Introducing: Before Us

Portugal-based metalcore newcomers Before Us combine crushing riffs, powerful vocals and moments of melody in a thrilling, diverse metal sound they describe as “energetic, emotional and intense.”

“We quickly bonded, not just as bandmates but as friends,” the band told us. “While we’ve had a few lineup changes, which is normal when building a band from scratch, we are grateful to everyone who has played with us and contributed to our first EP. The band’s name was decided during a casual hangout, and we immediately connected with its meaning. Before Us is more than just a name; it’s a reminder that this journey belongs to everyone who feels, struggles, and overcomes.”

And on the sound they’ve crafted since, they explained: “Our sound blends the raw energy of classic metalcore with a modern approach. We focus on powerful riffs, melodic yet aggressive vocals, and dynamic song structures that keep things fresh. While we call ourselves a metalcore band, we don’t strictly follow the genre’s traditional formula, which makes our music stand out.”

Our first taste of this is two quickfire singles ahead of their debut EP, Anima, which they say “features four deeply personal songs that reflect not just our experiences but emotions and stories we all share.”

Most recently, the band released Can You Remember? earlier this month. It opens up with light building guitars that continue alongside thick slabs of guitar, before crushing guitar stabs under enchanting clean vocals. The guitars and drums pick up pace as it explodes into vicious screams, and a fun stabbing riff supports intense vocals that end on a big growl. That feeds into a huge chorus led by catchy clean vocals, which drops into a chunky riff and screamed vocals that quickly loop back into another chorus. A spinning guitar lick jumps in over heavy chords in an atmospheric instrumental section then, just when you think it’s finished, it delves to darker depths with intense guitars and vicious screams to bring the track to a powerful conclusion. Check it out in the lyric video here:

That was preceded by debut single Grey, which was released at the end of last month. It starts with lively guitars under intense vocals, which feed into a big chorus “I know that it hurts, When you’ve got no place to go, I had to believe in me, And I fucking did it.” The pace drops with distant spoken words, and heavier vocals return alongside fun dual guitar riffs, ending on huge screams teeing up a melodic chorus. Another section of heavy vocals drops into a huge breakdown of vicious stabbing guitars and crashing cymbals under wild cries of “just disappear” to bring the track to an intense ending.

On releasing their first two tracks, the band told us: “It feels amazing. We are really proud of what we’ve created and have been working hard to promote our music. We expected it to be challenging, but it turned out to be even tougher than we imagined. Nowadays, being a good musician isn’t enough. You also need to master promotion, networking, and the industry to truly stand out. Of course, the most important thing is having a great product, and we truly believe we’ve achieved that in our own way.”

The Before Us sound has been influenced by the likes of Killswitch Engage, Miss May I, As I Lay Dying, Bullet for My Valentine and August Burns Red. However, it’s been shaped by a broad range of styles and influences, given some of their members had never even listened to metalcore before joining the band.

They explained: “Our vocalist’s biggest influences come from nu-metal, bringing a different energy and dynamic to our sound. But we quickly realized that sticking to a specific genre wasn’t as important as simply playing until we loved what we heard.

“That’s how all our tracks came together. We don’t try to fit into a genre or subgenre. While we call ourselves a metalcore band, our sound sits somewhere between classic and modern metalcore, making it uniquely our own.”

We’ve met a fair few Portuguese bands recently, but asked the band for their thoughts on the local scene. “The Portuguese metal scene is small but passionate,” they told us. “There are dedicated fans and some great bands, but compared to other European countries, the scene remains quite underground. Metal doesn’t get much mainstream attention here, so bands have to work hard to promote themselves and build a following.

“For new bands, there is support, but it mostly comes from within the metal community itself. Finding opportunities to play live, especially outside major cities, can be challenging. However, there are some great promoters and festivals that help showcase emerging talent. The key is to stay persistent and take every opportunity to get your music out there.”

Before Us are in the process of releasing their debut EP, Anima, from which the next single Stuck is released on Wednesday (26 February). They’re working on more new music and plan to release further singles through the rest of the year. And they’re keen to play as many live shows as possible, both in Portugal and beyond to bring their music to new people.

And the band added: “We put everything we have into our music, and we hope people can connect with it on a personal level. If you’re into metalcore or heavy music in general, give our songs a listen and let us know what you think!”

You can follow Before Us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and check out their music on Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music, Soundcloud and YouTube.