Whether a band are releasing their first album or their tenth, 2018 will be packed full of major record drops that will form the backbone of the musical calendar. New talent and big comebacks will shape the alternative music scene this year, so we’ve picked out some of the albums that we can expect to see over the next 12 months.

We’ve picked out firmly established favourites Machine Head and Don Broco to have big years with their upcoming releases coming very early in the year, as well some more wishful thinking picks such as Underoath and Alexisonfire.

Have a read below to see who else our writers are predicting will make 2018 part of the rock revolution.

THE 1975

‘Music For Cars’

(Dirty Hit/Interscope)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Quite simply, there are very few bands like The 1975. From their first two major releases, their self-titled debut and 2016’s ‘I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It’, the Manchester four-piece have covered a wide range of sounds and aesthetics, varying from electronic pop hits like ‘The Sound’, to indie bangers such as ‘Sex’. Yet, where the band go next is anyone’s guess as, like their sound, they’re not unknown to change.

The album due for 2018 release is only whispers as of yet, but is confirmed to be called ‘Music For Cars’, and has been teased by frontman Matty Healy from time-to-time. Healy has even spoken about a “trilogy of records” from The 1975, which would mean ‘Music For Cars’ could potentially bring a final curtain on The 1975 project. What is certain, however, is that this a big year for one of Britain’s biggest bands. [DT]

AGAINST THE CURRENT

‘TBC’

(Fueled By Ramen)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Originally starting out as a YouTube covers project, Poughkeepsie based pop-rock trio Against The Current soon exploded into something a whole lot more when they started writing, recording and releasing their own material. With their 2016 debut full-length, ‘In Our Bones’, the band managed to storm into the charts, and across several tour packages and festival appearances.

Now, with a pretty weighty fanbase behind them starving for something more, the New Yorkers appear to be back in the studio, working hard on putting together album number two. It also looks like there’s going to be a guest vocal spot on there from Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low on there too. We’re some fresh, sharp, pop-rock chorus hooks will be embedded into our ears very soon. [ZR]

ALEXISONFIRE

‘TBC’

(Dine Alone Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Did they ever really break up? Despite their ‘hiatus’, post-hardcore elite Alexisonfire have been making a habit of making cameo appearances at festivals all around the world during the last few summers. Now, after a headline Australian tour and headline Canadian tour, it finally looks like the breaks are off and they’re back for good.

There’s no official news on a record release just yet, but it’s only a matter of time before we get to hear Dallas Green‘s voice behind George Pettit‘s howl on record once more. With no full-length release since 2009’s ‘Old Crows / Young Cardinals’, a new record would go down an absolute treat, especially if it drops in time for their appearance at Download Festival. [JE]

BABYMETAL

‘TBC’

(earMusic/Sony Music)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Idol bands rarely break out of Japan and into the Western world in a big way, especially heavy metal ones, but Babymetal have gone and done it. Their oldest member Su-metal has only just turned 20-years-old, and, despite their incredibly young age, they’ve already performed on some massive stages like Download Festival‘s main stage, and supported some of the biggest in the world like Red Hot Chili Peppers.

With a heavy touring schedule for 2018 set to start stacking up, including appearances at Rock Am Ring, Rock Im Park, Rock On The Range and a return to Download, and a message on their Twitter account at the end of 2017 reading “A new legend is coming soon”, all signs are pointing towards the band putting out album number three before the year is up. You can bet that it’ll be as weirdly addictive as all of their other work. [ZR]

BEARTOOTH

‘TBC’

(Red Bull Records/UNFD)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Ohio’s Beartooth have manifested quite the fanbase since they formed back in 2012, initially as just a solo project by frontman and former Attack Attack! vocalist, Caleb Shomo. Now, two albums later, with the latest being 2016’s ‘Aggressive’, the hardcore punk tinged metalcore unit are a prime cut Vans Warped Tour favourite, and with their choruses continually getting bigger, their third album could be massive.

