The 12 Greatest UK Metal Debuts of 2017!

9. Bleed Again – Momentum

Bleed Again had been steadily improving since their first EP arrived back in 2012 and UK metal/metalcore fans now had a full length album to sink their teeth into.

With a real focus on melody, it would be misleading to say that Bleed Again ‘matured’ on this release when they simply honed their sound. The expected colossal breakdowns, mosh-pit mangling riffs and soaring, memorable choruses all had their time in the sun but it was the overall atmosphere and ‘can do’ attitude that left a lasting impression.

A monumental step in the right direction, Bury Tomorrow and While She Sleeps should be glancing nervously over their shoulders….Bleed Again are just getting started!

8. Subservience – Forest Of The Impaled

Chainsaw riffs, oodles of groove and growls….surely this is a Swedish death metal release?

Fear not, we haven’t forgotten the point of this feature, these bastards dwell in the hellfires of Brighton(!) and Forest Of The Impaled was the full length debut from the UK’s Subservience; death metal dealers of the highest order!

Sharing most of their DNA with Grave and Dismember, Subservience still carved their own niche with this glorious ode to all things DEATH! Canny enough to temper the bludgeoning with Hypocrisy levels of melody, Forest Of The Impaled gave us plenty to chew on as it heaved and churned its way through 8 tracks of increasing brutality.

7. Pray U Prey – Figure The 8

Political commentary and a death-grind onslaught….surely we’re in Napalm Death country, right? Well, we’re certainly in the right country, as Pray U Prey are fellow Englishman who, with Figure The 8, delivered a bruising ode to early 90’s death- grind that was barbarically effective in its simplicity.

Nihilistic and depressingly prescient, the 11 tracks lurking on this ugly full length debut were a modernised version of the kind of music the political environment of the late 80’s helped birth; the people are pissed and Pray U Prey are here to echo that sentiment!

Take some early Bolt Thrower, a whole heap of Assück, a liberal dose of the aforementioned Napalm Death and the groundbreaking noise of Cannibal Corpse’s early material and you’re pretty close to the sound produced on Figure The 8!