You can’t half-tell this autist has been binging the new Alien: Earth TV series, eh? What a fantastic show! Up there with Andor as a breath of fresh air for sci-fi fan-service.

In non-music-related news, I’ve been piecing together a lot of writing and research (it’s currently at 7,500 words…) for the third instalment of the Clinical Examination of Specimen XX-121 series. This time around, we’ve finally reached the point in the ‘lecture’ audiodrama where public-private partners at a very hush-hush consortium will be going in-depth over the full Xenomorph life-cycle.

I figured I’d pop that bit o’ news in there a) because the Alien franchise/heavy + alternative music-lover Venn Diagram overlap is real, and b) just as a reminder that here at ISC we have a broad-as-heck topical spread.

Today though, we’re discussing music. Strap into the dropship, sing out a hoo-rah, check your pulse rifle mags and be sure to blast those eardrums with the sweet, shrill cry of new music! The ISC inbox is buried somewhere under a veritable mountain of incoming releases, all the time - here’s some of my choice picks from the pile, personally vetted.

I’ve even included my own thoughts in mini-review/synopsis form for a few as well!

As always, a reminder to consider subscribing or even considering a preorder on upcoming releases and/or digging into some recently-released goodies!

Peace, Love and Musical Earbursters - Brady.

Credit: Redditor **/u/Storytellerrr**, via the /r/LV426 subreddit.

Game Over, Man! Game Over! - Recently Released Albums:

No Apologies (AU) - Life (Released Today, via Last Ride Records)

Press Release:

Sydney’s hardcore titans, No Apologies, return with fervor and fire, unveiling their eagerly
awaited second opus, Life, a visceral testament to the tumult, tenderness, and tenacity of
the human spirit.
Following their 2007 Australian hardcore landmark, Survival, the band stands tall in a career-defining form, a remarkable milestone for a group whose nearly two-decade legacy pulses with relentless energy.

Perhaps it’s the indelible bond between founding architects Pete Abordi and Peter Bursky,
collaborators since the late '90s, or the razor-sharp cohesion shared with the rest of their core:
Andres Hyde on drums, Chris Wilson on guitar, and Patrick Taylor on bass. Together, they forge
Australia’s most formidable riff machine, Sumeru, an alchemical force with over ten years of
unwavering collaboration and sonic mastery.

Life is more than mere sound, it's a journey through the depths of existence, a narrative
woven with threads of mortality, acceptance, and resilience. A deeply personal confession
rendered in thunderous riffs and haunting melodies, it recounts one man’s confrontation with
mortality and another’s reconciliation with loss. The album is heightened by compelling guest
appearances from Jem Siow (Speed) and Todd Jones (Nails, Carry On, Terror), infusing each
track with added emotion and raw intensity.

Set for release on August 29 via Last Ride Records, Life emerges as a modern classic, a
maelstrom of thrash-inflected, groove-heavy riffs, searing guitar solos, and dynamic elements
that shatter traditional hardcore boundaries. No Apologies has always thrived on blending
aggression with melody, chaos with clarity and this record continues that fearless tradition. It is a
loud, unflinching reminder that in facing the music of our mortality, we find the raw truth of what
it means to truly live.

Track list:
1. Womb / Birth
2. Life
3. Time
4. Illness
5. Palliative / Tomb
6. Loss
7. Hollow
8. Grief *feat. Jem Siow (Speed)
9. Eternal *feat Todd Jones (Nails, Carry On, Terror)

Synopsis - My Thoughts:

Overall, this is a fantastic slice of Aussie hardcore. You don’t get too much of an invitation back to the tried-and-true these days, with the lines between hardcore, metal, post-hardcore, electronica and more blurring by the day. Life is an album exemplary of this - as an advantage. As per the press release above, I can indeed confirm there’s a very strong thrash metal influence on the record, however what I enjoy about these guys is being able to keep themselves firmly planted in a streetwise format, able to inject a Ringworm-esque heaviness without veering into more cliche metalcore territory.

Not an album that completely rewrites the hardcore playbook, but definitely a great example of how to inject a healthy metal ethos into your ‘core without being lumped in with any number of other metalcore acts out there. Definitely a band to watch, and I can only imagine these guys rip live. The fact luminaries such as Jem and Todd represent the guest contingent also reiterates that the scene is taking note!

