A Ten Song Introduction to Heavy Alternative Music

Roxann Yus talks us through her top ten recommendations from the modern heavy alternative genre.

Parasite Eve – Bring Me The Horizon

One of the bands constantly challenging the genres of rock and metal music is Bring Me The Horizon. With the release of POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR, the band combined their decade of experimentation, from the heavy metal of Suicide Season, pop of amo, and lo-fi of Music to… to lead the way in a fully realised new genre. Keyboardist and producer Jordan Fish must be credited for transformation of this band into a polished, ahead-of-its-time project that has secured its name as a legend of our generation, like the internet-breaking bands Paramore and My Chemical Romance who accompany them as the When We Were Young festival headliners.

Antagonist – Nova Twins

I will always have the softest spot for this band as their top 0.005 listener of 2021 on Spotify and simply cannot comprehend the talent and enthusiasm they bring to everything they do. From working and touring with Bring Me The Horizon, to getting spinned by Clara Amfo and Jack Saunders on BBC Radio 1, Amy and Georgia are finally getting the recognition they deserve. Their refreshing sound comprises of fuzz and distortion as well as punky vocals, whilst all being unapologetically wrapped up in a creative and fashionable outfit that is the Nova Twins. New music is well underway, with Fever 333 frontman Jason Aalon assuring us on an Instagram live that we will all be blown away.

Scratchcard Feeling – WARGASM

Another band taking the 2020s by storm is WARGASM. Also bringing out an album this year, they have recently been credited by Jonathan Davis from Korn as a completely unique project, which will undoubtedly define their new music too. Scratchcard Feeling is a perfect example of pop and nu-metal musically wedded together and bonded by Milkie’s gentle vocals and Sam’s fierce screams.

Nine Lives – Strange Bones and Calva Louise

Another infectious complement of different sound is Nine Lives by Strange Bones and Calva Louise. The pacey and repetitive track fuses the trap and punk influences of Strange Bones with the refreshing pop of Spanish in Jess’ verse. Their styles are tied together by a violent scream by the Calva Louise lead and puts both bands on the map for new heavy alternative music with their versatility, uniqueness, and experimentation.

Vague – Static Dress

Embracing the new age of experimentation in music, Static Dress not only create multi-dimensional sounds in heavy music, but also tell fictional stories. Vague features on their recent album Prologue… that released alongside a comic book capturing the stories behind each song and instrumental. This project goes beyond music to art: music, story-telling, poetry, photography, videography, theatre. Their popularity has recently spurted since this release and are undoubtedly one to watch.

Behind Closed Doors – Cassyette and Kid Brunswick

I think its clear by now that the unique experimentation of heavy alternative music demands a lot of collaborations! Both artists here have incredible vocals and screams that almost battle each other in a duet about love and sin. Behind Closed Doors does not follow the ordinary song structure, but rather the verses that secede each other are a surprise both musically and vocally. They catch listeners off guard: will it be a melody or a violent scream? That is heavy alternative music for you.

Arguments – CRASHFACE

Very much up and coming, CRASHFACE’s heavy instrumentals and experimentation with different sounds outside of traditional instruments make them a very important contributor to this list. Arguments has a cinematic quality: there is a real sense of climax and unexpectedness throughout the track. Also, with an eye for media and aesthetic, CRASHFACE is a creative project with an eye for detail which goes a long way in this new genre of musical artistry.

I Spit On Your Grave – ZAND

Coining the term ‘ugly pop’ for their style of music, ZAND dips their toes into rock and metal with a track that features heavy and hysterical screams. Nonetheless, their music still puts empowerment and activism at the forefront. ZAND brings awareness to the treatment of sex workers, misogyny, transphobia, and sexual harassment, and ultimately creates a safe space for queer people. A musical force against the patriarchy fits perfectly in a new genre of rock and metal music.

Jump – POORSTACY

POORSTACY’s recent album Party At The Cemetery has to be one of my favourites of 2021. Embedded in the middle of the album, Jump is full of repetition and drama that demands to not only be listened to but embodied (preferably in the pit). Oli Sykes from Bring Me The Horizon has described them as ‘mental’, which is (in a word) what we all want from heavy alternative music in 2020s.

Eden On Acid – Tokky Horror

Eden On Acid by Tokky Horror, another up-and-coming band, sounds just as you would expect it to: chaotic and experimental. The vocals begin quieter than they later become, and the instruments are almost unidentifiable for the most part. The band is best described as an unpredictable outburst, especially Eden On Acid which only lasts 1.26 minutes, but delivers everything that we are hungry for. They are self-claimed as ‘not making electronic music any better, just making punk music worse’. You want to listen, right?

Roxann Yus

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Edited by: Gemma Cockrell

Featured image courtesy of Bring Me The Horizon via Facebook.