Line Up: Hardcore - Metalcore - SEHC
Age of Apocalypse
Born out of Hudson Valley's ever-evolving scene in 2018, Age of Apocalypse has proven itself to be the next evolutionary step in bringing metallic hardcore with sung vocals to a modern era.
The band is set to release their second full-length LP In Oblivion through Closed Casket Activities, due out May 23rd. The record takes everything that caught the world's attention on 2022's Grim Wisdom and triples down on it all, showing their penchant for writing genuinely huge metallic hardcore epics without eschewing any of the frenetic energy inherent to the genre.
In Oblivion was produced by Taylor Young (Twitching Tongues, God's Hate) and partially recorded at The Pit. Young's work both as a musician and his clear history in playing hardcore centered around clean singing comes out in spades, as In Oblivion manages to help progress this dynamic into a new era. The record features guest appearances from Colin Young (Twitching Tongues, Holy Blade), Shaun Alexander (Demonstration of Power), and Graham Sayle (High Vis), marking the first time the band has incorporated guest vocals on a release.
Singer Dylan Kaplowitz has truly come into his own as a frontman as his voice soars to operatic heights in one moment, crashing down to hellish lows in screaming the next. Opener "Mortal Coil" shows Kaplowitz standing comfortably next to what Steele, Caputo and Jenkins were doing in the 90s, while bringing his own flair and emotive ability to the forefront. The rest of the band flourishes equally, as Jack Xiques' riffs blend together everything from Stigmata, Section 8, Randy Rhoads and Paul Gilbert into a singular, thrilling sound. While many have tried and failed to bridge the gap between clean vocals and hardcore, Age of Apocalypse have taken the throne as modern masters of the sound.
Having already played with the likes of Sunami, Mindforce, High Vis, Indecision, Earth Crisis and more, 2025 will prove Age of Apocalypse is here, and there's no end in sight.
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Balmora // SEHC // Connecticut, USA
Among the many bands that evoke the era of MySpace 3-5-7 metalcore, few capture the sound as perfectly as Connecticut's Balmora. Bursting into the scene with the stellar With Thorns of Glass and Petals of Grief two years ago, it quickly became clear that Balmora would be a band to watch for fans of this metalcore revival sound. After teaming up with the late Since My Beloved on a fantastic split EP, Balmora have now released Prologue, a short but impactful three track EP that has seemingly come out of nowhere—but is a welcome surprise all the same.
As with prior material, Balmora continues to fire on all cylinders here. While there is certainly a tried-and-true formula at play, Balmora executes it in a way that just works. This three track EP is packed with melodic metalcore riffs, crushing breakdowns, and a powerful vocal performance that perfectly complements the sound. The production is spot-on too—it's raw and unpolished, avoiding any overproduction while still maintaining enough clarity for every element of the music to come through strong and clear.
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Cross Of Disbelief // Metalcore, Deathcore // NY, USA
