Kerrang! Radio host Sophie K brings you the new bands to check out now, including LØLØ, Gilt and Cemetery Sun...
This month has been a tough one in many ways so lets talk about why metal heads are the nicest people on the planet. As if we didn't know Sam Carter from Architects is the most wholesome dude in the scene, he just out-wholesomed himself. He and his fiancé Abby Kirk wrote a children's book all about their fox dog Sophia, that they adopted. The book helps children grasp the concept of adoption for animals and themselves and if that doesn't warm your cold dead heart today nothing will.
And with that nice thought, here's some bands to put a smile on your face...
I'm gonna be that guy, I'm sorry. I've been listening to this band since their first EP release in 2016 ha! I love it when a band starts strong. These guys have proved that they understand song structure and how to write a catchy tune. Seems obvious, but this is why most new bands don’t really grow.
Cemetery Sun lean into the pop side of rock, but their singer Josh Doty's vocals are what take this band to the next level. He is able to seamlessly switch from a softer RnB style to a more gritty rock vocal. Call me old fashioned, but I love a track where you can connect with the vocal and it's not overly produced. This band have all the markings of becoming ‘the next big thing’. Now that touring has started again, I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for them.
Mint Green sit more on the indie side of rock, but are reminiscent of the summery hits from Echosmith in 2014. Hailing from Boston, this quartet are making global waves with only a couple of EPs under their belts. On June 3 they will be debuting their album All Girls Go To Heaven on their new label Pure Noise, who have artists like State Champs and Terror. It looks like an exciting time for this band.
Now we head over to Jacksonville Florida to meet GILT. This music is drenched in dreamy navel gazey (I hope that’s a word) post-hardcore. When interviewed and asked what their influences are they said that they are heavily inspired by 00’s emo bands. GILT have announced that their new EP Conceit will be out at the beginning of May, and each track will have a guest vocal from a different artist. Conceit explores the idea of grief and the different emotions that come with it, the latest single Amethyst features Shaolin G from Unity TX. He is one of my favourites around right now, and it adds a great twist to the track.
My favourite part of TikTok is how many talented artists have come to the forefront and LØLØ is up there. Hailing from Canada she gained popularity by reimagining well known songs. She taps into a lot of familiar pop punk techniques but not in the overly poppy way that is popular right now. You can tell she is a talented songwriter as she explores dark themes while making them upbeat and ‘fun’. There is something to be said about happily singing 'I’d be a junkie'. This song explores what it feels like to be addicted to someone and in a toxic relationship. The video is a definite must watch, especially for fans of Breaking Bad.
Get your diary out, put this date in it: April 29th. The debut EP from Heriot, Profound Morality, drops on this day and everyone is going to be shouting about it. I can’t stop listening to the title-track. When you have been listening to new bands day in day out, I’m not going to lie, you do get cynical and hard to impress. That's why a band like this gives me actual goosebumps. Their tracks come with a wall of sludgy emotion. It's intense, listening to their music feels like you're being enveloped with sound and it's eerie and comforting all at the same time. I know I'm not the only one - this band are developing quite the buzz. Bands like this are the reason I love my job so much!
Listen to Sophie K host the Breakfast Show on Kerrang! Radio, weekdays from 7am
