Our latest batch of new music from bands using music discovery platform Groover sees us kick off 2026 with tracks from eight new bands. We begin the new year with a fusion of rock, metal, nu-metal, punk and rap metal by bands from Germany, Switzerland, the UK and the US.
Bastion’s Wake – (Don’t) Tell the Bees
American band Bastion’s Wake fuse a love of melodic death, doom and symphonic power metal. It began with the Delaware duo of vocalist and 12-string guitarist Sami and guitarist Ray, who eventually fiscovered drummer Rob Westbrook and his son Ben on bass. The quartet blend a wide range of influences in a sound they describe as “fresh and bewitching, yet somehow nostalgic prog-power-black metal with a kiss of doom.”
The band sent us (Don’t) Tell the Bees, the second single from their second album Go Tell the Bees, which was released in November. It starts out with an atmospheric intro before Sami’s engaging vocals take over alongside dramatic guitars. The vocals intensify and flow into a big singalong chorus, then drops into another powerful verse. A second chorus builds to a dramatic ending with high-pitched vocals, which give way to a lively guitar solo. Thattees up a more intense final rendition of the chorus, bringing the track to a powerful conclusion.
On the track, the band said: ” (It’s) a story of longing for a past viewed with rose colored glasses and realizing one has become the villain of their own story. Of the shame of the harm that was caused by one’s actions, and the lengths one will go to in order to hide that shame – even if the cost is the loss of your bees.”
You can follow Bastion’s Wake on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and check out their music on Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music, Deezer and YouTube.
Dead Villains – Money Piece
Bedfordshire band Dead Villains intriguingly summarise their sound as “emogaze-core,” describing it as “a cathartic release of suspended emotion that has no other outlet.” The band sent us their second single Money Piece, which was released last month.
The track opens up with wild screamed vocals over delicious driving guitars and thick bass. That drops into clean vocals over stabbing guitars before going a little more shoegazey as laid-back vocals are supported by big guitars. A big scream ushers in spoken vocals over intensifying guitars, before dropping into heavy vocals that flow into a big melodic chorus.
On the track, the band said: “Moneypiece5 is a song about the euphoria, concern and control of love. It spans the range of emotions that come with being in love, from the safety and warmth of embrace to the fear and loss of control that is also necessary.”
You can follow Dead Villains on Instagram, and check out their music on Spotify, Apple Music and Soundcloud.
floodlit – AMa | အစ်မ
Los Angeles newcomers floodlit blend cinematic heavy rock and metalcore with post-hardcore in a powerful but melodic sound. The quintet of Elijah Kellogg (lead composer and vocalist), Wil Jackson (guitar and clean vocals), Jin Wen “Candy” Zhang (bass and clean vocals”, Ei Fan “Yvonne” Lee (lead guitar) and Kevin Pope (drums) boast an engaging triple vocal approach in a sound that they say “features crushing screams and poignant poetry fused with powerful sonic assault in every track.”
The band sent us their debut single AMa, which comes from their upcoming debut album MiDaSu, slated for release this Spring. The track starts out with a moody bassline over light rolling drums, before bursting into life with a vicious scream and heavy guitars and drums. That drops into an engaging opening verse with clean vocals answered by screamed retorts. That flows into a big atmospheric chorus led by dual vocals. A more intense second verse follows, feeding into another delicious chorus, which ends with powerful screams then dual vocals intersecting with darting guitars. The pace suddenly slows with Candy’s vocals taking over, and building towards a final blast of the chorus. This is an intriguing debut single and we’re excited to find out what’s coming from the band’s debut album.
You can follow floodlit on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and check out their music on Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music and YouTube.
GAMBO HEMP – Bodybag
Picking the pace up a notch takes us to Russian/American nu-metal and rapcore duo GAMBO HEMP, who blend heavy guitars with aggressive energy. The Chicago-based duo are joined by US horror-rap legend SCUM for their second single Bodybag, which they say “blends nu-metal roots with modern horrorcore and underground rap influences.”
The track opens up with a cool little riff over intense drums that feed into vicious rapped vocals that end with the lines “That motherfucker with no money, That motherfucker went nowhere, That motherfucker dressed all bummy, But with a knife, with an extra limb.” Heavy guitars loop back into another verse of intensifying fast-paced vocals, flowing into a chorus of gruff vocals “Only way you’re leaving here is in a bodybag.” A little riff feeds back into another lively verse, before ending with a cool stabbing guitar riff.
You can follow GAMBO HEMP on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, and check out their music on Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music, Deezer and YouTube.
Mortez – Veil
American duo Mortez invite listeners to “become a Mortezian” and join a covent with a haunting soundtrack of cinematic rock, country music and raw emotion.
The Los Angeles duo sent us Veil, the third track on their mysterious three-track EP The Veil, released in October. It has us immediately hooked with dramatic instrumentals and choral vocals that give way to engaging vocals in a mellow but edgy verse. The instrumentals and vocals gradually build in intensity, flowing into a powerful singalong chorus. The pace slows with piano supporting the engaging vocals, before guitars join in as it flows into another big catchy chorus. A cool little darting guitar lick jumps in and bridges into a dramatic verse supported by stabbing keys, before the pace drops to setup a final blast of the chorus.
