XENITH continue their rapid rise with new single and video Killer Instinct, out now. The track is the first to be lifted from their debut album To No Avail, due Friday 28th August, and showcases the band’s fierce energy and intent.

Scottish alt-rockers STAY FOR TOMORROW have released their alluring new single and video, Nonsense, out now. The track is taken from their forthcoming album, When Hope’s Gone, due Friday 25th September.

“The first track from this EP, ‘Pray’, defines a process of shifting perspectives. When I am able to move beyond the lens of personal story, I exist in service to love, and to all beings that walk this earth.”

MIKEY BALL & THE COMPANY return with their new single and video No Time To Lose, out now and taken from their upcoming album Keep The Fire Burning, due Thursday 24th September. Rooted in heartland and classic rock, the track delivers strong hooks and heartfelt songwriting, offering a powerful taste of what’s to come.

"Kim Dracula is back, ready to take on the world once again. With "Molecular Conversion", they continue to defy convention, seamlessly fusing genres that have no business working together and forging them into something unmistakably their own. Bold, innovative and unapologetically unique, this marks the beginning of an exciting new era for one of modern heavy music's most fearless artists."

“Downcast have held a special place in our hearts ever since the release of their 2025 EP, Nothing Left To Give. Yes, we know, we were late to the party, but since discovering it, they've been on constant rotation.

Their latest single, "falling to pieces," is every bit as devastating as its title suggests. Written about vocalist's younger brother, who tragically passed away last September at just 28 after a long battle with severe alcohol addiction, the track is an intensely personal expression of grief, anger, and acceptance. The band explain that the song was written during a period of confusion, before they fully understood what had happened, capturing the raw emotions that came with losing someone they loved.

It's a deeply moving and emotionally charged release that transforms unimaginable pain into something both beautiful and relatable. For anyone who has experienced loss, falling to pieces is a poignant reminder that grief is messy, overwhelming, and ultimately something we all learn to carry. An absolutely heartbreaking listen that deserves to be heard.”

"We may be a little biased now that we represent the band for live shows, but we can honestly say that if you're a fan of pop-punk, you'll be singing and dancing along to their latest track, Gabrielle. While the song delivers an anthemic, electrifying punch, it's the emotionally powerful message at its core that makes it truly special. That's exactly what we love about WNSDY AT 7—they have a knack for turning raw emotion into pure, explosive energy."

Symphonic metal pioneers VISIONS OF ATLANTIS set sail alongside German medieval metal titans SALTATIO MORTIS on the brand-new single "Reckless Sailor (Black Flag Rises)." Reimagining the legendary sea shanty "Drunken Sailor," the track arrives together with an official music video and was created in collaboration with Ubisoft Germany to celebrate the launch of Assassin's Creed™ Black Flag Resynced.

Hacktivist, Glass Bridges, The Mechanist, The Heir Apparition & WNSDY AT 7 Join the Novacaine Festival 2026 Lineup

Novacaine Festival, the UK’s new music discovery festival, has unveiled a major expansion to its 2026 lineup as part of the celebrations surrounding Corporation Sheffield’s 25th Anniversary.

“Your Cross Is an Act of War” sees Motions deliver a fierce, uncompromising stand against racism, channelling the UK’s current climate of division into a raw, heavy track that hits with both intensity and intent.

LOST VELVET are carving a space between post-rock atmosphere, shoegaze haze, and industrial unease with a sound that feels vast, intimate, and slightly unhinged. They release their debut album Dark Cells on Friday 4th September, led by their brand-new single and video, Right Back, which is out now.

UK thrash outfit IMPERIUM will release their new single Tread The Serpent on Friday 10th July. The track features Tony Dolan of Venom Inc and arrives alongside a lyric video on the same day. It’s taken from their debut album Exodus Unknown, due Friday 17th July via Heavy Metal Records.

Brit post-hardcore outfit MERCERS unveil their debut EP, The Liminal Tapes, out everywhere on Friday 17th July. The band’s brand new single and video, New Stockholm, is released on Friday 10th July.

Emerging South Coast UK trio i-ATLAS announce their dynamic debut EP, Beyond The New Horizon, set for release on Friday 11th September, alongside the release of their striking new single and video, 3iAtlas, which is out now.

Fast rising Scottish rock band KELOWNA will release their debut album, Superstar, everywhere on Friday 28th August.

Download Festival 2026 once again took over Donington Park from 10–14 June, headlined by Limp Bizkit, Guns N’ Roses, and Linkin Park. While the scale of the event was as massive as ever, this year’s focus for us shifted firmly toward rising and emerging talent across the lineup, particularly on stages like Dogtooth and beyond.

Across a physically demanding weekend—managed carefully due to accessibility needs and limited energy resources—we prioritised discovery over distance, staying closer to camp-based stages where possible. Despite this, the festival delivered a steady stream of standout performances from both established names and breakthrough acts.

Highlights included explosive sets from Caskets, Lake Malice, Electric Callboy, TropicGold, As Everything Unfolds, Lowen, Unpeople, Bloodywood, and The Plot In You, each bringing their own identity and energy to the weekend. Even brief or distant sets from BABYMETAL, Behemoth, Architects, Ice Nine Kills, Bad Omens, and Linkin Park left a strong impression and rounded out key moments across the festival.

The weekend also reinforced the strength of the UK and international rising scene, with many artists delivering performances that exceeded expectations and drew in new audiences in real time. Alongside this, moments of connection—such as meeting Fangslinger near the Ferris Wheel—added a more personal layer to the experience.

While we weren’t able to catch every act we had hoped to see due to fatigue and the scale of the site, Download 2026 still delivered an unforgettable weekend. That said, this year also marked a turning point, with a decision made to step back from future attendance in favour of smaller gigs and festivals in 2027, allowing for a more focused approach to discovering and supporting emerging artists.

Your Novacaine Festival sub-headliner, TropicGold, has released a brand-new single, “Witch House,” featuring dark-industrial goth-pop act Harpy. The track dropped on June 2nd, 2026 via their new label BLKIIBLK.

Download Festival 2026 opens its gates today, Wednesday 10th June, as the annual pilgrimage to Donington Park gets underway.

Across the campsites, thousands of festival-goers begin the traditional Download ritual: arrive, crack open a drink, and attempt to pitch a tent with varying degrees of success.

Five hours, several drinks, one argument with a tent pole, and a battle against the elements later, a surprisingly sturdy shelter emerges from the chaos.

It might be wonky. It might not survive the weekend. But for now, it’s home. Welcome to Download.

Rising from the UK underground, GARROW HILL return with a new release that builds on everything they’ve been developing over the years: heavy, dark, and firmly on their own terms. The band have just dropped their engulfing new single and video, Eaten by Crows, which will be followed by their five-track stunning EP, IX, out on Friday 31st July.