Big beautiful riffs, a bit of grit and a whole lot of emotions define this week’s rock picks. There’s some heavy alt-metal, some bluesy shuffle and some straight up hard rock. Let’s get stuck into this week’s rock bops 🤘
Serpico – Rock n’ Roll is Not Dead
Serpico combine raw analogue power and no-nonsense hard rock conviction with stunning results
Rock n’ Roll is Not Dead, wastes no time, launching in with punchy drums, overdriven guitars and a hook built for a room full of raised fists. The production keeps things live and immediate, with a lovely groove and grit sitting front and centre.
Serpico double down on their commitment to fully analogue recording, channelling classic hard rock energy through a modern lens. It is a real statement, and lifted from the exciting new album ‘Dressed in Flesh’, reaffirming their belief in danger, feel and human imperfection over polish. It’s great stuff.
ENDRID – Leave It All Behind
ENDRID serve up a tense and emotional alt-metal banger for the ages
Leave It All Behind, moves between hushed ambience and explosive, skillfull guitar surges, pairing thick, downtuned riffs with an emotional vocal. It really works, and the quiet-to-loud dynamics give the track a cathartic pull,
ENDRID, based in Kansas City, continue carving out their nu-gaze alt-rock lane with concept-driven writing and sharp contrasts. Tackling the long shadow of childhood trauma, this second release builds on growing momentum with focused intensity. Stunning, emotional rock
JaR – Agla
JaR fuse melody and muscle on Agla, delivering a defiant alternative metal cut with northern bite
Agla kicks off like it means business. Blending the biggest riff we’ve heard this year so far, with emotional, soaring vocal lines, creating a constant push between beauty and brutality. The tension simmers wonderfully, before things explode again, and I just love the sound world in this.
JaR, emerging from West Yorkshire’s underground, frame the track as a protest against unseen power and control. It reinforces their reputation for pairing melodic ambition with uncompromising weight. Genuinely stunning stuff.
Bleach Dreamer – Not Another Happy Ending
Bleach Dreamer sharpen their cinematic edge on Not Another Happy Ending, where post-punk tension meets a wonderful late-night synth glow
Not Another Happy Ending leans into pulsing basslines and shimmering 80s-leaning synth textures, offset by hazy, emotive vocals. The groove is steady, driven and it all kinda feels nocturnal – built for a night drive, dim lights or long past sunset.
Bleach Dreamer, the Hamilton, Ontario project blending dream-pop and post-punk influences, continue shaping a cohesive sonic world on their debut EP ‘if you even care’. This track highlights their knack for pairing danceable rhythms with introspective atmosphere. It’s great.
Kaliopi & The Blues Messengers – One Woman One Love
Kaliopi & The Blues Messengers bring warmth and authority to One Woman One Love, driven by an irresistable groove and soulful interplay
One Woman One Love, rides on crisp drums, walking bass and bright piano accents, opening with a call-and-response band line before settling into a fun, confident blues shuffle. A warm Hammond organ and expressive saxophone lines add even more character, and this whole thing gets more irresistible wiuth each beat.
Kaliopi & The Blues Messengers build on previous acclaim with a track that balances devotion and independence in its lyricism. Rooted in classic blues traditions but delivered with contemporary clarity, it showcases a band comfortable in their stride. Check this one out.