You can follow Mortez on Instagram and Twitter, and check out their music on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.
Ray of Light – Best Of Me
Germany and the UK combine in the nostalgic hard rock sound of Ray of Light, who describe themselves as “a new star in the hard rock galaxy.” The band, started by two members of the 90s German hard rock band Frontline, sent us Best Of Me, the latest single from their debut album Salute, which was released in February.
Best Of Me opens up with a deliciously brooding guitar riff that drops into a verse led by frontman Gregg Cromack’s engaging vocals. That flows into a big singalong chorus before feeding into another lively verse and chorus. The chunky guitar briefly returns before a meandering guitar solo drops into a final blast of the chorus.
You can follow Ray of Light on Facebook and Instagram, and check out their music on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and YouTube.
Saint City Orchestra – Boys In Green
If you’re looking to start 2026 with a bang, then Swiss collective Saint City Orchestra may be just the ticket. The band was born out of a “whimsical beer-infused moment” after a St. Gallen football match, which took them down the path of an Irish punk rock sound that’s led to triumphant escapades across Europe.
Our latest taste of this is the anthemic Boys In Green, which opens up with the catchy lines “For the boys in green, Stand up and scream, For the bravest team we’ve ever seen.” It drops into vocals over stabbing guitars, which flows into another catchy chorus. A little violin solo takes over, dropping into a verse with shouted vocals keeping the energy flowing ahead of another chorus. The pace slows, gradually building up to big crys of “aye aye aye aye” before a big final blast of the chorus and a lively outro.
On the track, the band said: “Boys in Green is the perfect soundtrack for everyone who carries football not only in the stadium, but also in their heart. An energetic punk rock anthem about fighting spirit, unity, and unwavering loyalty to the team. It’s about the underdogs who keep getting back up, about the fans who support loudly and passionately, and about the unbreakable feeling of fighting together for the dream. Boys in Green brings stadium vibes straight to your ears — powerful, raw, and rousing. Ready to sing along at the top of your lungs? Then raise your green flags high — the Boys in Green are here to show how punk rock and football make the ultimate combination.”
You can follow Saint City Orchestra on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, and check out their music on Spotify, Deezer and YouTube.
Tamagotchi Bay – Please don’t use it for that
Delaware quartet Tamagotchi Bay aim to keep the late 90s and early 2000s alive and kicking with a fusion of emo, pop-punk, alternative and post-hardcore goodness. On the sound they’ve created, the band says: “(We’re) four guys making fun music about how sad we are. Bouncy bendy riffs with a hard-hitting half time dance break. We just want people to have as much fun listening to it as we had writing it. But most of all, Seth hopes his ex hears it and makes her feel bad.”
The band sent us please don’t use it for that, which comes from their debut album What We’re Up To, released in November. The track opens with a light guitar lick that’s joined by fast-paced cymbal hits and drops into engaging dual vocals. That gives way to a lively guitar lick, before a bending riff supports a more laid-back chorus that picks up pace. It drops into a funky little lick, before heavier guitars and driving drums support more intense vocals. The pace slows again with light guitars, before a heavy final blast of the chorus.
You can follow Tamagotchi Bay on Instagram and TikTok, and check out their music on Spotify and YouTube.
Tiny Ships – Decay
New Jersey band Tiny Ships have crafted an alternative rock sound fused by creative sparks that began to fly during the post-Covid world. They began writing music together during lockdown and released debut album PEEK in 2023, then a series of singles before new frontman Shaun Mason joined the band in September.
The band sent us Decay, which was released in November. It starts out with a moody intro that feeds into Shaun’s engaging vocals over a darting guitar riff. A delicate guitar lick creeps in as it builds towards a powerful chorus. A meandering guitar bridges into a more upbeat second verse that flows into another chorus, which gives way to laid-back vocals and a more unsettling atmospheric slow section with repeats of “death is coming.” It dives back into a big chorus that ends with a scream and a powerful outro.
On the track, the band said: “Decay is a raw and relentlessly energetic single that marks a bold new chapter for the band. Equal parts heavy and melodic, the track pulses with a heavy, hypnotic groove that hits hard from the first downbeat. Frontman Shaun Mason channels manic swings, mental awareness, and the jagged edges of depressive episodes into lyrics that feel both intimate and explosive. His vulnerability pairs seamlessly with the band’s sharp, driving instrumentation—creating a sound that’s cathartic, urgent, and impossible to ignore.”
You can follow Tiny Ships on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and check out their music on Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music and YouTube.
Looking for more new music? Check out all these bands and more on our Spotify playlists GigRadar Metal, GigRadar Core and GigRadar Rock
We discovered all of these bands on Groover – submit your music to GigRadar!
And listen to all the bands we’ve found on the platform on our Spotify playlist GigRadar Groover
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