Details of the band’s forthcoming record are minimal at the moment, though Shomo has given us a bit of an insight of what to expect. Back in November, he warned us all on Twitter that we should prepare ourselves for a “very dark” album that is “feeling more like disgusting emotionally. Some of these lyrics are very heavy if you deal with depression and suicide.” [ZR]

BLACK PEAKS

‘TBC’

(Easy Life Records/Sony Music)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Brighton’s Black Peaks absolutely blew us all away with what was undoubtedly the best debut record of 2016 when they bestowed ‘Statues’ to the world. Their amalgamation of Tool-esque progressive epicness, Architects aggression, and catchy yet out of the norm hooks were a winning formula time and time again across the eleven tracks that compose the record, and astonishingly they could deliver it in spades in a live format too.

Just a few weeks ago, the band announced a switch of bass duties, but they also confirmed that they’d been cooped up in the studio, and completed work on their sophomore follow-up. With the results that shone intensely on ‘Statues’, it’s hard to believe that Black Peaks would suffer from the difficult second album syndrome. We probably won’t ever be ready for what’s to come. [ZR]

BLEED FROM WITHIN

‘TBC’

(Century Media Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

‘Uprising’, the third full-length from Scottish metal outfit Bleed From Within, was an incredibly apt title for the record. After several years slogging it on the road, the 2013 record finally saw the five-piece be pushed to the forefront, as they ascended the ranks of tour and festival bills, and thankfully people started to take notice of their savage brilliance.

Five years have passed since. Half a decade of us champing at the bit for some fresh riffage from the Scottish sluggers, and we’re finally going to hear a brand new Bleed From Within record. The first single is dropping as early as January, so start getting your ears prepped for some much needed pummelling. [ZR]

BURY TOMORROW

‘TBC’

(Sony Music/Music For Nations)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Love ’em or hate ’em, what is undeniable is that Southampton heavy hitters Bury Tomorrow are one of the most hard-working, constantly touring, and committed bands that the UK has to offer right now, and in October, their efforts finally paid off when they moved from Nuclear Blast Records and signed with Sony Music/Music For Nations.

Now with a whole new label and team behind them who can push them further than they’ve ever been able to before, their fifth record and follow-up to ‘Earthbound’ which is expected to drop later this year could really change everything for them. [ZR]

BRING ME THE HORIZON

‘TBC’

(RCA Records/Sony Music)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Other than Sheffield’s Bring Me The Horizon, can you name another arena filling metalcore band who moved towards such a pop-tinged sound as we saw on ‘That’s The Spirit’, and yet not only keep their metal loving fanbase, but also expand to bigger masses? Probably not, and definitely not to the same scale.

Ditching breakdowns and mosh pit anthems for sugary sweet hooks, and even a saxophone solo for good measure, 2015’s ‘That’s The Spirit’ proved to be a certain hit-or-miss risk for the band, and they reaped the awards in mass amounts. Where they’ll go with their forthcoming sixth record is anyone’s guess at this stage, and, though details on a new album are little thin on the ground right now, it’s definitely a-coming. [ZR]

CAPSIZE

‘TBC’

(Equal Vision Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

In 2017, Californian post-hardcore troupe Capsize kept themselves relatively busy, staying on the road and touring across the US, UK, and Europe, to name but a few places. They also released a brand new single in ‘Cold Shoulder’, along with featuring on the latest ‘Punk Goes Pop’ compilation with a cover of ‘Fake Love’ by Drake.

Well, for 2018, the band seem to hinting that the momentum isn’t going to be slowing down. Via their Twitter account, they’ve already confirmed that even more music is on the way, highly expected to be in the form of a new full-length record, and with what they provided us in latest single ‘Cold Shoulder’, they may be taking a whole new direction. Only time will tell. [ZR]

CASEY

‘Where I Go When I Am Sleeping’

(Hassle Records)

RELEASE DATE: March 16th

Welsh band Casey are one of the brightest prospects for UK melodic hardcore. Having nabbed themselves a nomination for Best Breakthrough Band at the Heavy Music Awards, and fresh off the back of the Kerrang! Tour, these boys have really been putting themselves on the map this year. Next year, they’ll be releasing the much anticipated follow up to 2016’s ‘Love Is Not Enough’, so if you haven’t already, it’s time to sit up and take notice.

