ERRONEOUS BOTCH:
Not one, not two, but three extra videos for y’all this week.
First up: I have officially entered my video essay era. Yes, that’s right! Real deal YouTuber shit, folks. This one is part of an ongoing retrospective series I’m working on titled, “MXC Canon,” where I take a look at the 20th anniversary of Parkway Drive’s highly influential debut full-length, Killing With A Smile. If you’re an Australian alternative music fan from the 2000s, then you know just how important this record is to our heavy music scene. Watch now:
For the pod, we had returning champion and longtime F.O.T.S. Lewy Glass in the studio. Lewy chats about Perfect Dark, the phenomenal debut LP from Volatile Ways, and why starting a label to release your own record just makes the most sense. We cover his work as CEO and head riff honcho of Bereave In God Records, run through his stellar catalogue of releases, and the health of regional scenes across the country. Lewy’s a deadset legend and this one was lots of fun:
And for my ongoing Dispatch Bay series, I had a chat with Dave LePage about the upcoming 50 LIONS full-length, New Reality, out October 3rd via Last Ride & Six Feet Under. We discuss the logistics of recording an album with members spread across the country, why Aussie hardcore is in such a good place, how creative freedom opened the group up to new sounds and ideas, and if we’ll ever get that CARPATHIAN reunion. You can check it out below:
SIDE A:
A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.
Sleepazoid – “NEW AGE”
After dropping one of my favourite EPs of 2025 back in March, Naarm/Melbourne indie-punks SLEEPAZOID are losing no steam as they enter their “NEW AGE.”
The quintet’s latest cut weaves and darts with bright, brash verses and frontwoman/guitarist Nette France’s streetwise confidence, before doing a hard 180-degree pivot into a lush, dreamy chorus. The group pull off both registers effortlessly, and I can’t wait to hear what they do next. Watch the video for “NEW AGE” below:
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Father Deer Hands – “Nothing Down Here Blooms”
This week’s new find comes courtesy of Shogun (Antenna, Royal Headache), so shout out to unsolicited DMs. FATHER DEER HANDS hail from Gadigal/Sydney and their newest single, the catchy “Nothing Down Here Blooms,” runs the gamut of just about every alternative-adjacent sound we have adjectives for: heartfelt emo, upbeat pop-punk, cathartic screamo, and pummeling hardcore.
According to the quartet’s Instagram profile: “This Guinea pig has seen some shit, man.” So if you know the deep lore behind that single artwork, please let me know. Stream the single here (DSPs).
Bloom – “Tongue Tied” (feat. Mikaila Delgado)
Guest features are very much dime-a-dozen these days. But how often do we get a genuine, tearjerking, heart-string-pulling duet? You know, those harmony-fuelled belters that used to absolutely dominate the airwaves?? (Make Duets Great Again, et cetera, etc.)
Case in point: Sydney/Gadigal melodic hardcore crew BLOOM decided to switch up their usual penchant for bone-breaking aggression and have instead delivered an incredibly effective, primarily acoustic duet with YOURS TRULY frontwoman and F.O.T.S. Mikaila Delgado. Now, this is what I’m talking about. Watch the visualizer for “Tongue Tied” below:
Divedown – “In My Head”
Anxiety can be entirely overwhelming. Trust me, nothing gets you staring at the ceiling for hours on end like the prospect of becoming a parent in 2025. Or better yet, let DIVEDOWN frontman Sam Bianco tell you himself:
“This song is about dealing with intense anxiety and all the feeling surrounding it. I have been with dealing these feelings for a while, and I've felt it come in waves throughout my life. This song captures a very specific and difficult period for me. The lyrics aren’t subtle, I wanted to be straight to the point and I feel they capture exactly where my headspace was at the time.”
“In My Head” is the second single from the Naarm/Melbourne emo rockers for new label Ninth Life Records. You can stream the single here (Bandcamp).
Guilt Trip – “Burn”
I’ve been shuffling through the same gym playlist for the better part of fifteen years now, and one track that’s always remained in near-exclusive rotation is “Burn” by Throwdown from 2005’s Vendetta. That record saw the Orange Country hardcore vets finally embrace their love for Pantera-aping grooves to great effect.
So I don’t think it’s a huge leap to see a similar progression going on under the hood with Manchester’s GUILT TRIP. 2023’s Severance LP laid out their own metallic hardcore blueprint, and given their recent signing to the coveted Roadrunner Records, their latest single is easily their most groove-laden, stadium-ready pit starter to date. Watch the video for “Burn” below:
SIDE B & FEATURE ALBUM:
Want more tracks? Well, I have some good news for you. I’ll be posting my Side B write-ups on THORNHILL, VARIALS, MIRRORLESS, and CASTLE RAT on the TPD Patreon. If you'd like to check them out, please consider becoming a Friend of the Show (for just $3 USD/$5 AUD per month).
By joining, you become part of our alternative music community, get access to our existing bonus content, and have the opportunity to send me a mildly threatening chat message with some new music you like. I’m deadly serious about this. I want your recommendations!!
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