Label Links:

Last Ride Records - Official Site:
https://lastriderecords.com

LRR - Bandcamp:
https://lastriderecords.bandcamp.com

Artist Links

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/noapologieshc

Bandcamp:
https://noapologieshc.bandcamp.com

Merch:
https://imprintmerch.com.au/collections/no-apologies

Hexrot (US) - Formless Ruin of Oblivion (Released Today via Transcending Obscurity Records)

Press Release:

"Formless Ruin of Oblivion is the second release from Massachusetts duo Hexrot, combining a dense stylistic mélange of death, black, and thrash metal with inventive electronic experimentation and a keen sense of structure. The 35-minute piece flows continuously across 7 tracks, maintaining a constant tension between the harmony and dissonance of its ever-shifting web of musical ideas. Seamlessly interwoven, a bed of modular synthesizer and other digital flourishes run the gamut from clangorous and industrial to warm and ethereal. The immediacy of a live studio recording gives its performances authenticity and power, but careful production ensures you’ll still be discovering new things multiple listens in. To our most fully realized expression to date, we bid you welcome."

Genre- Avantgarde death/black/thrash metal

For fans of-Felgrave,Construct of Lethe,Deathspell Omega,Blut aus Nord,Death,Ulcerate, Veilburner

Line up -
Arkain - Guitars, bass, vocals
Melmoth - Drums, vocals, electronics

Mastered by Colin Marston at Menegroth, the Thousand Caves

Track listing -
1. What Lies Veiled
2. Heavenward
3. Consecrating Luminous Conflagration
4. Ghostly Retrograde I
5. Clandestine Haunt
6. Ghostly Retrograde II
7. Formless Ruin of Oblivion

Logo by Nat Lacuna @newjunkaesthetic

Album art from “The Garden of Earthly Delights” by Hieronymous Bosch

Link to Single ‘Heavenward’, via TO on Youtube:

Synopsis - My Thoughts:

Wow. Just wow. As if there wasn’t enough mind-melting forays into almost unheard-of death/black territory from the Transcending Obscurity roster (by way of Felgrave and Floating et al) of late; now Massachussets duo Hexrot deliver another brain-bender with Formless Ruin of Oblivion!

Drawn in by the Bosch artwork and Warframe-adjacent band name (Techrot, anyone?), I really enjoyed this one. Melding in subtle but tangible melodies to the blackened death assault, there’s a strong 90’s-onwards industrial influence that adds some real sonic heft without trying too hard to do so. The end result is something very reminiscent of Aussie legends The Amenta, particularly their 2000s LP Occasus, albeit less relentless overall.

Just one of many endless examples of the extreme-metal scene breaking free from genre-containment like a mob of warmed-up facehuggers. A great record to put on if you want something both abrasive and diverse, minus pseudo-intellectual pretence (such as that found in my writing, hah). Like the kooky inner-jaw mouth of Giger’s Alien, this one’s got teeth too.

Heck, I might even be back with this one later on with a full review, it sure warrants it!

SECURE THAT SHIT, HUDSON - UPCOMING RELEASES:

The Mansters (Norway) - Snapshot From A Shitshow (Release Date: 1st October, via Loyal Blood Records)

Press Release:

Tønsberg, Norway — After more than a decade of carving their own unruly path, The Mansters return with Snapshots from a Shitshow, their most confident and unapologetic statement yet.

Once firmly planted in hardcore, The Mansters have gradually stripped away genre constraints, letting instinct, irreverence, and raw energy lead the way. The result is a record that spans the full spectrum of punk, blending the grit of Negative Approach, the hooks of Ramones and 7 Seconds, the urgency of ’90s skate punk, and the emotional punch of 2000s emo. It’s intense, melodic, raw, and playful, often all at once.

From the blistering opener “The World is My Ulcer” to the shoegaze-tinged closer, Snapshots from a Shitshow delivers a self-aware, chaotic ride through punk, hardcore, and rock. The band takes aim at themselves, society, and everything in between, wrapping it all in biting sarcasm and irresistible hooks.

Lyrically, the album dives into themes of beach anxiety, miscommunication, online validation, economic stress, and fan obsession, all filtered through a lens of self-loathing, frustration, and irony. It’s this rare balance of desperation and humor that gives the record both bite and heart.

In an era of noise and posturing, The Mansters prove that punk still thrives when it’s honest, self-aware, and free from pretension.

Synopsis - My Thoughts:

Honestly? Much like the No Apologies release above, I think this upcoming fastboi effort from a Norwegian punk troupe represents relief, on my behalf. You just don’t see, hear or catch much punk rooted in the 80s-90s-00s school of shut-up-and-mosh, no nonsense fun stuff.

That’s what you get with The Mansters. There’s a fair bit of inflection by way of post-hardcore and even some Zeke style punk-and-roll, here. But that’s not the important part; whats’ of import on this album is the lean-ness. I almost had to triple-take the LP because even with punk/hardcore, we’re almost classically-conditioned away from songs stretching past the three-minute mark.

