Demoraliser: A Living Nightmare

Grimsby brawlers rise up the metallic hardcore ranks

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With hardcore and metal finally becoming productive bedfellows once again in recent years after 21st-century metalcore burnt itself out in a frenzy of beige also-rans, it’s nice to see the UK currently leading the pack, be it with the heart-on-sleeve approach of anthem-shitting risers like Bury Tomorrow or game-changing future stars like While She Sleeps.

Demoraliser might just be worthy of such illustrious company on the evidence of this smashing debut, and while A Living Nightmare shows that the Grimsby bruisers have their feet rooted more brazenly in hardcore than their contemporaries, there are enough metallic nuances and melodic passages to give songs like Pretender and Checkmate the same kind of scintillating balance that allowed Unearth to stand out as countless peers around them drove themselves into the generic wilderness.

The soaring, twin-guitar anthemia of The House Always Wins will delight fans of Ascendancy-era Trivium, while the monstrous breakdowns and huge grooves pulsing through Eye To Eye stand toe to toe with any heavyweight crossover act of the modern era. It’s early days yet, but Demoraliser are doing it right.

Merlin Alderslade
Executive Editor, Louder

Merlin moved into his role as Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has previously written for the likes of Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He is also probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.