricky, after the disapointing previous album (first one after he lost his daughter so I won't be too hard on him) is back with a strong album. Maybe not on the level of his best ones, but still with many excellent songs, and even the less memorable ones contrinutes to the nice overall feel and atmosphere of the album, so I wouldn't say they're fillers. And speaking about the atmosphere, Different When it's Silent is another proof Tricky is the absolute master of these laid back but subtly menacing feel. Recommended!

 

The BC page. 

 

No Cure - It Is Going To Get Dark (2026)

It Is Going To Get Dark is the first album from young band No Cure is a new band from Alabama, and a nicely done exercice in beatdown hardcore. With elements of deathcore, but staying definitely more brutal hardcore than death metal. In any case it has the groove and smashing power.

 

Cripple Bastards - La tua foto sul marmo (2026)

Cripple Bastards return with 13 min EP La tua foto sul marmo, and as usual (they formed in 1988!) they deliver high quality grind, with both a powerful sound and a lot of hardcore punk elements, and this time also some melodic guitar parts bits (never lasting for long!), bringing an element of surprise. Good stuff!

 

Their website 

 

Radikal Guru - Beyond The Borders (2020)

Radikal Guru is a Polish producer, Beyond The Borders isn't his mots recent release, but its most recent album. It's all about top quality dub featuring excellent vocalists with a variety of styles. Recommended.

 

The BC page. 

Verdun - Abyssal Womb (2026)

I support Verdun since their beginnings, so I'm not surprised seeing them sign with the Excellent Transcending Obscurity records and releasing what will no doubt stays as one of the best doom/sludge album of the year. But with Abyssal Womb they exceeded my expectations, with even better songwriting skills with a great attention to details and dynamics. I just regret that this time the melodic element is less psychedelic (still is in the first track Funeral of the Cosmic Knight) and more traditionnal doom (can reminds Pallbearer or Hangman's Chair or even Paradise Lost at times), but that's not really a problem since they show they're also great at that. As a nice bonus, the singing in French in two songs is a success. Overall, I'm very pleased by this album that see Verdun reaching new heights. Keep going!

 

The BC page. 

 

Elizabeth Bane - Tenerife Sur (2026)

Can't tell you much about Elizabeth Bane, but this Tenerife Sur album is an excellent piece of noise/industrial/dark ambient, reminding a bit what Dominic Fernow (Prurient/Vatican Shadow) is doing. I hope we'll be hearing more from this new producer int he future!

 

The BC page.