AGE OF APOCALYPSE (us)
The excellently named Age Of Apocalypse come from the same Hudson Valley, New York hardcore scene that’s already given us bands like Mindforce. AOA came together during the pandemic, releasing their demo The Way in 2020 and somehow developing serious buzz even before they could actually play live shows. Age Of Apocalypse’s context is fully hardcore. But sound-wise, AOA draw as much from ’90s metal bands like Helmet and Life Of Agony as they do from any past hardcore act. There’s melody in their vocals, and their majesty in the deep crunch of their guitars. For a lot of people, this band is going to scratch some kind of primal itch.
BALMORA (us)
Formed in April of 2022, Balmora hails from Connecticut, but there’s a strong ’90s European metalcore and melodic black metal feel to what the quintet is doing, at least to my ears. The speedy twin-guitar parts and breaks especially conjure that sonic spirit. H8000 also comes to mind when listening to their tracks
CROSS OF DISBELIEF (us)
Cross Of Disbelief is a metalcore / beatdown hardcore band from Hudson Valley in New York.