‘Fluorescents’, the first cut from the new album, premiered on the Radio 1 Rock Show in December, and it’s a generous slice of the kind of potent, emotive melancholy that Casey do best. If the rest of the album is as good as this, then ‘Where I Go When I Am Sleeping’ could well be the record that wins them the attention they deserve. [LC]

DANCE GAVIN DANCE

‘TBC’

(Rise Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Fans of Dance Gavin Dance will have last seen them significantly break the surface during their 10-year anniversary tour in 2016, which saw the former frontmen Kurt Travis and Jonny Craig join current vocalist Tilian Pearson, with all three taking to the stage in varying combos to remind everyone just how consistently good this band have been in their tenure at the top of the post-hardcore dog pile, even with regular line-up changes.

Their last studio album, the highly-regarded ‘Mothership’, was also a 2016 creation, and, while 2017 has seen various tours and single releases, there has been nothing truly substantial for a hungry fan to get their teeth into. However, in October of this year, the band finally announced that they were heading back to the studio. We don’t know what we’ll get musically, but here’s hoping it continues a fine trend of impossible guitar work, howling vocals, and cover artwork laden with cartoons of animals and robots. [CY]

DEFEATER

‘TBC’

(Epitaph Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

After a few headline tours and festival appearances following the release of their 2015 full-length ‘Abandoned’, Boston melodic hardcore troupe Defeater have been relatively quiet, but, rest assured the band are working on a new record as they’ve confirmed themselves with some brief and infrequent updates on their social media platforms.

The World War themed concept band now how to paint vivid stories with the lyrics in the records, with each release centring around certain characters within a family, collectively coming together to tell one whole over-arching story. At this stage we don’t know for sure who they’ll be focusing album number five on, but we’ve got a hunch it’ll revolve around the mother; a side of the story that fans have been itching to hear. [ZR]

DEVIL SOLD HIS SOUL

‘TBC’

(Basick Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

In a year that centred almost completely on celebrating the 10-year anniversary of their debut full-length album, ‘A Fragile Hope’, British ambient/post-metal outfit Devil Sold His Soul came out of the other end of it completely reinvigorated, performing special shows up and down the UK and Europe which the band themselves have called “some of the most enjoyable shows we’ve ever played.” They even brought back original vocalist Ed Gibbs to share mic duties with Paul Green to give a dual vocal attack for the run.

With the close of 2017, they’ve confirmed that Gibbs has returned to the fold for good, they’ve got some dates in Japan forthcoming, and they’ve also unveiled that this year they’ll be writing and releasing new music. So, with a refreshed line-up, and intent to release some fresh material, 2018 could very well be the year we hear a fourth Devil Sold His Soul album, and a follow-up to 2012’s ‘Empire Of Light’. [ZR]

DON BROCO

‘Technology’

(SharpTone Records)

RELEASE DATE: February 2nd

Ever since their sophomore ‘Automatic’, Don Broco have been on a never ending spree of touring. Taking on world domination, 2017 saw the Bedfordshire rockers tour the UK, America, Asia, and Australia. Ending the year with the announcement of their third album ‘Technology’ and selling out London’s Alexandra Palace was an incredible way to close 2017.

Known for their unique and constantly changing sound, where they’ll go with their third record is up for debate, but with recent singles ‘T-Shirt Song’ and ‘Stay Ignorant’, both featured on the upcoming album, it sounds as if it’s going to be the perfect mix of the Don Broco we’ve come to love over the years, testing boundaries and releasing continuous bangers. With a UK tour set for February, it won’t be long until we hear these new cuts live and see if the band are destined for another amazing year of success. [HS]

EMAROSA

‘TBC’

(Hopeless Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

With 2016’s ‘131’, it feels like we finally met a stable and focused Emarosa, secure in themselves, the band that they are, and the band that they plan to be. Lyrically, the record centred a lot around a personal tragedy of frontman Bradley Walden, and, through his penned pain we were treated with one of the best records of the year, and the band’s most consistent record to date.

