In a year marked by a powerful resurgence for guitar-heavy music, a new name with deep roots is making waves. False Reality, a hardcore band from London, has burst onto the scene with their debut album, Faded Intentions, proving that experience within the underground can forge a sharp and surprising new sound.
Roots Deep in the UK Hardcore Scene
The members of False Reality are far from newcomers. Vocalist Rachel Rigby began her journey as a teenage gig promoter in Essex and London, later organising festivals. After a decade of observing a stark lack of female representation on stage, she decided to front her own band. "I felt that it was important to send a message," Rigby states. Her powerful, raw vocals are a defining feature of the album, delivering lyrics with confrontational intensity.
The band's oldest member, guitarist Dave Connolly, earned his reputation in crews like Ironed Out and 50 Caliber, orbiting the influential Rucktion Records label. This London-based imprint, founded in the late 1990s, aimed to build a scene comparable to New York's legendary hardcore community. Drummer Louis Dale credits Rucktion as his teenage gateway. "The physicality and precision of the music blew my face off," he recalls, noting his attraction to its dangerous energy.
Forging a Sound with 'Faded Intentions'
This collective history gives Faded Intentions a distinct edge. Having played and moshed at countless shows, the quartet has a finely tuned sense for what makes a track devastate a live room. Their sound pushes beyond hardcore's classic three-chord formula, incorporating thrash metal solos reminiscent of early Metallica and Slayer, alongside the rhythmic drive of two-step parts.
The album's toughness is galvanised by Rigby's ferocious delivery. On tracks like Cost of Spite, she rails against being defined by gender, skin colour, or sexuality. The song's message, she explains, is about "breaking from that, not diluting yourself to make others comfortable."
Subverting Expectations with Shoegaze Influences
Perhaps the most distinctive element of False Reality's music is their incorporation of shoegaze textures. While the genre is known for its volume, it isn't typically associated with hardcore's aggressive weight. On songs like Sonder, the band floods heavy beatdowns with waves of distortion and melodic vocal layers.
"We love that Deftones sound and worked it into our world," says Dale. "Turning shoegaze into a False Reality song is another. We want to subvert expectations of what a hardcore band should be doing." This bold fusion marks their debut as a deliberate step away from convention, showcasing a band proud to carve its own niche.
False Reality is set to perform at Collision festival in Bedford on 11 April, bringing their charged live show to a UK audience riding the new wave of hardcore's popularity.
