From the moment of our first breath to the very last gasp we take before we die, we never stop growing as people. Every trial and tribulation, every heartbreak, success and failure, every scar, blemish and wrinkle is another brushstroke illuminating our life’s unique canvas. As Holding Absence frontman Lucas Woodland sings on “The Angel in the Marble,” the closing track on his band’s outstanding third album The Noble Art of Self-Destruction (released on August 25th via SharpTone Records), we are, each and every one of us, “a puzzle, a painting, a work of art in the making.” Holding Absence’s new album is a testament to how our life’s story is never fully told, with opportunities for change and growth found in every moment, from the depths of despair to the euphoria of our greatest loves. Whether adding flourishes of colour to an already picturesque painting, or chiselling away at the marble to reveal the beauty within, The Noble Art of Self-Destruction – the final act in a trilogy of records encompassing the first chapter of Holding Absence’s career – speaks to how we are each an unfinished work of art with new meanings and qualities waiting to be discovered. “The moment this all came together for me was when I realised a marble sculpture has to be broken to become beautiful,” Lucas says of The Noble Art of Self-Destruction’s themes. “When we think of ourselves as growing, evolving and getting better, we often view it as though we’re adding things to ourselves. This album is me discovering that sometimes you have to take the bad parts of yourself away, rather than feeling like you always have to add ‘good’ things. And yes, that can be a hard process and it hurts, but it’s for the best. The Noble Art of Self-Destruction is an album of hope, but you need to go through hardship to find hope. Sometimes, you need to work to find happiness in life.” A record Lucas describes as a form of self-therapy that sees him more candid and comfortable with his emotions than ever before, The Noble Art of Self-Destruction brims with a level of energy, excitement and sheer weight of feeling that is unparalleled in contemporary alternative music. Whether Lucas and his bandmates – guitarist Scott Carey, bassist Ben Elliott and drummer Ash Green – are performing relatable anthems about imposter syndrome and self-loathing like massive singles “Crooked Melody” and “False Dawn,” gushing love ballads (“Honey Moon”) or existential reflections on suicide (“Death Nonetheless”), the four-piece’s approach on their new album is packed with the kind of vigour that saw Kerrang! label them as British rock’s “new leading light” and Loudwire proclaim the Cardiff natives to be “the UK’s most exciting new rock band.” Recorded at Canada’s Jukasa Studios with producer Dan Weller (Enter Shikari, Bury Tomorrow), The Noble Art of Self-Destruction builds further into the lore of Holding Absence that sets them apart from many of their contemporaries. Taking influence from a varied array of sources including Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo, sci-fi blockbuster Star Wars and the Japanese pottery art of Kintsugi, Holding Absence’s new LP speaks to the desire of Lucas and his bandmates to create a project that exists as so much more than just a band. “It’s really important to state that this record is the third part of a trilogy,” Lucas says. “The Noble Art of Self-Destruction is the final piece of a wider art project, with this record serving as a bit of a love letter to Holding Absence before we take the next step.” “Another big part of this album is the idea of putting things back together and how that makes them more beautiful,” Lucas continues. “That’s where Kintsugi and Michelangelo’s marble statues come in, because they show how visible breakage can be a beautiful thing, and how we are all essentially likes blocks of marble, but it’s our interpretation of what’s inside and how we chisel away at that over our lives which makes us who we become. Those metaphors and that acknowledgment and acceptance of those imperfections are key to understanding the record.” Having broken one million monthly listeners on Spotify and with top song “Afterlife” racking up in excess of 30,000,000 streams, The Noble Art of Self-Destruction looks a sure bet to bring even more success the way of Holding Absence, who’ve toured with the likes of Funeral For a Friend, Electric Callboy and You Me At Six. Previous LP The Greatest Mistake of My Life saw the band grace the covers of Kerrang! and Rock Sound, with glowing coverage from outlets including Loudwire, Alternative Press and Upset. The Guardian, meanwhile, praised Holding Absence as a band “making pop-rock anthems with rib-rattling drumming and mainstream appeal.” With that love only set to grow once The Noble Art of Self-Destruction is released, it’s important for Lucas to emphasise how this album represents that what’s come so far is just the beginning of Holding Absence’s journey. “Our first album (2019’s Holding Absence) was about love, The Greatest Mistake of My Life was about loss, and this album is about the person that’s left at the end of that, and the lessons they’ve learned from their trauma. It’s the end of a trilogy – the album art literally says this is part three of three – but it’s not the end of Holding Absence. The Noble Art of Self-Destruction ends on a note of hope, of looking forward free of fear and of embracing yourself, cracks and all. I think that’s something to be really proud of.”

Leading force in Australian Melodic Hardcore, Bloom combines fierce sounds and impassioned lyrics to steadily build a concrete foundation through their passionate, conceptual projects to date. With a catalogue that focuses on grief, internalised struggles and exile, Bloom partners their deeply emotive lyrical content with surging rhythms and memorable hooks to dynamically marry harrowing concepts and captivating listening experiences.   After the release of their second EP 'In Passing' and signing to Greyscale Records, Bloom completed a 19 date Australian tour amidst of the hardships of 2021, and worked hard at improving and rejuvenating their live show, whilst writing and recording their next release entirely remotely with producer Christopher Vernon.   ‘Sink Into the Soil’ saw them take on their first headline tour around Australia, along with national tours supporting Void of Vision, Holding Absence, Ocean Grove and Bad Omens alongside numerous sold-out headline shows and festival appearances at UNIFY Gathering and CVLTFEST along the way.   Having just completed another national headline tour with the support of Better Half, Bloom are looking stronger than ever and are gearing up to finish 2023 strong. With a national tour supporting Thornhill, Holding Absence & Thousand Below, as well as the release of their best work yet in partnership with Pure Noise Records before closing out the year with appearances at Good Things Festival, the future is bright for this exciting new voice in Australian alternative music.

From its inception in a Richmond, VA basement in 2017, House & Home’s goal has remained the same: to reach catharsis in the loudest way possible. Blazing through basements and DIY spaces all around the country, the quartet carved out a path for themselves early on to grow their following and hone their aggressive, yet thoughtful signature sound. Now, numerous nationwide tours in the last few years have given them the opportunity to connect with audiences they never imagined reaching, and they only want more. House & Home’s 2025 sophomore LP, “I Won’t Look for You” solidifies the band as a force to be reckoned with, showcasing poignant lyricism, intricate and dynamic guitar work, and a driving rhythm section built for banging your head. The lead single, “Swarm,” showcases the nuance and impact the group is capable of packing into a song, while tracks like “Oracle” offer relatable and earnest emotion that listeners can sink their teeth into.   It’s all done with two guitars, bass, drums, and an ethos that can only be learned from cutting your teeth on makeshift stages and garage floors. House & Home brings the energy to fill any room, tear up any stage, and leave an impression on anyone within earshot.   House & Home is Joey Grammer, Matt Stumpf, Collin Lassiter, and Patrick Williams