Nothing wrong with that, mind, but Snapshots From A Shitshow, whilst at times almost a bit too cheerfully pop-punk-y melody wise (for this edgelord, anyway) ultimately represents a throwback to the no-bullshit Minutemen/Strung Out gottagofast school of riff. Flat-stick, fun, catchy but also contains some nice/interesting guitar-work throughout. Not just a nation of depressive black metallers, folks! Sammy, if you’re reading this, methinks you’ll enjoy this one. You too, Mal!

Links:

The Mansters

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ManstersTBG

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/themansters

Loyal Blood Records

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/loyalbloodrecords

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/loyalbloodrecords

Now I’ve Done It (US) - An Ill Guest (Release Date: 17th October, Independent Release)

Press Release:

What, or who, is NOW I’VE DONE IT? Four words. One way to live.

NOW: The present. Be the Now.
I’VE: I. Have. Contract. Take ownership. Seize the Now.
DONE: What’s done is done, and what hasn’t been will become done. What has become done has become the present… which is Now.
IT: What is It? It is Everything. It is Now.

NOW I’VE DONE IT is an eclectic blend of avant-garde metal, swing, and punk-cabaret hailing from Philadelphia. Comprised of current and former members of Philadelphia progressive power metal band Lör, NiDi offers something for everyone, or nothing for no one. Introduce yourself to the band's debut album, An Ill Guest. This wildly unique and mesmerizing album was inspired by the likes of Diablo Swing Orchestra, Stolen Babies, Finntroll, and Mr. Bungle. Yet the end result can only be attributed to one band – NOW I’VE DONE IT.

An Ill Guest is set for release on October 17. Pre-order the album at nowivedoneit.bandcamp.com

An Ill Guest track list:
1. Disillusion
2. Dilly-Dally
3. Offering
4. Ruffled
5. Panache
6. Collywobbles
7. Muddled
8. Splinter
9. Jim-Jams
10. Kindling

Artwork painted by Eliran Kantor.

An Ill Guest was produced, mixed, mastered, and engineered by Peter Hraur.

BIO:

NOW I’VE DONE IT (stylized as NiDi) began in 2010 by high school friends, multi-instrumentalist Peter Hraur, and drummer Dan Reynolds. The two set out to create music that was a unique reflection of what they love about music: high energy but heavy, fun but dramatic, and funny without being a joke. With a rebellious DIY attitude, they scraped together whatever cheap recording equipment they could afford and put together their first demo of three avant-garde inspired metal tracks, aptly titled Rigamarole. The band would go on to spend years playing in the greater Philadelphia region, offering a theatrical, energetic, yet earnest live show, performing with such acts as Parius, Alustrium, Polkadot Cadaver, and more.

Peter and Dan took a "say yes" attitude while crafting An Ill Guest, resulting in 10 tracks filled to the brim with the kind of personality that can only result when two lifelong friends disregard convention and have a little too much fun in the writing room. Over the years of performing, the band has received phenomenal feedback, being described as "the most fun I've had at a live show," and inspiring listeners to dive into their own art with renewed energy.

The band’s hope is for this release to act as a radar to all those who want something a little different. It's bold and risk-taking, heavy and dramatic, but fun and extravagant. It's weird music for weird people.

Synopsis - My Thoughts:

I could honestly summarise my confused thoughts on this head-scratcher in just a few words and an expletive - what the actual fuck?! The aural equivalent of crawled out of a downed dropship in the heat of orbital invasion, there’s a sense of almost pompous orderliness and batshit insanity in equal measure here.

Now, I mean that in a positive way (otherwise it wouldn’t have made it into this post!) and, not to be one of those neurodivergents but this feels like a specifically AuDHD brand of melt banana. Pastiching something between Dog Fashion Disco, Mr. Bungle, power/folk metal and 2010’s prog-metal, it’s a unique concoction indeed.

The chaotic elements (all of it) appeal like mad to my brain’s need for novelty and dopamine, the refusal to stay consistent with listener’s expectations feels almost autistic in its’ oppositional-defiant-disorder. Admittedly, the above note of being from progressive power-metal origins and the Finntroll FFO moniker are apt, and the more vaudevillain/caberet-coded moments aren’t a perfect sync with my taste. Overall though, the full package is just that interesting and different that such preferences don’t factor into my overall enjoyment of the album. And awe - there is some brilliant musicianship in here. It takes a skilled musician to make a musical mess that also sounds so tight, classy and debonaire.

Very interesting release, and one I’ll be hanging out closer to release to hear other outlets’ thoughts on the matter. Luck making sense of this one, guys!

Sample some bonkers via latest single ‘Dilly-Dally’ on the artists’ Youtube Channel:

LINKS:

Bandcamp:

https://nowivedoneit.bandcamp.com/album/an-ill-guest

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/nowivedoneitofficial

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/now.ive.done.it.official

Artist Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH2QPrHUHJb5v5d8dxogKfg