Towards the end of the year the band released a short EP which reimagined a small handful of tracks from the album, and also Walden shared some short videos and photos via his Instagram account of some writing and recording going on. Now ready to take on the world, 2018 will see Emarosa with album number five in tow to push to the front ranks of their contemporaries. We can’t wait. [ZR]

FOREVER CAME CALLING

‘TBC’

(Pure Noise Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Californian pop-punks Forever Came Calling made an inspiration impression back in 2010 when they were featured on the Vans Warped Tour documentary, ‘No Room For Rockstars’. Since then, Forever Came Calling have signed to Pure Noise Records and released two studio albums, 2012’s ‘Contender’ and 2014’s ‘What Matters Most’.

December presented fans with ‘Kansas City’, the band’s first release since 2014. An emotionally charged song about “losing something you can’t replace”. It’s a new direction, a step up, and a great comeback. Having been away for a couple of years, their upcoming album is sure to make quite a mark on the scene. [PC]

FROM FIRST TO LAST

‘TBC’

(Sumerian Records/OWSLA)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Few bands led the charge of the whole “MySpace band” movement in the mid-noughties like From First To Last and their debut album, ‘Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has A Body Count’. Then, in 2007, frontman Sonny Moore stepped away from the group, and began a solo EDM career, eventually becoming far more well known under the pseudonym of Skrillex, and From First To Last went through several line-up adjustments over the following decade.

Then, almost out of nowhere, they dropped a brand new track in ‘Make War’, with Moore back on the microphone, and all of the once MySpace kids who grew up had a hit of fresh nostalgia of a band who no doubt sat as their choice of profile song at one point. There’s definitely a new album sat there waiting, and there’s no doubt it’ll be out in time for summer and their yet-to-be-announced festival appearances. [ZR]

HANDS LIKE HOUSES

‘TBC’

(Hopeless Records/UNFD)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Australian post-hardcore outfit Hands Like Houses starting veering into more abrasive and aggressive territory with their latest and third full-length, ‘Dissonants’, where the band employed more jagged riff work, and even vocalist Trenton Woodley began screaming for the first time in the band’s work to date. All the while, the hooks and catchy flair remained.

Since then, the band have released another single in ‘Drift’ back in June, and with it they also announced that they had stepped away from Rise Records and signed with Hopeless Records. We suspect that this was also a sign of the band lining up to get into the studio to work on album number four. There’s already some touring in place too, so we’ll probably be hearing some new cuts sooner rather than later. [ZR]

HOLDING ABSENCE

‘TBC’

(SharpTone Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Cardiff rockers Holding Absence has achieved an incredible amount in 2017. Despite having only been a band for a short amount of time they’ve already hit a staggering amount of milestones that include signing to SharpTone Records, supporting Our Last Night and Young Guns on their UK tours, and performing to a packed out tent at Download Festival.

Every track they’ve delivered so far has been quite honestly epic. Drawing influence from a variety of bands from The Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead to The 1975, Holding Absence always offer up captivating music and with frontman Lucas Woodland‘s powerful vocals and exceptionally honest lyricism, it’s a winning combination. While there’s currently no set date for their debut album release we do know it’s guaranteed to drop next year and if the material Holding Absence have unleashed so far is anything to go on, it’s going to be a brilliant record. [PC]

ISSUES

‘TBC’

(Rise Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

R&Bcore isn’t really that big of a genre – at least not right now – but Atlanta’s Issues are absolutely pioneering that movement in waiting. Sounding like what you’d expect from Justin Timberlake or The Weeknd if they’d spent a whole summer on the Vans Warped Tour, they’re a refreshing though arguably an acquired taste, with hooks sharp and breakdowns groovy.

