A hardcore punk rager of a debut album from this Midlands crew!
Metalcore-style riffing and chunky breakdowns certainly have their place in hardcore, but ultimately the genre’s origins lie in punk, and kudos to Grail Guard for planting their flag firmly in punk territory – ripping through ten tracks in just over twenty minutes. The band are based in and around the Midlands, and originally formed in 2022; this is their debut album.
Much of ‘Still No Future’ is informed by frontman Riaz’s British-Indian heritage; in particular, the racism and xenophobia that he and his family have experienced over the years. “Invited into this country/To do jobs you wouldn’t do” he roars on the early ‘Our Streets’, backed by an abrasive guitar attack reminiscent of the Dead Kennedys. It’s fierce, confrontational stuff with a message that needs to be heard, and sets the tone for much of what comes after.
On the likes of ‘Cruel Britannia’, ‘Still Fucked Up’ (complete with great gang vocals!) and previous single ‘Anxieties’ they don’t waste a word – or a note. No wonder Riaz complains about being unable to sleep on ‘Insomnia’ – it’s rare that we hear a band (and especially their vocalist) sound quite as fired up and brimming with righteous rage as Grail Guard do here. Even when they slow things down a tad for the closing ‘Rats’, they still utterly slay.
At times, we’re reminded of Gallows’ sophomore album ‘Grey Britain’; not only because of the musical vitriol within, but also in terms of how unflinchingly they address the current state of this country. ‘Still No Future’ is hardcore that hasn’t just been written and recorded, but also lived – and that’s what makes it so essential. Keep an eye and ear on this lot – we certainly will.
‘Still No Future’ is released on 6th March via TNS Records – pre-order it HERE.
- People Just Like You
- Our Streets
- Insomnia
- Cruel Britannia
- Still Fucked Up
- Anxieties
- Safe Space
- Alan
- The Rotten
- Rats
Follow Grail Guard on Their Socials:
Need more Punk In Your Life?
Album Review: Broadwing release their debut ‘Duck and Cover’
Based in Portland, Maine, Broadwing are a pop-punk trio. Their debut album ‘Duck and Cover’ which drops today, 16th April 2026. The album is produced
Interrobang urge us to ‘Rethink Everything’ with brilliant new album and EP release
Preparing ourselves for the long-awaited new Interrobang album, I’m ahappy to report it’s a rather special one. A band made up of Dunstan Bruce (vocals)
Rage DC’s 4th album launch at Facebar, Reading, 12th April 2026
Local Punk heroes Rage DC released their fourth album ‘Mind Your Head’ on 12th April 2026, and celebrated its release with an album launch gig
Festival review: Scarborough Spa turns up the volume
Scarborough Punk Festival is five years in now. It’s grown, but it hasn’t lost its grafted, DIY heart. Sixteen bands across two days, no filler,
The Damned dazzle us all in their 50th Anniversary show at Wembley Arena!
Promising us something spectacular, legendary Punk pioneers The Damned lined up a hugely impressive show to celebrate their 50th Anniversary as a band, at London’s
Lightyear/Slow Gherkin, London New Cross Inn, 8th April 2026
Two much-loved stalwarts of ska-punk are reunited at last! Lightyear and Slow Gherkin originally toured together about 25 years ago, during the late 90s/early 00s
I spend my days teaching English to foreign students, and my evenings attending as many gigs as possible. Raised mainly on a diet of 90s third-wave punk, my tastes have grown to include just about anything from trad ska to thrash metal. The Ramones are my musical gods.
Did you know that we are 100% DIY? We run our own game. No one dictates to us, and no one drives what we can or cannot put on our pages – and this is how we plan to continue!
