South Wales hardcore outfit Maelstrom are releasing their second EP, cutting straight to the point with a burst of aggression shaped by internal struggle and scene-rooted slam. A short blast of everything they’ve been working on since the start of the year.
The tracks were written alongside material for their debut LP, which is still in the works and set for 2026. But this stuff couldn’t wait. They’ve been playing the songs live for a while now, and since the crowd response hit right, they’re giving the tracks a proper release.
“The intent behind the promo is simple: keep it short, sharp, and relentless,” they said. Mission accomplished.
Scott’s lyrics land heavy. Mental health struggles, powerlessness, trying to claw some control back — there’s no distance or detachment. It’s not dressed up in metaphor. Just that raw tension, cracked open and set to breakneck riffs. The sound stays in the lane of bands like Speed, Bitter End, Terror, Trail of Lies, Backtrack, and Guilt Trip, but it doesn’t feel derivative. There’s something about the way they carry it that’s grounded in where they’re from and how they’ve come up.
South Wales hardcore is part of the DNA. And it’s clearly in a good place. “We’ve got a lot of good bands popping up pushing things forward,” they write, namechecking Asidhara, Violent Offence, Positive Reaction, Dosed, Only Way Out, and The Neighbourhood Watch.
The whole thing’s got that energy you only get when it’s really DIY — not in the merch-table sense, but in the actual day-in day-out sense. It’s loud, community-built, and moves fast. “We’ve grown up in it, we’re proud to be part of it, and we’re excited to see where it goes next.”
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Honestly, I wouldn’t stand too close to the pit at their gig. Just the thought of it makes my ribs hurt.