The band have recently been sharing a few photos of them working hard in the studio, putting together their third record and follow-up to 2016’s ‘Headspace’, so there’s definitely a new album worth of material imminent. There has been an absence of vocalist Michael Bohn in any of the photos though, and there’s a lot of speculation from fans as to whether he’s still in the picture with no direct answer from anyone. So, this could well be a slight steer in direction, an unclear ploy, or Tyler Carter handling the band’s vocal duties alone. [ZR]

JOB FOR A COWBOY

‘TBC’

(Metal Blade Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Following the release of their 2014 record ‘Sun Eater’, which saw the band head into a more technical and progressive area of the death metal spectrum, Arizona’s Job For A Cowboy have been a little on the quiet side. Though, the band have faced a couple of setbacks over the years, including suffering from their touring van literally being set ablaze in a huge ball of flames.

However, though mostly inactive, the band a definitely not dead, and have been working hard on a fifth full-length album for a little while now, originally intending to drop it in late 2017. In December, they gave us all a brief update, assuring us all that they definitely are “writing music right now” but due to general life it will “take some time” as it has “been happening slowly.” Here’s hoping that “slowly” is still at some point before the end of 2018. No pressure, boys. [ZR]

LA DISPUTE

‘TBC’

(Better Living)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

With poetic lyrics draped from top-to-toe in melancholy, it’s hard to think of a band who are capable of tugging at your heartstrings quite like Michigan’s La Dispute. Though certainly less aggressive, 2015’s ‘Rooms Of The House’ was yet another success, and released through the band’s own label Better Living, the band have more control over their creative output and direction than most.

Recently, the band shared some footage of them in the studio working on its follow-up and their fourth full-length record, working once again with Will Yip as their producer. They’ve said they’ll be bringing us some more updates soon, so be sure to start following them online to know when we’re going to hear some fresh material from them. [ZR]

MACHINE HEAD

‘Catharsis’

(Nuclear Blast Records)

RELEASE DATE: January 26th

Thrash metal behemoths Machine Head have consistently been one of the best bands in heavy music since the release of their debut record ‘Burn My Eyes’ over two decades ago. With a variety of experiments and critically acclaimed albums to their name, the Californians secured themselves as metal titans with the seminal and phenomenal ‘The Blackening’. Although they maintained their consistent high standard, ‘Under The Locust’ and ‘Bloodstone & Diamonds’ failed to continue the momentum that Machine Head had, and the band started to refuse festival slots and confined themselves to solitary headline tours.

The thing about Machine Head is that they’re so undeniably brilliant that they have the ability to bring out a stellar record that will destroy all of their peers. 2018 will see ‘Catharsis’ added to the Machine Head discography, and, if the title-track is anything to go by then we’re all in for a treat. Will it be great? Of course. Will it bring Machine Head back on the right track on their way to commercial stardom and festival headliners? Let’s hope so. [MH]

MARMOZETS

‘Knowing What You Know Now’

(Roadrunner Records)

RELEASE DATE: January 26th

All was quiet on the Marmozets front for a while. Their 2014 debut ‘The Weird And Wonderful Marmozets’ was a roaring success, and it looked like they’d be a mainstay in the UK rock circuit for a long time to come. Then they sort of… disappeared. Thankfully, it emerged this year that they’d been brewing up some absolute stonkers, in the form of singles ‘Play’ and ‘Habits’.

‘Knowing What You Know Now’ hits shelves in January, and there’s already a bunch of tour dates announced, so it looks like it’s finally time for the glorious return of the noisy Yorkshire mob. Not a minute too soon, either – the throne of UK alt rock has been cold for a while now, and in 2018, Marmozets are coming for the crown. [LC]

THE NUMBER TWELVE LOOKS LIKE YOU

‘TBC’

(Silent Pendulum Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

After a six year hiatus, New Jersey’s The Number Twelve Looks Like You returned from the ashes in mid-2016 after a secret hometown reunion show, and ever since then the band have been on the road almost non-stop. They supported The Dillinger Escape Plan on their farewell tour, did a headline stint in the UK and Europe, and even celebrated the 12-year anniversary of their album ‘Nuclear. Sad. Nuclear.’ with a 12-date tour performing it in full.

After some extensive writing, and confirmation from bassist DJ Scully whilst they were in Birmingham, the band plan to drop their first batch of new material since their return, and their first album in 9 years in 2018. We bet no matter how much their zany mathcore mangles our brains and hearts, we’ll be seething and dancing as we push that replay button over and over. [ZR]

PARKWAY DRIVE

‘TBC’

(Epitaph Records/Resist Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Chances are that if you love metalcore, then you love Parkway Drive. The Australian heavy hitters tend to be one of the favourites and premium names in the genre, and with the release of their fifth full-length record ‘Ire’ back in 2015, the band managed to prove to us that they can shake things up a little without losing the fire and bite they’re known for.

The band already have a bunch of festival appearances booked in and announced for 2018, including Hellfest and Download, that usually means that they’ve got an album finished and ready in waiting for a release. Get your necks prepared for some serious head banging. [ZR]

PIANOS BECOME THE TEETH

‘Wait For Love’

(Epitaph Records)

RELEASE DATE: February 16th

Baltimore, Maryland based quintet Pianos Become The Teeth took a less in-your-face and abrasive approach to their heart-tugging and personal messages and ideologies with their last record ‘Keep You’ which dropped back in 2014. Their messages of discussing life and dwelling what was, what might be or never be and so forth is easy to relate to, across a backdrop of post-hardcore and post-rock.

It’s uncertain if they’ll be continuing down this slightly easier to digest path with their forthcoming fourth album, ‘Wait For Love’, at least sonically. However, with the sound of already released lead single ‘Charisma’, it definitely sounds like we’re onto a seminal release that’s going to have us self-reflecting, dancing, and crying in equal measures. [ZR]

ROLO TOMASSI

‘Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It’

(Holy Roar Records)

RELEASE DATE: March 2nd

The norm with bands as they grow, progress, and evolve over the years is that they become more restrained, mellow out, become more tame, and ‘mature’. That couldn’t be further from the truth with genre avoiders Rolo Tomassi, who entered the darkest territories of their career yet with their last record, ‘Grievances’, which dropped in 2015.

In a few months’ time, the band will be dropping its follow-up, ‘Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It’, and from the singles that they’ve showcased so far, there’s certainly no sign of any light in sight. With this, along with not long completing their first ever tour in North America supporting The Number Twelve Looks Like You, this could very well be the band’s biggest year yet. [ZR]

THE OFFSPRING

‘TBC’

(Columbia Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

It’s been over five years since The Offspring last released an album – 2012’s ‘Days Go By’ to be precise. Since then, the punk legends have been dropping hints about a new record without any confirmed dates.

However, in a recent interview, frontman Dexter Holland and guitarist Noodles both confirmed that fans can expect a brand new album in “2018 for sure” with Noodles adding “Our fans have waited long enough, I think, so we want to get something in their hands that they can listen to and hold and put in their ears.” Exciting! [NB]

THE STORY SO FAR

‘TBC’

(Pure Noise Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

The release of The Story So Far‘s 2015 self-titled release seems almost an age ago now, and, although no album has been announced just yet, fans of the Californian outfit have reason to be excited. The band were rumoured to be recording a new album since April, and it was only back in September that they shared their new single ‘Out Of It’ to keep people on their toes.

The track had a typical fast pace and rough-edge to it that you can find on the band’s previous records, and definitely showed promise looking forward. So, yes, we may still have to wait patiently for a new record, or even an official announcement of one in the making, but, we can all agree that when it comes, it should be worth the wait. [DT]

TURBOWOLF

‘The Free Life’

(SO Recordings)

RELEASE DATE: March 9th

Bristol psychedelic rockers Turbowolf have been very quiet over the last year, but the announcement finally came that album number three will be gracing our ears in 2018. ‘The Free Life’ will be unleashed into out ears in March, just in time for everyone to learn the songs before their European headline tour.

The record’s lead single and title-track was the first music that we’d heard since ‘Two Hands’ was released back in 2015, but to whet our appetite even more, Turbowolf threw us a Christmas Day treat of new song, ‘Very Bad’, which proves that the band still have the vicious, riff heavy style that has been ever present throughout their career. 2018 could be the year where we all bow down to the electronic stoner prowess of Turbowolf. [MH]

UNDEROATH

‘TBC’

(TBC)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

In August 2015, after warning that a “rebirth is coming”, Floridian post-hardcore legends Underoath officially confirmed that they had returned from their hiatus and, though at the time they couldn’t exactly confirm the extent of their reform, it was one that fans were begging for since they went on hiatus in 2013. More than two years later, the band have toured all over the world, and even at a bunch of festivals, so what’s next?

Well, it seems like all signs are pointing towards some new music from the Underoath camp is incoming, after the band accompanied their announcement of joining next year’s Monster Energy’s Rockville in Jacksonville with a caption saying that it is the “first of what will be many announcements” throughout 2018. This coupled with seemingly high spirits in the band and vocalist Spencer Chamberlain revealing that their hiatus was “a mistake”, it seems a new album is pretty much in the bag already. Until then, we just need to play the waiting game. [ZR]

THE WONDER YEARS

‘TBC’

(Hopeless Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

Over the years, Pennsylvania’s The Wonder Years have steadily established themselves as one of the go-to bands whenever you want to get yourself a fix of some good quality pop-punk. Their last full-length record, 2015’s ‘No Closer To Heaven’, acted as a concept album, detailing the loss of a loved one, and last year, though generally quiet, the band put out a short acoustic EP, ‘Burst & Decay’.

Well, 2018 is set to be a pretty busy one once again for The Wonder Years, and see them take a few more strides towards pop-punk stardom. The band ended their 2017 by updating their social media, saying “See you in 2018”, and “Turning the lights out for a bit. New record next year.” Start getting excited. [ZR]

THE WORD ALIVE

‘TBC’

(Fearless Records)

RELEASE DATE: TBC

There’s been a good deal of change in the The Word Alive camp since they released their last full-length album ‘Dark Matter’ back in 2016. Not only did their drummer Luke Holland step down, but so did bassist Daniel Shapiro. But, that hasn’t impacted them; they’ve got some new members at the helm whilst the three remaining members hit the studio to start putting together their fifth record.

At the time of writing, the band are apparently at the mixing stage of recording, meaning it’s very almost finished. They’ve even shared a short clip of a demo online, confirmed guest vocal spots from hip-hop artist Sincerely Collins and Asking Alexandria frontman Danny Worsnop, and the names of two songs: ‘I Am Human’ and ‘Stare At The Sun’. Just let us hear it already, fellas. [ZR]

THE XCERTS

‘Hold On To Your Heart’

(Raygun Records)

RELEASE DATE: January 19th

With singles like ‘Feels Like Falling In Love’ and ‘Daydream’ already gaining popularity for Aberdeen three-piece The Xcerts during 2017, the band look to continue their success with a fourth album in 2018.

Titled ‘Hold On To Your Heart’, the album is about “finding a pinhole of light in the dark and turning it into the sun” according to frontman, Murray Macleod. Drawing inspiration from the ending of indie movie classic ‘The Breakfast Club’, the album is aimed at encouraging listeners to “be outside and experiencing life; don’t sit in your house looking at the girl on Facebook, go get the girl!” [NB]

Written by Nikki Bruce [NB], Phoebe Constable [PC], Lottie Cook [LC], Jacob Eynon [JE], Mike Heath [MH], Zach Redrup [ZR], Hannah Strong [HS], Dylan Tuck [DT] and Chris Yeoh [CY]